The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-17
JONES COUNTY MURDER.

FURTHER PARTICULAHS-MRS.N ETHERCUTT
ALIVE AND LIKELY TO RECOvER-THE
MYSTERY IN RELATION TO THE MURDER
ERs-CoL. NETHERCUTT's SON THINKS
THEY ARE WHITE MEN.
Further particulars in relation to the MUIR
der of Col. Nethercutt have been received
from our special reporter who visited the
scene on Monday. Mrs Nethcrcutt who
was reported to have died from her injuries
is alive, and it is thought will recover. The
murder was committed on Sunday night be
tween : and O'Clock, and pretty much as
reported in Tuesdays Republican. Col. n.
and his family, consisting of himself, his
wife, son and daughter, and young lady
teaching school in the neighbOrhood were
seated around the fire, the Col. reading the
Bible. One of the murderers, only, entered
the room at first, and speaking Il few words,
simultaneously raised musket and shot
Col Ncthcrcutt, almost instantly killing
him. A second man now entered the house
and upon opposition being offered by Mrs.
Nethercutt, one of them raised a chair and
struck her upon the head the blow stun
ming her The men now enquired for the
COTS. rifle, which they procured. and also
twenty dollars in specie which was taken
out of bureau drawer There were one or
more men heard outside the door, but up to
this time only two had entered. They now
informed the ladies' and Col. Nethercutts
son a lad of about 16 years, that if they
would be quiet no harm should befall them.
The ladies and the young man were then led
to the smoke house, the murderers locking
them up. From this place the unfortunate
family heard the murderers ransacking the
house. They remained for nearly an hour,
and about an hour after their departure
young Nethercutt made his escape from the
smoke house and gave the alarm to the
neighhors.
Upon entering the house Col Ms body
was fund lying. face down, near the fire
place, and ON removing it, it was discovered
that he had fallen with one arm near the
fire that the side of it was burned. In Il
corner of the room lay lot of seed cotton,
clothing and furniture which had evidently
been fred by the outlaws, but the fire had
gone out. On the cotton was found the
wearing apparel of different members of
the family, torn, cut, and partially burned.
A mirror had been taken from the wall and
broken to atoms. A marble top which had
covered bureau was also broken upon the
floor. The mnrderers had taken nothing
with them except the money and rifle
They evidently attempted to destroy the
house and contents by fire.
A remarkable circumstance is the fact that
the Coils pockets had not been rifled.
1t was some time before any of the neigh
bors could be induced to go near the house
as it was thought the murders were still
about and prepared for resistance.
Word reached Sheriff Colgrove at about
o'clock in the night, who at once summon
ed posse and proceeded to the scene of
horror. Pursuit was instituted at once and
traces of the murderers were discovered,
which 1t would be imprudent to disclose.
In regard to the color of the murderers the
family Of the deceased do not agree. We
learn that two of the ladies think they were
negroes, while Col. Nethercutt's son firmly
declares his conviction that the men were
white men with blackened faces. He says
that he noticed that the lips of the murder
ers seemed unnaturally red, that although
one OF them was quite black the hair of his
whiskers was straight and full of ashes.
From this account it would hardly seem
probable that the primary object of the
murderers was plumber. The wanton de-
struction of valuable clothing and furniture
would indicate that the murderers had some
other motive. This seems to be the opinion
of the authorities in Jones county, and also
of several detective officers and officers of
our Criminal Court
We learn further that several persons who
are known to have threatened Col Neither
cults life, have left their houses since the oc-
currence of this tragedy
We repeat our hope, that no means will be
spared to bring the perpetrators Of this fen
dish act to justice. Rewards should be Of
fered at once by the different corporations,
and we hope the matter may be brought to
the attention of Gov Worth that some more
than ordinary measures may be employed to
stop these fearful outrages, which have so
frequently occurred during the last year in
Jones and neighboring counties-Neubern
Republican.