Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-12-18
,touR 1UMBER7ov CORRESPONDENTS
Outrages Asa Robson.

20. III
LUMBERToN, n. c., Dec. 18th, 1868.
Msssrs Editors: l saw in yonr paper of
the 18th where you asked for information
concerning the band Of robbers that infest
this county. As to there being such a
gang in this county there is not the least
doubt, it being headed by a murderer.
whose name is Fl. 3. Lowery, mulatto,
the same person that Gov. Worth offered
a reward Of three hundred dollars for. he
being the accused murderer of Mr.. Barnes.
one of the best and most peaceable citi-
Zens there was in the county Lowerv
murdered him on his way to church, built
an ambush on the side of the road and
shot him from it. After his victim fell he
went to see if he was dead, but he was not.
Mr.. Barnes then appealed to him not to
shoot again. He then presented the gun
at his head and fired, tearing one side of
his face off. He then left him, thinking
he was dead, but he lived long enough to
give an account Of the murder Gus deed.
Two or three months ago MIR. Durham
Lewis was attacked on the road, and
robbed of all the money he had about his
person. About the same time Mr. McNair,
another citizen Of the county, had his
house sacked of everything valuable. A
few weeks after that Mr. Pickett Mercer
was attacked on his way home and robbed
of all the money he had with him, amount
ing to more than seven hundred dollars.
Immediately after that daring deed had
been transacted Mr.. Mcqueen, an old
citizen of the county, was attacked while
he was sitting in his house, by a man as
black as SCOT could possibly make him,
with cloth tied around his head. demand
ing Mr.. Mcqueen to surrender, at the
same time presenting a pistol with
one hand and holding gun in
the other. There was another standing in
the door, masked, and others scattered all
o7er the house, appropriating to their own
benefit everything valuable they could find,
including all of Mr.. McQueen's clothing
a few days after that MIR. Mckenzie heard
some one disturbing his hogs; he went out
times (the last shot taking effect), by some
one secreted side of feGce. There are
other robberies that | have not time to
mention. It is thought by nearly all that
the gang headed by this negro Lowery, are
the guilty parties. Lowery vas caught
or twenty months ago, and con-
hued III the Whiteviile Jail, from which he
escaped. The Sheriff Of this
county and the Bureau Agent went TO cap
ture him ten or fifteen days ago they sue.
cetded, and brought him III, coUtipou IN
III jail without ironing hlm, while there is
d white man coufint q aud ironei for steal
Ing Il horse, u shall crime com pared with
murder. The white man and the other
PRISONERS get their common Jail food, while
Lowery had to be fed with deic1cies not
withstandlng he was getting one more meal
than the others. LoWery escaped Satur
day night while the jaiior went i'll his Cell
presented IL pis OF aud dirk at him, aud
told him Ee lad not been treated as prom
Used when he consented to come there, and
not to attemp: TO stop him, II he did he
would kill hlm He then walked deiber-
ateiy out, aud expect will soon resume
his old trade numbering and stealing
There is d mystery to be unraveled. I
will say no more but wait with patience to
see what viii next turn up. All we want
is JUSTICE.