Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-09-07


garet and Mary Mayse, the daughters OF Mr.. Mayss-
Nine Magistrates the Bench
The following evidence introduced in behalf of
the Prosecution Caroline, the slave of Mr. Mayse,
testified that the 10Th Of August, the prisoners
(Andtew and Lucnda) told her they would show her
good blackberry patch that evening, and Lucinda told her
she must bring Mary and Margaret Mayse with her, and
she would shew them the hluckberries Whilst on her
way TO meet the children returning from school, she
(Carolne) me, with Andrew, who told her 10 make haste
and bring The children up to the Big Gale aud he would
show them The black berries. She went and met tie
children, aud took them With her. up short distance
froI The gate; route different from that which they had
usually returned from school. They met with Andrew
and Lucinda-A ndrew leaning against The fence the
site next the road, and Lucinda standing near him
The witness then asked Andrew where The kberry
patch was-Ie made no reply, but seized Mary, and
Lucinda coming up, took hold Of Mary by the head and
stood behind her. whilst Andrew stood side aud
cut her throat with new.lookng shorknlie. The poor
lille girl staggered around and fell duwn-whereupnn
The other little girl Margaret started 10 rum but Andrew
soon caught her and brought her back-and Lucinda
held her, whilst Andrew cut her throat in like manner.
After the MURDERS the prisoners got the fence into
the bushes the witness towards The house;
but becoming exhausted she compelled 10 stop and
Andrew passed her, with his shirt sleeves rolled up, and
went to the well the opposite side u the yard and
washed his hands and arms. The witness declared that
she prevented by her fears of being murdered her
self from disclosing the event to her mistress innedi.
arly upon getting 80 the house.LIcuda s her mother,
and told her she would be hung if she told any thing
about il.
Miss Mary Jane Plomey another Witness in behalf Of
the Commonwealth, stated, that the little girls let
GU, OF school at her father house about clock the
evening OF the lO!h Augustihat, upon taking long
walk alter. and returning 10 her fathers yard she
Lucinta and black boy together approaching, lei
surely in the direction Of her fathers house-Lucinda
cnqured if the lutte girls there and stated that they
had got hone and that her mistress had become
easy about them The witness then with Others went in
search of the chidIen-and Lucinda suggested that they
might have been drowned in crossing the The wit
renlIp 4 mi
that il was and that Miss P.s brother should 60 down
to On going along the road, they discovered the
tracks Of the children towards the gse-and Caroline
led the way, saying that they might be at the Blackberry
patch Caroline went on, Until she got TO the gate md
Began 10 look about aud soon pointed out The children
lying the road side, l,ie beyond the gae-and ex
claimed, 'Thrre they lie. dead
Warwick Plomey confirmed his sisters statements
Miss Sarah McEvee who took The usual road the
children in search Of them, also gave in her eslI
mnny, which was not very relevant
Mrs Eleanor Plomey joined the hunt for the children,
and made similar statements.
Mrs Sarah Mayse mother Of the children also gave
in her lcsImony-She stated that Mary was IN her 9Th
year and AlarGaieil her 7h Early IN lie cay ucnea
asked leave OF her 60 for bsackbefes Some time IN
the afternoon she asked Lucinda ii she intended 10 Ga;
bat l. snid she would wait until the Children returned
from school, and she would lake them along with her and
the witness refused let them 60 for fear of accidents
In the of The evening she was struck with lhe I'm
gula couuieDance OF the woman, she held her pan Of
hlackberrIcs and enquIrrd what was the matter with her
|
wards the door, where she stopped and remarked she was
waiting for the pan. Mrs NJ gave other statements of
acs, which il IS unnecessary TO recapIlulate Qt ap
pears that during the preparation o! the murder The g
Caroline had infant child of l hlayse in her arms
She (Mrs stalled, in the Of her examinations
that the prisoners both much ucensed against their
r master and both Of them had made threats Lucinda
declared that neither her master nor any other man
should whip her-if they did, there would he muir.
der committed Tor she bad as die one death as ano.
ther-A few days before l!ie MURDER Lucinda master
had attempted to whip her. but she got away from hiin
Andrew had also made threats, and SAID lie would 90
something make his sell him. for he would not
live with him MIR. NJ had few days before the muir
der, bought him cowhitr and placed II so that
they might It, IN order to alarm them aud make them
behave better, but he had not used it
Robert Plomey, another witness stated that he loo
went in search of the children. On meeting Lucinda
and others, she Informed him of tie death of the ch
dren, and sdled there standing by them IN
his SHIRT sleeves his off, aud club III his hard
The children lying in such way AZ entirely to
conceal lhrl. wounds bou, 400 yards from their father
house. Whilst the company standing around the
bodirs Lucinda declared that she thanked God her
hands clean upon which Andrew also declared that
his hands were clean.
Stephen e Porter another witness, stated that he
| saw Andrew, who asked him where his master was
and on teinu asked what The matter, replied
that some person had killed his little children and
said he did not know how they were Killed, whe'
Their they had been struck with lightning, or IN what
other way.-The clothes Of The prisoners were brought
into Court oud upon inspection were found bespaeEed
with blood and in many parts OF L. s fr"ck, IL was ap
parent that the blood covered with Hour with The
view of conccang it-and many specks OF blood were
distinctly visible.
There were other witnesses produced, and among
them OF the slaves of MIR Mayse, (who It appears
was no, at home the evening Il" the murdet)-but
the preceding statements exhibit the principal easuTes
OF this most atr0cous Transaction.
The two prisoners (Andrew and Lucindn) were una
nimously found guilty by the Court aud were condemn
ed to he executed on Monday, the 2llh Of September
The Girl Caroline who had been admitted as State
Evidence, recommended to the mercy Of the Exc
cure We understand that her former master has
bound himself in a very heavy penalty 10 The Cou! 10
sell her and seud her from The county
1t appears from all accounts that the family had been
very ndulgsnl towards The slaves-ihat The want OF
authority operated upon such too malignant ana ttck.
less spirits, produce the preparation OF two &"
the cold booded and arocious murders which 'h~
present day has produced II thrills the blood OF every
humane person. to see two such tender and helpless IN
nocens fall victims to Tie demon'ilke passions OF tn
such feEds.
THE MrRprR AT the SPRINGS We extract the fol
lowing account of this affair from the Baltimore CEron
Gle. transmitted 10 that paper by correspondent:
As the guests of the White Sulphur Springs were
lea wing the dining Time about the middle OF
August man observed coming hurredy across The
lawn from the cabins, towards the stage Office, and at
the same time men on horseback galoping in hot
haste from the Warm Spring road to the same point In
few moments these last announced that man had been
shot al Surrers Tavern about quarter OF mile oil and
if not dead stond in need Of physician They
indicated the crossing the lawn as The murderer
While part of the guests went eff for physician Others
fastened to aries, the armed PERSONA under the
middle size rather compac.y built with good features and
nrd com plexion and who was al once recognized as
Watkins the bar keeper at Surers lie did not hest.
tate 10 say that he had shot Pman-a person from hu
pus,a County who horse dealer, well known a,
the springs, for calling him " a ID liar watkins
made no resistance TO his arrest, stating that he came
10 the springs Voluntarily consult with counsel The
gentlemen no arrested him tied his hands behind his
back and took from him the pistol an eight inch barrel,
| with which h. had fired al Putnam, and kne called