The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-10-27
TRIAL OF THOMAS DULA FOR THE MURDER
OF LAURA FOSTER---CONVICTION OF THE
ACCGSED---SENTENCED TO BE HUNG THE
9Th OF NOVEMBER---APPEAL TAKEN TO
THE SUPREME COCRT

9TH OF NOVENBER---APPEAL TAKEN TO
THE SUPREME COERT.
The trial of Thomas Dula and Ann
Melton, for the murder of Laura Foster,
which took place in Wilkes county,
some two or three months ago, and re-
moved to Iredel, was commenced before
Judge Buxton, last Friday morning.
Upon application of Counsel, the case
was separated, and Dula put first upon
trial. The States Attorney, w. p.
Caldwell, Esq, was aided by Messrs.
Clements, and n. Boyden, and the
prisoner defended by Messrs, r. NJ, AL
lison, r. f. Armfeld and Gov. Vance.
a very large number of witnesses were
examined, and the case occupied the
whole of Friday, Saturday and the fol-
lowing night; the Judge gave his
charge to the Jury after midnight,
and about day-break the Jury brought
in verdict against Thomas Dula =
Guilty Of lHauder.-At o'clock, Sun
day morning, the prisoner was SEN
fenced to be hung on the 9th of No
vember between the hours of 10 and l
o'clock. An appeal was then taken to
the Supreme Court.
All the evidence which led to the
conviction, was entirely circumstantial,
but so connected by concatenation of
circumstances as to leave no reasonable
doubt upon the minds of the Jury that
the prisoner was at least one of the par
ties that committed the murder. He
was most ably defended by his counsel.
The State was also ably represented.
The patience fJudge Buxton during this
long and tedious trial, and his humane
and impartial charge to the Jury, in
sitting the evidence and giving the priso-
ner the benefit of every reasonable doubt,
was but characteristic of an upright
Judge" and profound Jurist, who is an
honor to the Bench of the State. Dur
ing the trial the Court room was
thronged with spectators and deep in
terest manifested in the result. A most
foul murder of a young woman had
been perpetrated-one who though
frail, had been decoyed from her home
by her betrayer under promise of mar
riage, and instead of bridal chamber,
received first dagger in her heart and
plunged uncoffined into a bloody grave
The calendar of crime contains Dot
darker deed.
The term ofthe Court having expired,
the case of Ann Melton, the supposed
confederate and accomplish of Dula,
was continued, and, probably, will be
removed to another county.
The following brief statement of the
completely of parties in this tragedy as
adduced by the testimony, may not be
uninteresting to the publick: Ann
Melton is a married woman, young and
beautiful, and a paramount of Dula's for
several years, and had great influence
over him. Laura Foster, distant rel
ative of AIMS, handsome and young,
had likewise succumbed to his amours
under promise of marriage, perhaps.
Ann Melton and Dula's mother are
near neighbors-a half mile apart Lau-
IA Foster resided with her father, five
miles distant. 1t was said that Ann be-
came jealous of Laura, and wanted her
out of the way, and was perhaps pres
ent at the killing, if she did not aid in
the deed Thursday previous to the
murder of Laura which was on Friday,
Dula borrowed a mattock of neighbor,
as she said, to work the road, but no
doubt to dig a grave in the woods for
Laura. That night, he is, supposed to
have visited Laura at her fathers, and
induced her to leave her home under
some pretence, before day, she taking her
fathers horse and travelling one road,
while he travelled a parallel road-both
leading in the direction of his mothers
house, and near Ann Melton's, where
Laura's body was afterwards found
| buried, with a stab in the side. Both
Dula and Laura were seen by neighbors
as they passed along the two roads, on
the morning of the fatal day, and Laura
told her acquaintance, who questioned
her that she was going off to get mar
ried, &c. The horse which Laura rode