Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-13
The Late slave Murder Case in MeckIen
berg COunIy-COnvictiOn OF the Murderer

The Lato slave Murder Case in MeckIen-
berg COunIy-COnVictiOn OF the Murderer.
From the Petersburg (vsl Express Sept %.
It was announced in yesterdays Express, by our \
GAINESVILLE correspondent, that at the late Of
the circuit court of Meeklenburg county, Charles
Hudson was tried for the murder of his slave WON |
man Jane convicted of murder in the second degree,
and sentenced the pententiary for eighteen years
Wood Bouldin, Wood Bouldin, Jr., and Edward r.
Chambers, Esqrs appearedfor the prisoner, and Col
E. Goode for the commonwealth.
The Tobacco Plant says, very truly, that it is one
of those cases which thoroughly vindicates South
ern character against the aspersions cast upon US
by our enemies at the North 1t developes what is as
true of any other people the civilized globe,
that we utterly cetest and abhor cruelty and bar
barity, whether to whites or blacks.
The evidence in the that on the morning
of the 18th of July last at eight O'Clock, one OF uhe
hottest days of the summer, Hudson stripped tne
woman naked the day she come into the world
tied her to persmmon tree, and whipped her three
consecutive hours. with occasional intermsslon OF
few minutes, until he had worn out two stumps nj
switches and until the bark the body of the
tree was rubbed smooth and greasy by the atritlon
ofthe body Of the victim The ground around the tree
for seven or eight feet though it had been freshly
Moved was trodden hard. One witness testified |
that he heard distinctly at the distance OF SIX hun
dred wards both the noise of the switches and the
| screams and entreaties of the woman The poor
creature was buried the afternoon, only some
ten inches beneath the ground, IN rough box with
ont any shroud. The Oyerseer suggested that the
neiphbors had better be sent for to the body be-
| fore burial but Hudson dissented The body was
| exhumed on Friday. two days afterwards, but was
in such a state of decomposition that the external
marks of violence was well nigh Obliterated. But
the testiomony of the physician who dissected the
body and of several other physicians who were
| amined as experts, was distinct and positive that
the violence used was sufficient to produce death.
1t was also in evidence that after the the prOtrac
| ted punishment Hudson united the woman and sent
h,,v,, 81 o,,1 Eftyr, ro,,Ie
distant to wash herself, accompanied by negro
boy with the instructions to bring her back to him;
that she complained greatly of thirst and was seen
to 90 down to the waters edge that she remained
there about fifteen minutes; that on her return
she stopped two or three times and complained
| of having the collie; that finally she stopped
and could proceed farther, when the ne
gro boy at the command OF his master. took hold of
one hand and Hudson of the other, and dragged her
toward the tree The main arguments OF the defense
| was based upon the idea that the woman went into
the creek, remained there fifteen minutes and Drank
to great excess, and that this in all probability
brought on congestion of the yitals, and produced
death. Such Is an imperfect account OF this hor-
ribe transaction. The Jury hesitated much between
, a conviction of murder in the first and murder III
the second degrees. But finally they agreed and as
certained the term of imprisonment in the penten-
tRry at eighteen years, the longest term known 10
the law. Hudson is sixty-eight years old, and
there is scarcely probability that he can survive
L his CONTINENT Indeed he is already exceedingly
PROSTATE.
J., On Monday morning, the alst day of the court
Y | Judge GhOlsOn pronounced sentence upon him. AT
| the request of the members of the bar he permits
us to append his charge to this account 1t cannot
5 fail to interest the public at large and especially
| our own immediate community. 1t struck US at the
time of its delivery being the most appropriate
and striking
Charles Hudson, you have been regularly tried
for the murder OF your own slave. You have been
defended with great ability, and jury of your own
of mn Ton in he
second degree and fixed the term of your cOntine-
ment in the penitentary at eighteen years. In this
n verdict the court entirely concurs | will not &C
into the details of the shocking deed You tied and
e stripped female who dared not raise her hand
D. against you-whose only protector in this world
you should have been. For three hours did you il
Il one of the hottest days of cruelty whip anC
IT torture this helpless woman until in the language
e of counsel the angel of death delivered her iron
: the hands of her tormentor.' You have thus com
> mitted crime against both human and divine law
/ You have outraged the feelings OF the community
among whom YOU lived. You have enabled thtil
enemies TO fan the flame of fanatcism, by charging
against them the enormiy and cruelty of your hare
e and unfcehng heart although that community cor
N daily iUathe and condemn cruelty toward black OF
II white. But if your crime has been great, you
r. punishment will BE- heavy. You are an old man
lie In all human probability before eighteen year.
N have expired you will be dead. The remnant 0
Il If YOUR days are 10 be spent within prison walls
" The labOrs of the day will be followed by
the pleasure OF nome ana lrenuS. out nlEnI alte
rs night. until the last day OF your earthly existence
y you will be carried TO your cell, and hear
III the prison house keeper departs the harsh graf
he ing Of the heavy key that keeps safe the door
OF your dungeon
n From man YOU have nothing to expect You
ST doom is fixed. A murderer-yOu Low con
: wet and prisoner for life. And your sentence i
~ juSt-nay merCiful Nor Is there hope for you be
y yOnd the grave unless you truly and deeply repent
If you will sincerely repent yourself of this horrl
Y | hlp deed and other SiDS-lf Will bow
i heart to the deserved punishment, and pray Al
II mighty God pardon your sins and soften and re
ne generate your heart there Is hope. Yes II your re
n pentanCe is sincere it is certain that God wIl par
* don you; for rest assured, that the same powe
which translated the criminal from the cross u heI
cd ven and will alike the penitent convict
e Desolate and dreary beyond description Is your
Is present condition With hard and uneellng heart
ty human blood resting upon your head, and you
e limbs feltered with a felOn's chains whene re
lie weary and tired you may ask, When shall l b
n freeY This verdict of eighteen years Will answe
ly Never, never Then l trust you will with dee
lg humility and sincere repentance feel and comics
ID your crime and SINS and that this sentence may
the means Of saving your soul"
!: The North and the Fugitive slave Law
E. The last number of DeBows ReUiel0 gives an &C
count of the States which prohibit their officials
E. citizens from aiding in the execution of the ''tug
Of tive slave law - in other words which have null
fed and broken the Constitution of the United States
y They follows:
e Maine. New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
IS Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan,
b. | New York. New Jersey. Vermont.
E. Rhode Island Wisconsin.
Of States which deny the use of all public editce
lie in aid of the master, are
'e Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts
n, Rhode Island, Michigan.
States when provide defense for the fugitive ar
re Maine Vermont, Massachusetts,
ID New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan,
e. Wisconsin.
ii States which declare the fugitive free, if brough
h by their master into the State
r Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont
lie State that declares him free absolutely, is
New Hampshire.
s. The following some of the cheerful prospect
ie before citizen of any Southern State who has the
lie odfashioned notion in his head that he is living
der the Constitution of the United States, and en-
lie deavors to recaimhis property providedby tina
st instrument
/? States Fine. Imprisonment
re In Maine ...... =. go. $1,000. ....... years.
| In