The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-08-03
THE LUCAS FAMILY.
A SHOCKING HISTORY.

A SHOCKING HISTORY.
gentleman of veracity and respcctabllIty IN
Montgomery county, communicates tie ioiio"-
nu uIlyarnishcd account of the Lucus family, one
ri ihc most wicked and abandoned that ever
lived.
II is necessary to say this, as the account
would be discreditch if it came from any olher
than undoub,ed authority, so shocking are us ue-
tails.
10 The Editors ofde Richmond Compiler:
Clrisliansburg, July 4, lSl2.
Gent!emcn: mySci!, as well as many ot'lcis
(no doubt) feel some interest Gin consequence ol
our knowledge OF the man and the iactS) IN lhe
notice in your last paper, headed "Ihe pcnl;en-
tiary." alluded to Lucas. Ills family anu lhcir
crirnes arc well known to IFS all. They are no.
torouslv worthy to be grouped with the l1arpers,
the Murrels, or any others desparadoes that have
Gourshed ior the last century. You say in
YOUR notice of Lucas that his case is strong
arrumeat that crime runs in the blood. How
far this rule will carry out, taking, the human
family en- mqSss is rot for Inc to say; but how tar
it has been illustrated in this family OF Lucas,
stands conspicuous in our criminal record, and
marked with blood. will give you an eptome
OF this family and their crimes, which, Il made
out by competent historian, would make a
small volume. | will begin by correcting
ANAL error YOU make in your statement, you To-
cate the Lucascs in Grayson county; that county
is spared the disgrace oi nurIurIng such monsters
The scene OF their lives and depredatIons Is III
The county Of Giles, OH Doe Creek, small
branch OF New River, which heads in the cele-
5rated Salt Pond Mountain, and from Its obscu'
riry and loneliness, ard the character OF lis IT,
iabitantS, has always been avoided by CIVILIZED
man. But 10 the 1ae:-
The father of the Lucases is now about 93
years of age, and is no doubt hoary headed VII
lam, although he has during his long life been
adroit cuoIrh to commit no crimes OF which the
Ilw coa!d take cornzancc, | will give you one
trait in the character of this Old sinner, which
Will suffice 10 shcw what kind OF man he is
On the recenttria of his son "Dare" when his
life was in jeopardy, this old man on being asked
what was the character Of his son David, res
pon,lcd that he believed "Dare WouM kW any
man for h0enty fire ceniS."
The first in this family of blood, perhaps un-
paralieled in civil society, was the first sonoi
"OM Ran,' as he is universally called. lls
name, perhaps is Randolph, but he has
never seen or heard of the baptIsmal iount)-
Well, this first born of sold Ran" named ".jcr-
ry," as long ago as the late war, became crIm'-
~ man, and in one week after the mans return
home, after having encountered all the dangers
o. war, "Jerly Lucas" at the earnest solicitation
OF the tiendsh woman, pertended much friend
ship or the husband, invited him home with him
from the muster ground, and the man was found
afterwards murdered behind log, with about
200 weight OF stone upon his body. Lucas con-
iessed that the evening they left the muster
ground, he beat his victim over the head with a
club until he supposed he was dead, and went TO
his house and staid all night with his wife. To
make assurance doubly sure, he returned in the
morning 10 see if the man was dead. He found
him sitting leaning against tree and covered
with gore. The poor fellow begged for his lie,
told Lucas to lake his wife and he would leave
the country as soon as lie was able, and would
never say anything about what he had done to
him. The savage Lucas was IoXorabe, muir
dered him out right, and concealed him as have
stated For this murder he was apprchcnded,
tried, convicted and hung at Giles Court House,
in the fall of tic year 1914. "Od RAM" his ia
ther, sat under the gallows when he was hang
ing, and amused hiInselfby ealing gingerbread.
The woman or wife of the murdered man, es-
capped punishment for want CT testimony 10 con-
vict her.
Next in the list Of this family OF criminals is
''Dave," or David ihc second son of "Oid RAM"
and the lion Of the family, if exceeding all the
rest in the number and magnitude of his crimes !
will make villain lion. "Dave" commenced
his career OF crime about twenty years ago, when
he was nineteen years OF age by stealing horse,
for which he was convicted and sent to the pen- |
tentiary for five ycars-durng which time, he
and another convict contrved to make their es-
cape. Dave came on home, was captured taken
back, and served out his term.
But not long after his return home from this, !
his first probation, the incorrigible Dave contrv-
ed TO rob small dealing pedlar Of nearly all his
stock in trade, for which crime lie was again |
sent 20 Tic rcnientiary for three years.
At the time of this last conviction, cousin Of
Dawes, lad sixteen or seventeen years of age,
was convicted OF some crime, and also sent to the |
for three years; of couis sc they were
discharged at the same time, and left the pcnl-
entiary together. The boy has never been
heard Of since; and Lucas, in some of his drunk
en- frolics. has boasted that as they came OH
home, he killed the boy, and threw his body into
The river; and he told tine boys father that when
he ran his knife into him he bawled like calf
If Dave tells the truth in this matter, he must +
have murdered the poor boy for the wrctchcG
pttance that was given him when he left the
to deIray his expenses on his way
home. On the night Dave came home from the
the last time, large sack-yard, as
also valuable barn, full of grain, were burnt in