Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1853-04-20

! his wife was in the well, and asked that he woul
help to get her out. Witness replied, he thought h
must have higher authority before doing so and turn
ed to go into the kitchen; Perry followed him, ant
said, :" God knows 1 didn't put her there Coz
knows loved her, and you know Ilove her. wi it
ness thinks prisoner said this dozen Zines OF more
AT another time, about minute after, prisoner sale
10 witness that "he (prisoner) was notching pole:
at the crib in order TO move it, and he sent Fanny and
Liza into the field TO put up the fence, for he under
stood there was something in the pasture had sent
larger girl for the hammer; that he could prove
himself clear by Fanny and Mrs. Edwarcs.'. In a.
Eother conversation stated that he had taken the chill
dren and gone into the field with them to put up the
fence. Witness stated to the court that one had
accused prisoner; that Rams, (the old negro) was
weak, feeble and could not have lifted the we'll curb
BY himself. tas- s-.=r
SARAH EDwARDs said she lived on the land at the
time prisoner purchased it, and remained there after
he got possession, eleven days. that she Jesse
Mainards; on the morning of the 9th of December,
little yellow girl came after her go 10 prisoners
She went, and saw the corpse-saw the water wind
lass and slaves of the well.bucket. The tongue of
the corpse not out. Prisoner said to witness,
:" 1t it was done the Lord knows who done it, for
am as innocent OF ii as young baby" II made
this declaration great many times, and at different
times. Said ' he sent his children, Fanny and Liza
to the pasture to put up the fence; and they were
gone SO long that he Went after them he had under.
stood that 10: Edwards horses had torn down the
fence and he sent them for to know and if it was
so, for them to hollow" Witness further iestifes,
that prisoner got up and shut the door, and drew his
chair close by the side OF his deceased wife, and pre-
tended 20 be greving that she told him to lake him
self to the Kitchen which he did. She further heard
prisoner say, that old Rams had gone TO town, and
he hoped that his good neghbors and friends would
not think any thing Of what that old negro should
say about him. He wanted his baby taken care of !;
exhibited affection for it,. .
Witness further testified. that Polly Lassiier
with prisoner home, when lie moved there; she first
occupied the kitchen, but moved into the house
Thursday OF County Court week; she set up two
beds-prisoner slept in one, and Polly Lassiler the
Olher; deceased pulled something out ffOm under the
sted, like budget threw it down the foor, lay
on ii, and covered with couple of quilts. Her he'd
ing was exceedingly black and dIty-if the bed
then before her was The one, it had been washed.
Rams was an old negro-.he worst looking negro she
ever
MOURNING ATKINS testified that she lived about
mile from prisoner; she was over at prisoners and
saw the dead body Of Mrs. Psny; her tongue was
no, out of her mouth-ner mouth nearly shut; /;
eyes nearly closed. She saw old wounds ON the
body, not yet cured up; looked if they had been
crt round with switch. One was scar. Heard
prisoner say he sent his girl to Maynard's fo- ham
mer-Fanny and Eliza 10 The field, &C.. he was
no:ching crib poles; that tho old negro throw
ing from crib the other; his wife and child
he had left In the kitchen that he heard the largest
child a, the we'll, but did not where the other
was, and spoke TO the negro girl who was coming
up with the hammer 10 go and take the child, and
that he didn't know where the mother without
she had fallen in the well-didnt know what 10 DO,
bet he run after the neis hbors that he didn't know
but she had gene OF, and got lost being in strange
place.
illness further testified, that in the of The
day, prisoner said 6 no could tell how strong
she was-tha, she was distracted and deranged. and
he had 10 take hold of her," Witness further testi-
6es, that the clothes of the deceas ID were muddy
when she came out of the WE'LL and looked her. as
If they were muddy before they went into The well.
The corpse was warm, and The wounds continued 10
bleed She blood at the door.
Col. WILLIE Pope testified that he was at the
house of prisoner the day OF murder, after the
commital of The act. He saw the beam windass,
the wagon spoke. &c. Learned from prisoner that
his wife had go, into the well; that he had sent 10
about the fence being down, &c.; witness saw
blood, the curb looked as if il had been taken down
and put up again tho water in the we'll was teet
deep. He was present when deceased was drawn
oa of the well prisoner made alarm, like grief;
the body was warm when. ayed out. When witness
stepped Of the house, prisoner stepped in and
amined the wounds-ihe skull bone looked white !;
witness told Perry 10 go and lake his seat. After
supper, Perry continued going On in the same way;
he had looked upon the Col warm friend, but
he now found him his worst enemy. Prisoner asked
witness, " Where have you sent my mules !' Reply
was, have sent one with old Rams to Jail, and
would send the other for the prisoners brother"
This seemed TO enliven the prisoner. tine SIS fur
ther testified, That no burial clothes coul! be found
to bury her nhat The rope was wrapped thrice arouna
her, when drawn out of the WELL and loop thrown
over the windass. The nails with v hch the curb
ing was fastened, looked old, but there were marks
of recent moving of the curb. Three pieces ci tie
curb appeared as if they had been taken off.
GREEN IL. Afford testified, thai he got there In
the morning the well curb had evidently been NOV
ed an inc inch and half; he went in the house,
where he saw the corpse; heard Perry say" he
loved his wife, and that he was absent with his little
laughter down in the field at the tide it occurred y
got his mule on the side OF the way and went after
help, but did look into the well to if his wife
was there. Made same statement again to witness.
Rams was a very old looking man, thought he might
have been 70 or 80 years OF age-the most pllfui
looking sight lie saw. Witness thinks one
strong nan might have lifted The Whole of the top
rim OF the well curb if it had been in one continued
piece --. i. ..-.-.
SARAH OLIVE says, she lived within 300 yards Of
the prisoners house, but was not al home on the
morning of the 9Th December. Polly Lassiter vas
carried away from prisoners house, Saturday even.
ing before Mrs. Perry was killed. Prisoner Wore
dark brown coat, and light coored pantaloone-had
seen them on him oen-denii6ed the clothes as his,
that Law before her in the court house. Had heard
cries of lamentaon al prisoners, on three dffe-
rent timesonce on Monday night, and on other times
not long before: she found the clothes In The Kitchen
with The negro's rags they were bloody, with clay
rubbed on them. This discovery was made three or
tour weeks after the murder: saw no clay on the
breeches, bnt spots of blood. Witness was absent
from homeleft just about sunrise. The clock struck
g., Just before Fanny came and told her that Mrs.
Perry was in the well. q. slsa
EDwlN r.. SANDERS testified that he had seen The
cio,hes--he found them in the kitchen, and thinks
there was blood on them. When Mrs. Perry WAS
drawn out of The well, the clothes We're not on the
nrisoner He got there early found Perry there ana