Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1858-03-19
For the journal.
WH1rEv1LLE, COLUMBUS COUNTY, n. c.

MEssRs. FULTON & PRICE :-Ihe murder and ROBBERY
of James E. Shaw, the wagner and tobacco trader
heretofore noticed your paper has caused degree OF
feeling and excitement to be manifested hitherto I'M
known to the people of our County. Mr.. Shaw was a
Young man about wentyour years and three months OF
age2he was just setting forth in the world, with fair
prospects before him his line OF business he was born
in Alamance formerly portion OF Orange County.
His untimely and dreadful death will be saddening tale
to reach his family relations and numerous friends in the
land of his birth Mr.. Shaw leaves father now living
in Virginia one brother who reached this place while
the Coroners inquest being held over the dead body
one sister in Aamance County one sister in Tennes
see three sisters in Virginia. and large circle OF warm
friends who arc thus called upon to mourn his fearful
DEATH He had been trading in this and the adjoining
Counties for years past and IN all his business
transactions had shown himself to be gentleman and
made friends of all with whom he dealt The manner OF
his mysterious disappearance and the discovery of his
DEATH has for the past weeks been thoroughly nves
tigated The facts brought to light by the jury of in
quest and the citizens generally who have shown much
interest in erretng out the murderers have implicated
one white man. Bythel Mitchell, and three free negroes
Henry Patrick Joshua Freeman and Eli Jacobs, who
have been committed to JAIL and will be put on tria for
the offence. We forbear an expression of opinion.
The circumstances connected with this tragca deed
the blacklist in the catalogue OF crime briefly these
Mr. Shaw was trading in that portion of the county
known as the Green Swamp country, and while travel
ing there stopped by solicitation at the house of Mitch
ell the night of the 18th of last February, and from
the facts and circumstances deposed, was murdered
and robbed that night. From the wounds the head
he must have been struck three blows with the poll of
an axe blood was found in Mitches yard buried some
three feet under ground On the thirteenth day after
the murder is alleged to have been committed the body
was found on an island in the Green Swamp about two
miles from Mitchels house. The spot selected by the
perpetrators Of this foul crime the last resting place
of poor Shaw is dreadful to contemplate; it is in Sc
cet and almost inaccessible retreat in one of the most
terrible swamps in State, In this dismal hiding,
with naught but the wilds of the wilderness and the
howngs of rapacious animals around him, Shaw was
sccreted one foot under the cold and muddy earth. In
this lonesome grave the guilty eons supposed he would
lie forever while they would be secure, with their i'll
gotten booty Shaws money, the only cause for which
he could have been murdered 1t is due to the good
citizens of this county to say that they have acted with
commendable activity, in unraveling the mystery which
hung around this dreadful crime; they have shown a
determination that the guilty should be brought to JUS
tice.