Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-07-12

A cowardIy attempt Murder a Citizen of New
Hanover. -E
July 9TH, 1866.
Editors Journal:
A cowardly effort was made on Thursday night
last, to kill Mr.. William J. Walker, peaceable,
inoffensive citizen living on Long Creek, in New
Hanover county. He was shot near the shoulder
in each arm with large shot, and the wounds are
dangerous. He was aroused about midnight from
sleep by the effects of fire, and found his house
burning up. In attempting to extinguish the
fiames he was fred upon from ambush, and the
guilty party then fled.
CT "reminiscences point with unerring certainty to
Ned Bell and Hardy McAlister, freedmen, in that
section, as being connected with this diaboical
deed. One or both, no doubt, attempted to kill
him. These villains and thieves have been COM
hitting, with IMMUNITY, all manner Of thefts and
rascalities since they were freed, upon the good
people of Long Greek and vicinity, and Mr.
Walker recently exposed some of their villainy.-
They threatened the life of himself and others
for such exposition, and revenge prompted these
scoundrels in this secret attempt to murder. Mr.
Walkers condition is precarious.
His neighbors believe that the plan of these
black, midnight assassins to burn up his
house, kill him at the time and commit his body
to the flames, in the hope that public judgment
would be that he was accidently burned while the
house burning up. We hope that Sheriff
Bunting and other officials will be the alert for
these murderous scamps, who have been so long a
terror to peaceable citizens. A wellarranged sys-
tematic course of stealing has been forsome time 60
ing on in sections of country adj Joining Whining
ton, undert the direction of these andsmlar negroes,
and the losses of the farmers in poultry, stock and
other property have been and are immense in this
respect It is believed that this systematic arrange
ment secures the cooperation of negroes in Will
mington with those in the country in these crimi-
nal acts. The vigilant police operations i'll Viii
mington driving many of these black despera-
does from the city only to depredate upon the
country people, who have no such protection,
and the lives of the country people are therefore,
more in danger than those in the city. If that
gallant soldier and ardent patriot, General Ran
som, who Marshal, is doing, and will do, so
much for the people of Wilmington, will aid the
country people in breaking up this desperate state
of things, he will merit and receive the additional
thanks of his hosts of country friends and admirers
These thieves outlaws and murderers such as
Ned Bell and Hardy McAllister are constantly in
creasing in numbers in this county, and their ex-
ample and influence are destructive to the peace
and prosperity of those who are honestly striving
for living Too lazy to work, they must steal, beg
starve and it is believed that they often impose
upon the Freedmen's Bureau, and obtain rations
and other assistance, when they not objects of
charity, but ought to be made to work To give
to such negroes is not charity, but it adds to the
vice, crime and general decentralization now exist
ing to an alarming extent among the negro popu-
lation Any peaceable man in the country, who
goes to bed at night is liable to be murdered, or
have his house burned, or smoke house or crib
broken open before he wakes up in the morning.
What is to be done?