The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-07-09
HORRIBLE MURDER.


On Friday evening, 9th June, party of three
black men went to the house Of Reeves Foscue
in Jones county, and first shut the whole family
up in one of the out houses 90 the premises.
They then proceeded to rife the house of its
contents. After short while the family think
ing that they we're gone, made efforts to relieve
themselves, when the scoundrels returned, and
one of the most diabolical murders then COM
menced that we have ever recorded. Their first
victims were Mr Foscue and wife, who were
taken out and murdered before the eyes of their
children They next seized Mrs. Witty "a
daughter of Mr. Foscue) and her child an infant
of four or five months old, and after snatching
the child from her arms and killing it, they
murdered the mother.
Miss Foscue caught up apother child, and
started to run when she was fred upon by the
mscreants, aud herself and the child both
wounded. She still continued her way, how
ever, and succeeded in reaching a neighbors
house. two and half miles distant from the
scene of the murder. Upon examining the
child it was found to be dead ,-NewLern Jour-
nal Commerce.
The Newbern Republican gives the following
full account of this horrible affair:
"Intelgence reached our city on Saturday
morning, Of the murder of Mr. Richard Reeves
Foscue and wife, at their residence on Island
creek, 10 Jones county, about ten miles from
this city and within nine miles Of Polloksville,
on the Beaufort road. A detachment OF United
States soldiers was at once sent to the scene or
the murder by Major j. j. Van Horn, Of this
post.
Our reporter arrived at Mr. Foscue's house
on Saturday evening, and learned the following
as the facts in the case: On Friday afternoon
three coiored men came on the premises and
demanded money of the ladies iu the house,
which was occupied at the time by MI Foscue
and wife, their two daughters and two grand
children, Failing to get money from the ladies
they took Miss Foscuc, Mrs Owen Witty, and
the two children to the smoke house, and there
shot them. Mrs, Owen Witty, Mr. Foscue's
daughter, and an infant child of Mrs. WHY'S,
were killed instantly, while Miss Foscue was
slightly wounded and left by the murderers,
they evidently thinking her dead. Miss Foscue
will no doubt recover from her injuries. A
grand child of Mr. Foscue's, the child of Mr.
Martin Brock, shot while in Miss Foscue's
arms, and died few hours afterwards from the
injury. After numbering the ladies it seems
the murderers tied Mr. Foscue to post near his
smoke house, where they stripped him of cloth
ing cruelty and horribly beat him, aud finally
killed him by striking him on the head with a
maui. The wretches then proceeded to the
house and completed their horrd work by muir
derng Mrs Foscue. They then ransacked the
house, where they obtained small amount OF
money, after which they left.
AS soon as the murderers were gone Miss
Brock with difficulty got out of the smoke
house, and taking the Brock child with her,
made her way to neighbours house, where she
arrived at day break on Saturday. The house 10
which the murder was committed is some three
OF four miles from any other habitation.
Mr. Barrus, special Magistrate of Jones
county, appointed Mir John Pearce, formerly of
Newbern, as special Coroner for the occasion,
who, after suu,moning jury, proceeded to the
place Of the murder and held an inquest, at
which the above facts were elected. The SOL
diers sent from Newbern were already at the
place when the Coroner arrived. Immediately
after the inquest, they started in pursuit of the
u'urderers, Col j. W. Whittford having volun-
teered his aid guide. 1t is to be hoped that
the demons who perpetra,ed this more than
helish outrage may be overtaken.
Mr.. and Mrs. Foscue were both over 60 years
OF age, and neither they nor the young ladies
could offer any resistance to the robbers; yet
the fends seemed to have thirsted for blood, and
thus cruelty butchered five helpless fellow crea-
'uico. Oui ItpoIteT CeScTiUeS Tue Sceue dI Iue
house as most horrible. Mr. Foscue was found
dead, still tied to the post, his hands pinioned
behind him with the marks of violence on his
naked body. Mrs. Witty and her child were
lying drenched in blood in the snoke-house,
and Mrs Foscue was dead upon her bed in the
house. Mr.: Foscue was quiet, upright citizen,
who, with bis family was much loved and re-
srected by all who knew them. These MUIR
ders have thrown a gloom over the entire
neighborbood. We sincerely hope that no
means will be spared to bring the authors of the
massacre to Justice.