The native American., 1838-09-15
TRIAL OF MURDERERS.

TRIAL OF MURDERERS.
the 9th instantly contains the particulars of the
trial of the three slaves, Andrew, Lucinda, and
Caroline, for the murder Of the two children OF
their master, Mr.. Mayse, of Bath county, Va.
On the trial, which took place on the day above
mentioned, two Of the accused, Andrew and Lu-
cinda, were separately arragned, and the girl Ca
roline was brought forward as witness. Her
testimony was to the following purport:
| On the evening of the murder, Lucinda, her
mother, left the house of her master, for the os-
tensible purpose of gathering blackberries. AS
she went from the house she told the witness
that she must go down towards the school-house,
and meet the children, as they came from school,
and bring them up to the gate over the hill, and
that she would show them another blackberry
patch. The witness accordingly took the child
of Mr.. Mayse which she was nursing, about fif-
teen months old, and went towards the school
house, until she met the children on their return
home. ....
She readily persuaded them to accompany her
to the place designated, which was about 400
yards from the house of Mr.. Mayse, on the road,
and near the gate which led into one Of his fields
The ground on one side of the road at this point,
was in a forest, and on the other was cleared,
with the exception of bushes, which had grown
up in the field. The situation was quite public
for that remote section OF the country, as the road
was occasionally a good deal travelled.
When the witness reached the point desg-
mated, she found the prisoners Lucinda and An
drew, waiting for them, the latter leaning on the
fence. with his shirt sleeves rolled up to his
shoulders. Almost Immediately upon their reach
ing the spot, Lucinda seized the eldest child,
who finding herself so roughly handled, begged
Lucinda not to hurt her, as she had never done
her any harm. Lucinda made no reply to this
prayer for mercy, but catching hold of the head
of her victim, she drew it violently back so as to
leave the throat fully exposed, and standing be-
hind her held her firmly in this position until
Andrew with a single stroke of shoemaker's
knife cut her throat almost from ear to ear.
Lucinda then relinquished her hold, and the
poor little innocent, with it's eyes rolled upwards
III agony, and with uptted hands, staggered for
ward describing in her course a half circle, with
the blood spouting from every vein and artery,
until she fell PROSTATE upon her face and ex-
pired without groan. The other little victim,
terrified beyond expression, at the horrible scene
which she had ust witnessed, fled into corner
of the fence, and with outstretched arms implored
for mercy. But she might as well have appealed
to hungry tigers. Andrew rushed upon her,
dragged her forth from her place of refuge, and
handed her over to Lucinda who held her in the
same position in which her sister had met her
horrible fate, and Andrew, with the same instru-
ment OF death, to use the language of the witness,
'sawed at her neck for some time" until the
head was almost severed from the body, and she
fell dead without struggle.
The witness stated that she then ran away to
tho onl |. IL
did or where they went for sometime afterwards
This dreadful narrative of the witness was sns-
tanned by all the circumstantal evidence in the
case, and by the testimony of all the other wit
nesses as to the collateral facts. Upon an exami-
nation Of the position of the bodies of the chill
dren, and the wounds, and the appearance of the
ground, it was found that everv thing correspond
ed with the statement of the witness. The BODY
OF the eldest lay upon the face, and the blood
showed that she must have fallen in that position,
as large quantity of blood had flowed from the
wound and was found Immediately under the
neck.
The traces of blood were also distinctly visi-
Bile, showing that she had staggered forward and
described seml-clrcle in her progress. as stated
by the witness. The wounds, too, corresnonded
with her description, for whilst the cash in the
throat OF the eldest was smooth and not more
than two or three inches in length that Of the
youngest was ragged and uneven, and Of much
greater depth and extent.
Words cannot describe the feeling which was
produced upon the bystanders as this dreadful
narration progressed particularly as the father and
the mother of the murdered children were Obliged
to be present. The deepest emotion pervaded
the whole audience. The counsel were SO much
affected as to be compelled from time to time 70
suspend the examination; and the poor mother
was so convulsed with agony, that she was
obliged to be supported, haffantng, and sobbino
as if her heart would break, from the court-house
A number of witnesses were examined whose
testimony went to establish the guilt of the pris.
oners, and the Court accordingly pronounced them
guilty. The girl Caroline was subsequently ar
ralgned and tried. In consideration of her youth
and of the full disclosure she had made, and from
regard to public policy, as well as from the in
elusive nature of the testimony, independently of
her own evidence, the court acquitted Caroline,