The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-10-15
LOCAL MATTERS.

aooiltl0n agenf. calling himself FRANCTS AUBURS
| and that one of them had been inhumanly butcher
cd by the conductor Of the underground railr65d
,'hc. ON being arrested, took large quantity o
| stryehnia and pitt sn end to his own existence
Ihaf our readers may understand the history o.
this dabolical affair from its commencement to it
end wewill state such facts have come TO OH
| knowledge, before giving the evidence elected al
Corners Inquest t f
About four eeks ago Francis Auburn as he call
cd himself, arrived in Richmond from the North, on
board tho schooner Island CITY," laden with ice,
| and in day or two thereafter formed the acquain
tance Of John W. Burnett. to WHOM, he represent
oil himself TO boa Carver and in need of work.
Young Burnett, through tho hndest motives, ac-
| companied him TO Messrs. Bnfofd & portcrs cabi-
net ware-rootn where he procured Il Job, and then
| took him to Richard Emncrsou's boarding house,
| where he engaged board. The next morning Au-
| burn commenced work. and finished the job given
him IN one week, proving himself to he not only an
excellent designer and csrver, hut a very intelli-
| gent man. The next we hear of BIN, he makes his
appearance at the theatre and attempts 10 get ad
mission into the negro gallery. but is refused by tho
door-keepcr, to whom he represents himself as be-
ing of Enslish Scotch and Yankee origin and hail
ing from Londoii
On the Sd of October Aubtirn talied on Mr.. John
Enders and rented one of his large three story
brick tenements, between 22d and 2.}d the north
side of Main street, remarking that he intended
opehns restaurant for the benefit of his father
| and mother, who weFs coming from New York to
reside with him. About this tiitie IL appears that
istii'u III "itH CdTtcf James, VHlUa)It
slave owned by Mr.. James II. Grant, and induced
him to consent to off promising to take him to
the North, where he would be free and could do as
ne pleased. Carter, poor fellow, having become
the dape OF this monster and relying implicitly on
all that had pcen ted him; called on Bayliss Slave
to Mr.. Jesse Williams, and persuaded him to accom-
pany them to the North which he finally consented
to do. On Tuesday night last Carter again called
on Bayss, arranged their plans for taking the 'un-
derground railroad" and the two started from
Shockoe Hill to Auburn's house to see and consult
him. When they reached Lafayette Hall they were
met by Auburn, who recognised Carter, spoke to
him, and then preceded them to his house on Main
street. where lie took them into the third story and
and there promised to get them to the North in
safety or losc his life, declaring that he had control
of vessel which would sail from this port Thurs
day or Friday night for New York, w1iefa they
could Immediately get employment at $25 per
month and board, and that he a regular agent
OF the abolitionists to off negroes for which he
was paid. Relying on what had been told him.
Carter paid this r0rty agent of acorthy clan about
$50 in money and Bay1iss and himself continued
housed from that time until Thursday night Auburn
locking the doors securely when he went out to
get them food, and all three of them sleeping to-
getber on the same bed.
On Thursday night Carter complained of being
unwel, and asked Auburn to procure him some med
icinc. Auburn Immediately went out and returned
with bottle containing paregoric md strychnine
OF which he gave Carter /, doso which produced
death in few minutes thereafter. He then made
lar, where it was left all night Next morning he
procured new shovel, made Bayliss dig hole and
after cutting the throat Of the corpse from ear to ear
and ripping open the bowels from the pit of the
stomach down, depositedf III the ground and COW
cred it up This influinan cruelty SO mitch alarmed
Bayliss that he determined to escape to his ster
If possible and especially so, after hearing Auburn
say that he had killed several negroes before. Ac-
corlinSiy on Friday night, when Auburn had gone
off for some purpose-probably to get now supply
OF negroes--Bayliss went into the second story of
tile house hoisted one of the front windows, jump
ed into the street, and hastened to his master and
informed him of all that had taken place Mr.. VIII
Galns immedi atey gave such information hs'hc had
obtained to Liettt. Wheat, of the night watch who
reported the facts to Lieut. Trueheart, and in a
short time thereafter the night police were all ma
king diligent search for tho negro thief and muir
derer. A portion of tho men, guided by Bayliss;
forced an entrance into the house, but finding Ar-
burn absent, entered the cellar and discovered the
dead body They We're then stationed at such
points as would ensue his arrest which was made
about twelve O'Clock, under the circumstances de-
tailed in the evidence suboined before the Coroner,
while holding all inquest over the dead bodies
We have no doubt in our own mind that Auburn
intended to kill Mr. Williams man, as soon as he
had gotten his money, and that hundreds Of tho
slaves who have been induced to leave their mas
tiers by abolition emissaries, have been disposed of
just as Mr.. Grants servant was. But to the evi-
dence which we viii give substantially, omitling all
that was said irrelevant to the murder and suicide
Richard L. -fdams (Watchman) sworn-Ahout 10
o'clock on tridny night MY partner and myself, with
other Natthmen, were sent to Auburn's house by
Lieut.. Treuheart, with orders to him if there
and II not, TO wait until he come We searched the
house. but not finding him, took our positions in the
street so az to him if he About II o'clock
we saw man come down Main street far Is 3d.
where he stopped pulled off his shoes returned TO the
alley leading into the yard of the tenement were
watching and enter it. Baptist, Bolton and myself
then went to alley entered the lot through the
gate, and searched the out houses Baptist then look
ed the fence into the adjoining tenement aud
discovered HIN coal house. which time he
snapped mis- pistol at Baptist. We then went Main
street entered the alley leading into the adjoining lot
md reaching the coal house pushed open the door
Seeing him standing in defiant attitude with pistol
in his hand, endeavored to strike him the head
with my stick, but struck his and then seized the
hand containing the pistol and took it him. In
the scutle Watchman Hill caught him by the throat,
and his mouth being full Of strychnue at the time he
blew large quantities of it into our faces. On our
way to the cage with him he remarked that he would
not have blown the suf" in faces if he had no,
been choked, and told to take drink of and
give hun some and that twould not hurt us.
Larson b. HW watcbman, confirmed the statement
made by Adams, and added: | asked him WHY he
killed the negro! He said that he did it but fool
for SO doing. He gave his name John Merrell
The pistol he had was one of Aliens revolvers and
was loaded. was present at the cage when he was
searched. He had small amount of silver in his
pocket, aIpair of gloves, papers, theatre ticket
silver watch and gold chain, purse gold ring, breast
Pin two door keys two trunk keys, and shirt collar
He had knife at that time but said he had given it
to one of the Watchman Bibb afterwards went
back to the place in which he had been arrested and
found the knife The blade open and had marks
of blood upon it. Watchman Bibb also found q new
shovel in the cellar where Carter buried, with
blood upon the handle.
Watchmen Howard, Bibb and Baptist sworn
and confirmed the statements of Messrs. Adams and
Hill.
Dr. John Dore called to the cage to Auburn
about O'clock. On examination found he had taken
a large portion of strychnue. His tongue, teeth and
root OF mouth were white with it.. He was then sit
ting in chair, apparently composed. On being
shown the vial | asked what it contained and told
HIM he was foXng. l then tasted it, and becoming
satisfied as 10 what it was gave him large quantity
of spirits of camphor, that being the only antidote
known. When asked what the vial contained, he
spoke eyasively and said it might be -four with little
morphine in it to make it bitter. He first refused
to take the camphor alleging that it made him sick
but after having the first convusion took it freely
He died in about one hour after him He beg
gsd hard for water all the time hut gave him none
that did not contain camphor. The officers very
attentive in obeying my instructions and did all they
could to save him, from sense of duty have no
doubt
DR.. John F. jackson called to Auburn about
O'Clock, and found him suffering from repeated
spasms produced by the poison He exhibited tho
bottle which had contained sixty grains of srychnine
hffs OF which had been used, and stated that persons
had been killed by taking only half grain s
iohn Enders testified to having rented his honse to
Auburn ON the Sd of October to be used arestau.
rant lie knew nothing about the man or the murder.
Edrard Porter, of the firm of Bnford Porter, had
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