The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-08-03

when he struck the blow that Killed Ills hePhew'
sThe next crime of which Lucas is accuseu, IS
,nlv founded on strong circumstances, Whicn are
hese.-Some wears ago, man VINO hau Deei
N with A drove of cattle to the north, merely as
, driver. was returning home through Lucas
on foot. He was seen 10 pass
house in the morning and almost lmmedlately al
tor. Lucas was seen by the same man who sa"
the driver, to 90 on after him, with his rlile gun
on his shoulder, and directly alter tile same man
heard the report of a gun down the road' the way
thev had gone. Lucas soon after returned ana
there was seen a large quantity OF oiood III inc
road. But as the driver was an entire Stranger
no Investigation was had. lie never arrived al
his home, nor has he since been heard ol' anu
Lucas, if guilty of this murder, II murdef was
committed, escaped punishment very receNtiy'
4 mans dog, in the vicinity OF this transaction
came to his master, with human Skull III "ls
mouth.
Lucas last crime, and for the perpetratIon OF
which the world has been freed from such mon
ster, was the muric, d. ohm foif' poor laoDrei'
who had been working at the salt WORKS on Nall
awha few months, and who; with the proceeus
of his labor in wallet, was travelling on loot anu
alone to his family and home III the county Vi
Floyd Lucas fell in with him on the hghway'
and as it was la:c in the evening, entlced hIin 10
90 home with him, as he said he could entertain
him for the night, as well as any one. In an eVli
moment poor Potf consented, and soon ai'er ''e'
his fate.
Dave killed him within less than TWO nun,
dred yards of his cabin, and so oDscurels huo"o
residence, that The murdered man lay nearly
week above ground without discovery; ana "nat
is certainly very strange lnatuatlon OH lhe part
of the murderer, apparently, no pans or care was
taken to conceal the foul deed. Inis Wrctcheu
criminal was apprehcnded, tried, and toand gull
ty of this murder by the jury IN flltecn minutes
from their retirement from the court ROOM
There were seventeen witnesses on bellall oi lhc
Commonw eath: the criminal had no witness,
and refused to employ counsel. The COURT OF
course, assigned him counsel, but his case was
so plain and fragrant that the learned counsel Il
presumc) thou :ht it unnecessary to make any
defence, and submitted it to the jury without ar
gument. Sentence oi death was therefore pro-
nounccd upon him, and in accordance, ne was
hung on Friday, the 9th of June, at Giles Z: H.,
the day you saw his brother in the Pentenslary.
The spectators, male !:and female, black anu
white, would number perhaps 5000.
The wretched man died as he had lived, reck-
less, and without any outward sign OF conpunc-
tion-.nade no particular confession when under
the rallows: on the contrary, made use ot pro-
fame language when in this awful situation, IN
response to something said to him by some OF
the attending clergy, and finally made an attempt
to bite the shcrt's car whilst he was adjusting;
The rope round his neck So lived, and thus died
David Lucas, the wre;Gftd murdcrer*
The Hon. Juare Browns address to Lucas on
passing his sentence, has been published IN the
Rirb,no,,I WIKI If Won have not seen II, II is
we'll worthy Of reading.
The next in the list of this family of criminals
is Ohm Lucas tho ono you saw in the Penitentia-
ry. lie is old Ran's, third son. lie, also, has
killed his man, and his full cousin, too; for it
seemst they are Like lN Cain. their hands appear
his cousin engaged iii fight, caused BY the cous-
ms jbeing, by saying.
'Your brother Dave is in the Penitentary,'
which SO enraged John that he struck hima blow
with his heavy rife gun with all his force cleav-
ing his skuli to the very teeth, breaking stock and
barrel off in the r2ddlc, and causing instant
death. Dave Lucas being, in part, the cause OF
this quarrel, aid its disastrous consequences to
John, perhaps accounts for the recklessness ofhis
behaviour on hearing of Dawes final fate, and
may have been strong in his mind when he made
the observation you mention. THAT it would
have been to the credit of the family if Dave had
been hung many years ago.' John was tried for
his Ic but as the murder occurred in fight,
and under very aggravatng circumstances on
the part of the murdered man. Johns life was
compromised for X years residence in the
Penltcntary. / never heard of any other dep.
relations OIL society committed by this criminal.
You have seen him; he is very good fac Simiic
OF this depraved family Of Lucas. They, are.
truy, a savage looking race. There are yet
two brothers younger than those already named,
who have not rendered themselves so conspic-
uous in the annals OF criwe: what their fates will
be time only can tell. They promise fair to be
genuine chips Of the old block, and although
young, are already the terror OF the neighbor-
hood. You can hardy believe such a commune
ty of savages could be produced in one family, in
our civilized country.
'Old Ran has also daughters, for these i'll
weeds are very prolific; but they are worse than
sons, (save The mark) and thereby hangs tale.
But it is tale not meet to be told among chris
tans, and will pass over it. have written
enough to weary your patience, and perhaps
loo much Of your time to read it
But the tale is true, and such as it is, send it to
you. r. G.
3The Lynchhurg Vrginian has the following no.
ticc ofthe execution of Lucas: david Lucas was
hung at Gils Court flouse the 9th ult. in prr.
suance OF his sentence for the murder Of John Polf