The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1841-05-27
CuARG.oTTE, n. G., MAY 81, 1871.
The ST. LOUIS TRAGEDY.
ST.. LorIs. My |. ls4I.

, lGSfbs utstlupCHebt5 cCNHtClfu WIN lN'
murder Of Messrs. Baker and Weaver, and
the burning of the store of Messrs Collier
q Peilus, and we have relrained from CIV
ng any OF the particulars lest our doing so
uighl iC pede their operations. The oh
iects Of secrecy being over, IN The opinion
Of the officers, we feel at liberty 10 state
the particulars SO far as they have been de.
veloped.
h negro man named EdrGrd H. Ennis,
as., ,.,s t@g.s ssr 9ais,1 'i;f. r n ''e EN-
pioy Of barber named JOHNSON, OIL Mar.
ket street, opposite tho Na.on1I Hotel,
a.e.,@ I'D disclosure. The commubi. tons,
II seems, were made to Ernis By ore { the
parties; that Ennis, belng uneasy abori ii,
and yet afraid, because Of the excitement,
and also OF the murders, to tell what be
knew, went on Friday last TO Butcher,
yellow man, who resides ia Broohlyu, on
lie opposite side Of the river, and tod him
what he knew, and asked his advice
, butche7 refused 10 give any adylce5 on
Sunday, he went over again and xeht 10
Alton, when Butcher communicated the
facts to two constabies, who arrested Enais,
and, after taking his statement came here
with toe expectation Of catching one OF tie
parties, Wnrrick,) but he bad LEI! before
their arrival.
The circumstances Of this horrible al.
fair, as detailed by Ennis, ere as follows:
About 10 O'Clock on Saturday nlghb Ennis
went from the barber sbop to his boarding.
house, KEEP, by Leah. 4 free yellow WOMAN,
and Peter Cbarleyillc, d free man, on Third,
between Market and Walnut Streets
Shortly after be had gone to bed, negro
slave named Madison came TO the door,
knocked, and was admitted. Soon after
being admitted, Madison exclaimed, CD
d--n tho luck" and on an inquiry why, he
stated {" have done more murder 10 nigh;
hau ever did before, and have not been
paid for il, :" and after remarhIng that there
would DO an alarm Of Gre shortly, he stated
in substance that he and ihree yellow "ren'
VIZ: James Sewcrd, slias 5rtreH, NGrrltk,
aud BSm.H, had gone on hatnlgb, TO MIR.
Pettus's counting room that the door was
unlocked Madison entered alone, Mr.. Ba.
ker was sitting down, with his boots Oft,
reading newspaper Madison walked up
and presented bank bill TO him, and ask
ed him il !, was good, aud US Baker turned
to look at the bill he struck him over the
head with short bar of iron winch he had
concealed under his arm; the others then
came 10, aud they repeated the blows until
be was quite dead, bis skull md one side
Of the head completely mashed. After
searching the body for the keys, they roll.
cd il up in tho bed clothes and pldced II IN
the bed
They secured the door and went 10 work
90 the yaaI, TO open Il. Whist al tins
work, MIR. Weaver came 10 the dooi and
knocked, and called TO Jesse Mr.. Baker,
10 let HIN H. Some dispute ensoed be
tween Brown and Madison, which should
Kill Weaver; and i, was insisted that Madi,
san should rs be had killed Baker but be
refused, saying that no bad done his share,
ard would do 20 more. Brown opened tue
door and placed himself behind il, aud as
Weaver passed into the room, struck hun
over the head with The bar OF iron; on the
second blow he fell, and attempting to rise,
Brown ;hrus, a sharp iron bar through his
head. Ennis, ia his statement, does not
confirm tho report Of the firing OF the pls-
tolls, bu, says that having heard that Nea.
yer, was shot, he asked Madison about II,
and be told him that no pistol had been fir
cd and that they had no weapons tus the
bar Of iron mentioned. From the state
nent. il would seem that all Of them had
beaten Weaver.
Anor some further effort at the vault
finding they could no, get into il, Madison
left: Warrlcl, Sewsll, and Brown remain
ed a short time, then fired the house IN live
aitiereut places, came out, locked the door,
and wen, up The alley north from the house,
and threw tho key away. Brown took
with him gold watch and blue cloth
cloak, which he said ho bad thrown away
for fear OF detection, but did not say where
1t seems frouthe statements, that Ennis,
on the morning following, was IN company
with all of them, and many of the facts he
ool from Others beside Madison. WGrrck
and Sewell SAID but li!ile about ii. Madl.
| son had with HIM on the morning following
the bar OF iron with which the deed was
executed, and Ennis, having learned the
office it had performed, took It and threw
it into sewer 10 tie rear of LEANS house.
/ The vault was yesterday searched and the
4 bar found. We understand il proves TO be
an Instrument used in opening dry goods
boxes---a chisel on one end and claws on
the other, one OF the claws partly broken,
agreeing fully with Ennis's description. j.
There are many other minor statcm1onsS
bot the above is the Substance. 1t. Ito. ~
munication Of Madison appears TO have beer
made wi,hou, solicitation, and without any
injunction OF secrecy.
Leah and her husband confirm Ennis
statement as TO the time he came home
and the tina Madison came in. They hearo
the conversation, but not sufficiently dlstlnc'
10 understand 1t, 1t may be well, however
to remark, as a further confirmation OF En-
mss statements, that yesterday Madison
coat was found in the loft of Loah's hous'
hesmeared with blood. From all that W.