Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-03-17
From the Wilmington Journoi. |

March, 18th, 1858.
MEssRs. FULTON & PRICE: The murder and rob-
berry of James E. Shaw, the waggoner and tobacco
trader heretofore noticed in your paper) has caus
ed degree of feeling and excitement to be mani
fested hitherto unknown to the people Of our Coun-
ty. Mr.. Shaw was young man about twenty-four
years and three months of age-he was just setting
forth in the world, with fair prospects before him in
his line of business he was born in Aamance for
merly portion of Orange County. His untmely
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 Coroncr's inquest was being held
the dead body; one sister in Alamance Coun-
ty sister in Tennessee three sisters in Virgin
ia, and large circle of warm friends, who are thus
called upon to mourn his fateful 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 two weeke been thor.
oughly investigated. The facts brought to light by
the jury of the inquest, and citizens generally who
have shown much interest in ferreting out the muir
derers, have implicated one white man, Bythel
Mitchell and three free negroes, Henry Patrick, JOSH
VA Freeman and Eli Jacobs, who have been commit
ted to Jail, and will be put on trial for the offence
We forbear an expression of opinion.
The circumstances connected with this tragical
deed, the blacklist IN the catalogue OF crime, are
briefly these: Mr.. Shaw trading in that pc, ton
of the county known as the Green Swamp country,
and while travelling there stopped by solicitation,
at the house of Mitchell, the night of the 18th Of
last February, and from facts and circumstances de-
posed to, murdered and robbed that night
From the wounds on the head he must have been
struck three blows with the poll Of axe; blood
found in Mitchells yard, buried three feet
under ground. On the thirteenth day after the MUIR
der is alleged to have been COMMITTED, the body
found island in the Green Swamp, about
two miles from Mitchell's house. The spot selected
by the foul perpetrators of this crime, as the last
resting place of poor Shaw, is dreadful to contem-
plate it is in secret and almost inaccessible re-
treat, in one of the most terrible swamps in our
State. In this dismal hiding, with naught but the
wids Of the wilderness and the howlings of repa-
cious animals around him, Shaw was secreted one
foot under the cold and muddy earth. In this lone
some grave, the guilty felons supposed he would lie
for ever while they would be secure, with their ILL.,
gotten booty, Shaw's 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 determination that the guilty
should be brought to justice.