New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-01-16
Horrible Murder by Slaves III North
CaroItun.

gentleman who reached this city yesterday
morning on the steamer Adelaide from Norfolk,
furnishes US the following account of q shocking
murder committed in Northampton county, North
Carolina. on Monday night last, and which has oc-
casioned intense excitement in that section.
The particulars Of the occurrence, as related by
our informant who states that he visited the scene
of the murder, and saw the mutitated remains Of
the unfortunate victim, are: That on Monday
evening last Mr.. Lucius T. Woodruff, a farmer, re-
siding about eight miles from Weldon, North Caro-
lima, was intercepted on his return to his house
from the field by four Of his slaves, the eldest of
whom, man about fifty years of age, struck him
a tremendous blow upon the head with billet of
wood, and which at once feled him to the ground.
When thus PROSTATE and stunned, he was dealt
three heavy blows on the head and forehead by q
slave armed with an axe. Still conscious he
earnestly implored his brutal assailants to desist
and spare his life. The suppicatons of the bleed
ing man were received with jeers .aid taurts by
the negroes, who mockingty told hira they
had "got him at last,h and laughingly inquired
"whot he would give to livo?" The cries and en-
treaties Of the wounded master, which were
earnestly renewed, appeared only to excite his
murdereIs, and they renewed their assaults upon
him with vindlctive energy, battering in his face
and his skull, and beating him until life was eX.
tinct. They then dragged his corpse to the woods,
where they hurriedly concealed it.
On the following day a neighbor of mr. Wood
ruff called at the farm Of the latter in flfment of
business appointment and was informed by the
servants that Mr.. Woodruff had gore away the pre-
yous day. Renewing his visit on Wednesday and
Thursday, and finding Mr.. Woodruff still absent.
his suspicious became aroused, and summoning the
neighbors, they concluded, after consultation, to
secure the slaves and investigate the matter. The
four negroes were accordingly pinioned and CON
fined in room, and search was Instituted for any
evidences Of foul play. Early on Friday morning,
the youngest of the negroes disclosed the horrid
deed, informing where the body lay concealed.
Tho four slaves were marched 10 the spot, where
shocking sight presented itself. The body of the
murdered man was there found, but so horribly
mutilated and delaced as to defy recognition.
The face and head had been crushed into one
mass of broken bones, brains and clotted blood,
retaining in its appalling condition no resemblance
to humanity. Returning to the farm the slaves
were at once handed over to the custody of the
Sheriff. who lodged them in jail, all except the old
negro by whom the first attaek was made-he con-
trived to make his escape Upon the fact of the
murder and its attending circumstances being made
generally known, the excitement became intense,
and q body of about one hundred men at once
organized themselves for the avowed purpose of
lynching the negroes. Our informant says the
train of cars on the Roanoke and Seaboard Rail
road which reached Portsmouth Saturday after
noon, was detained in the vicinity of the murder
and that many of the passengers visited the house
and saw the body of the murdered gentleman.
baltimore American.