The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-11

toners were as varied in character as in color
and among them were many whose regulations
munrty In which they resided but AZ became gro
Ger, the widow treated all courteousy and respect
fully. Frequently she had observed white man
named John Perkins, to whom her attention was at
traced because OF his peculiar associations; was
with whom he lived, eat and drank. Such circum.
stances as these were not calculated to advance the
man In the estimation OF the poor but honest widow,
and beyond the fact that She treated this person
with cvility in her business transactions with him
no other or further intimacy existed between
them. He came to her small store, bought his tobacco
and whskey and whatever necessaries he required IN
the bandit life he led, and always departed peacably
eps & an
tempt that precuded the possibility OF making him
an intimate acquaintance on the part Of the widow.
Whether he ever sought friendly intercourse with
the family or not Is unknown, but the latter Ia sup
posed from his subsequent conduct Miss Sarah y.
widow, about twenty years OF age, and Just IN
the bloom Of womanhood, had not escaped the
lascivious and villainous eyes Of Perkins For .
summate his brutal deslre. Blinded by passion this
bold bad libidinOus man, the head OF negro ban
eastern North Carolina to the terror OF the citizens
determined to accomplish the ruin Of this poor but
virtu0us girl
In accordance with set programme previously
agreed upon Perkins on the night Of the eth OF June
last accompanied by two Of his negro bandits pro-
ceeded to the residence Of the widow in the still
hours Of midnight. In peace and comparative
retired with prayer upon their lips, invoking the
blessing and protection Of Him who Is alone the
The thieves approached the dwelling in the still
ness OF the night. Knowing the inmates to be
asleep and unaware that terror would further his
purpose, Perkins, with Ben Jefferson {negrO) and
another negro named Fawlkes, who escaped, made
vigorous assault upon the front door, bursting 1t
In, smashing the windows and showcases, and by
shouts and fendlsh cries. almost paralyzing
the two unfortunate women with terror and
but the assault had been SO retarded BY the staDc
iron bars within that the helpless women were
awake, and in their night clothes met the hends in
the store shrieking In manner that was agOnizing
to hear and heartrending 70 anybody but actual
tends. Ben JEFFERSON the negro, as II he was devil
upon the first falling OF the door and seized the
widow, graphing her by the throat and throwing
out his SeiisS designs caught Miss SARAH Ford iA tn
daughter the cries Of both being efrectually stisd
The mother wrtthed and gasped In the hands OF the
ance, womans only means OF defence, all the while
witnessing the criminal assault Of her daughter by
the VILLAIN Perkins. He had followed Jefferson In
quick order, and his victim. terror stricken, was
seized, thrown down and brutaily assaulted in the
Thus in the silent hours of midnight two unpro-
tected females whose screams and prayers for mercy
were dsregarded, were choked, 80 as TO give no
ton the daughter was violated.
The annals OF CRIME do not furnish an ofence
than this. The lowest depths OF infamy have been
reached in this instance. and the preservation OF
safety Of wives and daughters, cried aloud for che
punishment OF this henous crime
THE BURGLARY.
While the nends were committing the offences
above described the third negro, fawlkes, rined
the drawers Of the Widows store, finding an
amount somewhere between fifty and seyenty.nve
dollars which was carried of, and with
which Fawlkes enected his escape. Besides this sum
OF money he rined the premises OF whatever
vauables were found convenient and easily to be
taken away
When the damnable crime had been accomplished
lafatl
miserable home, taking with them all tho booty
Fawlkes had secured. Miss Ford was left insensble,
nne 20 n Se, f Mt a ne anu the
retained her senses. The Villains gone, soon as
the daughter recovered both repaired to the nearest
that had been committed, but beyond an expression
of sympathy nothing could be done that night.
THE ARREST.
soon. however the ofllcers OF the law were found
and warrants for the Of the trio were
procured, and through the exertions OF constable
Murphy. assisted by some citizens, Perkins Jefferson
and negro named Elliot, who was afterwards dis
charged, were arrested The latter was mistaken for
cape. In corn held, diligently at work, these
worthless were found the day following their infam-
GUS crime, and after preliminary examination were
committed TO Jail.
During the trial neither OF the prisoners manifested
any great concern by disclosures The negro Jeffer-
son confessed In court the fact OF his and Per
kins' connection with the assault, but persistently
denied Elliots completely negro named Fawlkes,
he said, was tbs third party, and he had left the
country The court accepted this confession or tesr
mony OF Jefferson as SUFFICIENT proof Of an alib and
Perkins confessed or testified nothing whatever
terminating himself and when he was sentenced by
sumed complaisance. On leaving the court room
with the Sheriff. on his way to PRISON. he sneeringly
remarked, III hadn't been damned Yankee they
wouldn't hang me.r
After realizing the enormty Of their crime and the
necessity OF preparing to their Maker their
interviews with the Rev. DR.. Joseph II. Plunkett, OF
1t. Paurs church. who was their spiritual adviser
and comforter, they made, through the CONFESSIONAL
disclosures while to outside Inquiries they carefully
avoided divuging syllable relative TO their partic
patton In the enormous crime for which they were
ON my first visit to the county Jail | found the
white man, John Perkins, confined above on the
first moor. Perkins persistently denied any partic
patton in the horrible crime for which he il con-
demned to die, and declared himself An innocent
man, the victim OF mistaken identity.
The Rev. DIT. Punkett WAS daily advising him and
administered 10 him the rite OF baptism and the holy
sacrament. He was constantly reading prayers aud
The Holy Scriptures, and professed hope In Christ
His contrite appearance suggested some remarks
aud on my asking II he had any hope he answered.
~ have hope beyond all earthly hopesr He said
ne had nothing TO say 10 the public through the
papers nor cared for anything to he done for his
personal comforts II " was Gods will he should he
put 10 death, he felt resigned and would say 'Thy
VIII, not mine, oh Lord be doner
then visited the cell of Ben Jefferson. He APP
peared exceedingly distressed aud disturbed In view
o his fast approaching end. His denial OF any com.
picity IN the infamous crime was perfectly Obsti-
nate. and he also dlsayowed his confession and ties.
iinOny IN court where he made rull confession OF
trs whole aliair aud had Elliot discharged He said
ne was intimidated by Elliot, who threatened his
life II he (sllor was sent 70 the Pententary, they
anticipated they would be- The Rev. Father Plum
Seit visited Jefferson aud administered spiritual con.
ISOLATION and advice.
RESPITE.
Every preparation having been completed for the
"anae OF the tragedy on the appointed day FRI
10y. october . respite arrived suspendng the ex-
eeuton OF the sentence for one week. This naturally
csused unusual excitement when IL became
gtnerally known, and the sheriff OF Nor.
fox county, disbelieving and disrecarding such
Unusual action Of the Governor, was proceed
ing TO carry out the sentence OF the
court when an order arrived from military head
charters arres'ing the execution until the authentt
city Of the respite by telegraph Was definitely settled
ny an ollcIal communication with the seal OF the
Commonwealth from the Governor.
Last night the repreve for the negro JEFFERSON
cNme duly TO hand, and the announcement was made
u the wretched criminal IN bis cell about eight