Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-11-22

So anu al INSTANCE OF 4 little more than
one hundred yards IRON the house. The
circumstances attending this cruel trans
action, as confessed by the blacks before
the jury of inquest, aud there is no other
evidence on the subject than their own
confession, we shall briefly state without
any remarks, as they are now in the hands
OF justice we would say nothing to pre-
JUDGE the public opinion.
The preceding governing, it seems, the
negroes had been assigned certain guam
tity of corn to husk, and say thew were
then told, that on their failing to finish it
they should be corrected. In the course
OF the evening it was proposed by one of
the fellows and to which all agreed, that if
MIR. Owings did attempt to whip any of
them they would unite in killing him.
Next morning, on Mr.. Owings going to the
corn heap he found they had not husked
the quantity directed and called one of
them to correct him. The fellow not 90
ing very readily he took hold of him and
led him to the barn, which was but few
steps distant. On reaching the barn the
negro made some further resistance, when
Mr.. Owings called the others to his assist
ance, two of whom by his direction, seized
the fellow and third one seized Mr.. Ow-
ings, with whom he said he wished to have
some talk-Thc one who first resisted, on
promising to be more attentive in future.
was ordered by Mr.. Owings to his work.
but Immediately on being turned loose
seized club with which he made blow
at his master. This blow he parted with
his arm, when the fellow caught him by
the throat to prevent his alarming the IA
mily-Another of them took UP the club
and third hammer, such as is used in
ramming posts in making fence, with
which he struck the deceased several blows
on the head and back, and it appeared that
five of the six concerned also gave him one
or more blows.
They then concealed the body in some
straw, and to prevent suspicion directed
small boy to bring Mr.. Owing's saddle
and bride, which they put on his horse
when one of them rode him some distance
from the house and tied him in the corn
field until night, when he was taken to the
village of Woodsborough, few miles dis
tant. and there turned loose with the sad
die and bride on. The following day the
horse was taken up and brought home on
Sunday morning by neiShbor. This
alarmed the family, and persons were sent
in different directions but could obtain no
intelligence of the deueased.-On further
search being made about the Farm. the
place where the horse had been tied and
where some rails had been thrown down to
take him out were discovered. This
strongly confirmed the suspicious before
entertained, and the blacks were charged
with the murder. At first they all deni-
ed it, but on being separately examined
confessedthe whole affair and that they
had thrown the body into well, on the
farm OF MIR. Dorsey, nearly, mile dis
tant. Here, on search being made it was
found, mangled in most shocking manner.
particularly the head, the forepart Of
which was beaten quite flat and so disfguI.-
ed as to render it almost impossible to re-
cognize any ofthe features.
On the night subsequent to the murder
they attempted to remove the body, but it
was so dark and from some cause, ther
could not tell what, became so alarmed that
they abandoned it and it was not until a
little before day on Saturday morning that
they carried it to the well.
On Sunday evening the whole of them
were lodged in the new jail, which is now
finished and from its strength and secu-
rity precludes all hope of escape from the
sentence Of the law which awaits these in
fatuated, unfortunate creatures, all of
whom, we understood, by their late mas
ter's will were to have been free in few
years.