Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-04-25
Crime and Suicide.

Since our last issue, case involving circumstance
of deep and exciting interest has been developed in
very midst, exciting in every detail from the be-
ginning, but dOubly more so in the trageal issue.
Our readers will remember TO have seen some time
since, advertisement in the Waterman, by our
townsman, Col. F. J. Moses of two slaves who were
missing from his premises. Their long absence,
which could not be accounted for the score of any
provocaton or indignity offered them or of any ex
pressed dissatisfaction on their part, taken
necton with the mysterious disappearance, time
BEFORE of negro boy of another of our citizens
induced the belief in the minds of most persons
that they were stolen. Various circumstances fixed
the suspicious of the community upon q particular
Individual. The matter kept still, however, for
some time until at last, after inesslng, suff-
cient clue obtained to the whereabouts of the
negroes, to warrant q gentleman of our town In TAX
ing trip 10 the town of AmerIcus In the lower part
of Georgia. Arrived there, he not long in dis
covering the person to whom they had been sold and
in identifying the negroes The purchaser, Mr. Hooks
upon being convinced that he had been Victmized
readily yielded them up, and, upon the suggestion
of the gentleman who had gone IN quest of them,
consented 10 return with him to this place They
arrived here on Tuesday evening, the 9Th inst. Al
ter some delay in making out the necessary papers,
Mr. Hooks accompanied by efficient sheriff and
others, strolled by the store of Byrd Louis
1t brilliantly lighted up and was filled with a
jolly company. Immediately, and without hesita
ton, Mr. Hooks declared that, in the person of VIII
liam Friendly Byrd, he recognized the person from
whom he had purchased the slaves The Sheriff then
entered the store, accompanied by friend OF Mr.
Hooks. Telling him that there was some dlssatls-
faction about the titles to certain property that he
had sold, he easily persuaded to make confession
of judgement. 1t is said that he understood the au
sion to be to another transaction; but of that we
cannot speak. This accomplished, the sheriff pro-
duCed warrant arrested him on the charge of ne
gro-stealing and lodged him in jail. The Grand Ju
ry rendered verdict of true bill on the indct
ment, on the next day, and the prisoner at
arragncd. But, at the request OF his attorneys the
trial was postponed until Monday
! In the meantime Capt. Frerson, the Sheriff, OBJ
served every precauton for the sae-keeping of the
prisoner. He confined in a dungeon and chained
to the floor. There no iron cuffs for the ankles
in the jail, and of course it necessary to bind
common chain about his ankle and secure it with a
pad lock 1t will be seen at glance, that it is I'M
impossible to adjust the unpiant links very closely
to the limb without in jury to it. Still, he was
thought to be securely bound This was deemed ne
cessary at first from several considerations, but espe-
cially so afterwards, when there good reasons
to believe that he medtated mischief upon himself.
A note to his wife written in pencil upon the margin
of a newspaper was intercepted. In ii he mpIored
her to send him strychnine or laudanum, saying that
he wished to die that the whole world against
him that the Sheriff had confined him so closely
that he could see no one out of his presence.
| On Monday morning, when the iailor opened the
door of the cell to give the prisoner his breakfast,
he was startled with horrid spectacle. Suspended
from the iron grating of the window with sheet
twisted into rope and tied about his neck, the
unfortunate man-dead. By dint of hard squeezing,
of which his feet afterwards showed the marks, he
had forced them from the loop of the chain. The
rest was easily done. He climbed to the window
fastened the sheet 10 of the bars passed slip
knot over his head tied his feet; secured his hands
behind his back with handkerchief and leaped to
the floor. Immediately upon the discovery a physi-
clan called in, but he was beyond the reach Of
remedy. Miserable man A jury of inquest was
empanneled by Coroner Nettles, and verdict rem
dered in accordance with the circumstances that we
have detailed .-Sumter Watchman.
FOUND HIS FATHER" My son, can you take a
trunk for up to the hotel 2? said passenger step
ping from a boat on the levee, 10 a ragged looking
youngster, who sat balancing on the tail end of a
dray.
" Your son q cried the boy cycling him from head
to foot. "Well, be dod drapped if [ amt in luck
Here I've been trying TO find my daddy for three
years and all of sudden up the old boss him
self, and knows me right off. How are you 2? stretch
ing out muddy looking paw.
The traveller was non plussed. Between smile
and frown he inquired, What is your name, sir p
I" My name SO you don't know. Well it's no
thing for people in these parts to have so many chill
dren that they don't know their names. My name:
William but some folks call me ragged Bill fol
short. What the other part is, | reckon you know
if you don't you must ak the old woman"
And shouldering the trunk, he marched off towards
the hotel, mumbling to himself:
"Well, this is a go. The old gemman come home
at last. Good clothes, big trunk, must have the tin