Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1858-03-20
Murder in North Carolina,

The murder and robbery Of James II.
Shaw, the waggoner aad tobacco trader, has
caused a degree Of feeling and excitement
to be manifested, hitherto unknown to the
people Of Columbus county. A correspon-
dent of the Wilmington On. CO. JournA
furnishes the following particulars:
Mr.. Shaw was young man about TWEEN
ty-four years and three months of ace-he
was just setting forth in the world with fair
prospects before him in bis line of business,
he was born IN Alanane, formerly por-
ton 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 a father, now living in Virginia one
brother, who reached this place while the
Coroner's inquest was being held over the
dead body one sister in Alamance county ::
one sister in Tennessee; three sisters ia Vir-
ginia, and . large circle Of warsl friends,
who are thus called upon to mourn his fear
full death. He had been trading in this and
the adjoining counties for some years past.
and ia all his business transactions, had
shown himself to be gentleman, and ma. 70
friends, of all with whom he dealt. The
manner Of his mysterious disappearance and
the discovery Of his death, has for the past
two weeks been thoroughly investigated :
The facts brought to light by the jury of in
quest and the citizens generally, who have
shown much interest in ferfeting ont the
murderers, have implicated one white man,
Bythel Mitchell, and three free negroes.
Henry Patrick, Joshua Freeman and Eli
Jacobs; Whe have been committed to Jail,
and will be put Oh trial for the offence. We
forbear an expression of opinion.
The circumstances connected With this
trag'cal deed, the blacklist in the catalogue
! of crime are briefly these Mr.. Shaw was
trading in that portion Of the country known
as the Green Swamp country, and while
travelling there, stopped by solicitation, at
the house Of Mitchell, on the night of the
18th Of last February, and from the facts
and circumstances deposed to, was murder
ed and robbed that night. From the
wounds on the bead he must have been
struck three blows with the poll Of an axe
blood Has found in Mtchcll's yard, buried
aome three feet under ground. On tie
thirteenth day after the murder is alleges!
to have been committed, the body was
! found on ali Island in Green Scamp. abont
two miles from Mitchell's house. The snot
selected by The foul perpetrators of this
crime. as the last resting place of poor
SHAW, is dreadful to contemplate it is in Il
seeret and almost inaccessible retreat, in
one of the most terribo swamps in oul
State. in this dismal hiding, With naught
but the Wills Of tic wilderness, aud the
hoHlings IF rapauious animals around him,
Shaw WAS secreted one foot under the cold
aud muddy earth. In this loneaonne gr, y,
the guilty fesons supposed he would lie for
ever; while they would be secure, with their
i'll gotten booty, Shaw's money, the onls
cause for which he could have been muir
dcrcd Il il due to the good citizens of this
county to sag, that they have acted with
commemorate activity in uuraveling Tx
mystery which hung around this dfeadful
csiue; they have shown determination
that the guilty should be brought to jus: