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

COL. JOHN NETHERcUTT MURDERED IL HIS
HoUsE-HIs WIFE DANGEROUSLY WOUND
EE-THE MURDERERs AT LARGE.
Report reached the city yesterday morn
ing that Col J. Ii. Nethercutt has been muir
tlered at his residence in jones County, two
miles from Trenton. The most conflicting
rumors were soon afloat; as far as Ne can
learn the facts in the case are about as fol
lows:
On Sunday nj ght, while Col Nethercutt
and his family were seated around the fire
IN tile sitting room, persons entered
the house, and before Mr.. Nethercutt who
was facing the tire place, could turn, some
one discharged musket, almost instantly
killing Mr.. N, the ball passing through his
chest.
The murderers, who are reported to be 5
colored men, then attacked Mrs. n. by stri-
king her upon the head with a chair. Re
port says that Mrs. Ms. skull was broken by
the blow and that she cannot survive. The
murdcrers then proceeded to lock the chill
dren of the family i'll the smoke house next
to the dwelling, and ransacked and robbed
the house. During the night the children
made their escape from the smoke house and
gave the alarm to the neighbors.
Word WAS at once sent to Trenton and
New Bern and parties were started to ferret
out the murderes or pursue them. Major
Nan Horn the commandment of this post, at
once sent detachment of troops under COM
mand of 1t. Flether to the scene of the out
rage.
Sheriff Colgrove of Jones County is also
in pursuit.
This horrible murder has caused great eX-
scitemeHt and gloom throughout the coun-
ties bordering on the scene of the tragedy,
and the opinion is universal that the most
energetic steps should be taken to punish
the fendish murerers. No steps, labors or
money ought to be spared in the effort to
bring these outlaws to justice, and it is to
he hoped that re yards will be offered to aid
in bringing them to light
Col. II. was q gentlemen in middle age,
who had served his County as Sheriff before
the war and held a position as Major and
afterwards as Colonel in the Confederate
service. Many conflicting rumors were in
circulation rs to the probable motive of the
mur(lerers, but there can be no doubt, If the
above report be true one, that robbery was
their object. Col. n. has been very quiet
and peaceabIe citizen since the close of the
war, and no act of his since then could have
made him an enemy. 1t will be remember
ed by our readers that the Union soldiers
who were hung at Kinston in 1864 were al
legged deserters from Nethercutt's Battalion.
The men alleged that they were recruited
with the understanding that they should not
be taken out of the State and deserted when
the battalion started for Virginia. This
unfortunate affair made enemies for Col. N,
who was however entirely blameess for the
order which sent his command out of the
State .- .....esa
We make this statement in relation to
Col. Ms, command, on account of Tumor
which was freely circulated that the MUIR
derers were probably white men, who were
in the Coils. command.
p s. Since writing the above we learn
from Deputy Sheriff Ballinger that new evil
dence elected strengthens the suppostion
that the murderers were white men with
backened faces. Still later reports say that
Mrs N. died yesterday, of her injuries
Nenbern ReD