Newbern weekly progress., 1860-10-02
Murder Off White Woman by "a slave
iKa Pitt,

There has just occurred a most brutal muir
der in Pitt county, the particulars Of which ap-
pear in the following from the Washington
Dispatch:
MURDER OF Miss ADAMs-This tragical and
most brutal murder has excited so much inter
est in this entire section, that we very willingly
give place to the following full statement from
an intelligent eyewitness onthe spot, who has
kindly furnished 1t to us, in place Of our own
statements derived from rumor:
PITT Co., N c., Sept. %, 1860.
MESSRS. EDITORS :--Our community was
thrown into state of unusual excitement on last
Thursday morning, by the announcement that
Miss Lucretia Adams, maiden lady, about 35
years OF age, had been Murdered at the house of
Bryan Grimes. Esq, Gin the lower part of Pitt
Coz where she resided Mr. Grimes is a widower
with two small children, and last winter he en-
poyed this lady to reside at his house and take
care of his children, This summer when Mr.
Grimes carried his children off up the country as
1t Is his custom to do and designing to visit Eu-
rope himself. having some workmen employed,
he engaged this lady to remain during his alb
sence, to attend to feeding his workmen and to
take care of his house. Mr. Grimes has an over
seer also on his farm, but he sleeps in another
house prepared for that purpose, about so yards
from the main building. The workmen employed
had finished their job and left, and at thu time
the only white person on the premises were the
murdered lady and the overseer The evidence
disclosed showed, that the lady reti ed to bed as
usual about past 9 o'clock on Wednesday nirht
IN good health small servant girl, apparently
ABOUT years OF age, slept in the room with the
I8ady. 1t was her lnvariable custom to lock ND
yaa the doors of the house before retiring. On
'lItzlrsday morning, the cook woman finding that
Miss Adams was sleeping, as she thought later
than usual, sent to have her walked up The little
girl In the room answered that she could not wake
her ;.aEd hoisted window and Jumped out. an.
,parently very much frightened The old woman
then became alarmed and called to the overseer
awho was Rear by and when he came I'D, she in.
forHsd him that Miss Adams could not b. waEt.d
mp. -
They khenf found that the front door of tie house
was opeR. went in and into her bedroom, and
found her covered up lying dead on the bed
and upon siigh ex aminatiope he saw that she
had been murdered. Thc~1eighbors were i'm
medlately sent Ger, ant1 1also Dr. King Mr. G's
family physician ara upon thorough examina-
tlon 1t was found chat the lady had been murder
sd 10 most diabolleal ma .qner. Her throat was
bruised and acerated, showing that it had been
grasped with strong hand. a nd pressed so as to
leave the prints of the fingers distinctly on one
side and the thumb Oh the ofher. and on her
night hand and arm there were Two severe bites
showing the distinct Impressions of the teeth
lhs deceased was evidently CHECKED and stran-
geo. ana In endeaVering to remove the hand of
identity received those bites. The little negro
gifl tnat was sleeping IN the room with the de-
ceased, says that she heard the deceased say du-
ring the night that soRRe was in the room that
sne shen heard some one get On the bed, and heard
Miss A. hollow once and attempt to hollow AGAIN,
but she could not; says she was alarmed and GOV
cred up her head. The little girl has since given
contradictory statements of what she knew, anil
she e Is 700 Young to be made witness
,aiJ oeohes o Sames, attended by jury, yesterday
aeaa an anquest over the dead body, and the Jury
after examining into the case rendered a verdict
that she was murdered by negro man. slave.
named henry the property of MI Grimes and
trial. have avoided GIVING anv of ,b a;da,,.a
against Henry, as the case will andergo judicial
investigation, and think it would be imnroner
TO prejudice the public mind in advance of tie
trial.
Yours