Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1841-05-27


runners, on seeing the dead 'b9dy of the ex-
press rider, sentin warri6rto inform the
General Of the circumstance.
From the 81. Louis Republican Nag l..
TIE TRAGEDY OF TIE NIGHT oETHE l7th.
FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARD.
For some days past the citysauthorities
have been engaged in investigating some
recent developements CONNECTED with the
murder of Messrs. Baker and Viewer, and
the burning of the store Of Messrs, Collier
and Pet,us. and we have refrained from
giving auy of the particulars; lest our do
ing so neutrality-suspicious. operations. the
objects of secrecy being over, in the opin-
ion ofthe officers, we feel at liberty TO state
the particulars so far as they have been
developed.
A negro man named Edwasi n. Ennis,
who has been for some time past in the
employ of barber named ohnson, Oh
Market-street, opposite thaAsdonal Hotel,
made the disclosure.
The circumstances of this horrible af-
fair, as detailed by Ennis, are as follows:
About 10 o'clock on Saturday night.
Ennis went from the barber shop to his
boarding house, kept by Leah, free yell
low woman, and Peter Charleville, a free
man, on Third. between Market and Wal
nut streets. Shortly after he had gone TO
bed, a negro slave named Madison came
to the door, knocked, and was admitted.
Soon after being admitted, Madison ex-
claimed, "G-d d-n the luck" and on in-
quiry why, he stated, ~ have doue more
murder tonight than ever did before, and
have not been paid for it," and after re-
marking that there would be an alarm of
fire sortly, he stated in substance that he
and three yellow men, viz: James Sew
ard, alias Sewell, Warriek and Brown,
had gone on that night 10 Mr.. Pettus'
counting room; that The door was unlock-
ed; Madison entered alone; Mr. Baker
was sitting down with his boots of, read
ing newspaper; Madison walked up and
presented bank bill to him, asked him if
it was good, and as Bakerturned to look at
The bill he struck him over tho head with
short bar Of iron which he had concealed
under his arm; the others then came in, and
they repeated the blows until be was quite
dead, his skull and one side of the head
completely mashed; aller searching the
body for the keys, they rolled itgup in the
bed clothes aud placed il on:the bed. Se.
They secured the door agd went to work
work, MI. Weaver came % fRs, door and
knocked, and called to Jesse, fMr. Baker,
TO let him 10, Some dispute ensued be-
tween Brown and Madison, which should
kill Weaver; and it was insisted that Madi.
son should, as he had killed Baker, but
be refused, saying that be bad done his
share and would do no more. Brown open
ed the door and placed himself behind it,
and as Weaver passed into the room, struck
him over the head with the bar of iron: on
the second blow he fell and Brown thrust
sharp iron bar through his head. Ennis
docs not confirm the report of the firing of
the pistols, but says that having heard that
Weaver was shot, he asked Madison about
it, and he told him that no pistol had been
fired and that they had no weapons but
the bar of the iron mentioned. From the
statement it would seem that all OF them
had beaten Weaver.
After some farther effort al the vault,
finding they could moi get into il, Madison
left; Warrick, Sewell and Brown remained
short time, then fred the house in differ
ent places, came out, locked the door and
went up the alley north from the house, and
threw the key away. Brown took with
him gold watch and a blue cloth cloak,
which he said he had thrown away Tor lear
ofdetection, but did not.say where.
1t seems from the statements, that En-
mis-, on the morning following, was III com
pany with all of them and many ol The
facts he got from others besides Madison.
Warrick and Sewell said but little about
it. Madison had with him, on the morn-
ing following, the bar of itou with which
The deed was executed, and Ennis having
learned the Office il bad performed. took il
and threw it into a privy in The rear oil
Leah's house. The vault was yesterday
searched and the bar found. We under
stand it proves to be an instrument used in
opening dry goods boxes, chisel on one
end and claws on the other, one oil the
claws partly broken, agreeing fully with
Ennis's description.
Leah and her husband confirm Ennis's
statement as to the time he came home,
and the time Madison came IN. They
heard the conversation, but not sufficiently
distinct TO understand it. 1t may be well,
however, 10 remark, as a farther confirm
alton of Eunis's statements, that yesterday
Madison's coat was found in the LOTT OF
Leah's house besmeared with blood. From
all That we can gather, it does not appear
that the scheme had been long concocted,
or that they had very well :matured their
plan Of operations,
Madison is a slave belonging TO Samuel
G. Blanchard Of Newt Orleans-have been
here sometime running at large, and II we
are correctly informed, was sen. here to
avoid prosecution 10 Newt Orleans. tie IS
stout copper colored man, near six feet
high, about IS years old, very bold and i'm
pndent in his manner. 1t is believed ne
left here on the Wednesday following the
murder, on board the Missouri, for Orleans.
Brown is dark mulatto, about feet
10 inches high. about 80 years OF age, and
it is said resided in Cincinnati. lie seems
b..o n ,,osx, ,kors time. He