Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-05-08

seen on the morning of the murder travail
ing py olHerent routes from the direction
OF her nome 10 the Bates Place. with
view, as was supposed, to marry Dula; that
Dula had borrowed a mattock' the irrio
ment with which the grave was dino tbo
day previous, and that he had been heard
to say that he contracted a disease fron1
the murdered girl for which lie would bo
reveDged upon her. It was also provon
that Dula changed his name, and when he
ing brought back from Tennessee atteron
ted to escape.
| This comprised the essential testimonv
and the witnesses generally appeared i'm
pressed with the idea that Dula was guilty
though some among them appeared anxions
to effect his acquittal through fear of some
OF his reckless associates in the mountains
Another fact attempted to be proved was
that the disease contracted by Dala from
the murdered woman was impaired by him
to Mrs. Mellon, who forced him to ehn
commission OF the crime on that account
An appeal was granted from the first trial
and a second one had, when the same
witnesses were examined, the same test.
mony elected, and the same state of ev.
element existed. Gov. Vance and his rs.
sistant counsel for the defence made DOW.
erful forensic efforts which were considered
models of ability, but such was the evi.
dence that no other verdict than that Of
guilty could be rendered
Mrs. Ann Mellon has not yet been tried
though she was present at both of Dula's
trials, and, like him, heard his sentence
without exhibiting any visible emotion
She is apparently about twenty five year,
OF age, is the illegitimate daughter of one
Carlotta Foster, and is a most beautiful
woman. She is entirely uneducated, and
though living in the midst of depravity and
ignorance has the manners and beariI q of
an accomplished lady, and all the natural
powers that should grace q high born
beauty. This may in part account for the
great influence she obtained over Dula,
with whom she is illegitimately connected,
and also for the fact that he persistently
denies all knowledge of and participation
in the murder.
Pauline Foster, the principal witness
against both the accused, is remarkable for
nothing but debasement, and may be dis
missed with the statement that she has
since married white man and given birth
to negro child.
Thomas Dula, the condemned man, is
about twenty-five years old, five feet eleven
inches high, dark eyes, dark curly hair,
and though not handsome, might be called
good-looking. He fought CALAMITY in the
Confederate service, where he established
a reputation for bravery, but since the war
closed has become reckless, 1emoralized
and desperate, of whom the people in
his vicinity had terror. There is every
thing in his expression to indicate the har-
dened assassin fierce glare of the eyes,
a great degree Of malignity, and callous-
ness that is revolving. He laughs and jokes
when spoken to of his approaching end,
and exhibits shocking Indifference as to
hereafter, refusing persistently all spiritual
comfort from attending clergymen. Yes
terday evening his sister and her husband,
who came with wagon to take his body,
sent him a note from his aged mother, en-
treating him to confess the truth for her
sake, so that she would be satisfied of his
guilt or innocence. But further than ask
ing that they be allowed to see him, which
request was refused, he said nothing He
still remained defiant, nor showed any
signs of repentance, and seemed to have
some hope of escape, though he did not say
so. A confession had been looked for that
might either eXonerate or implicate still
further his alleged accessory, Mrs. Mellon,
but this he refused to give, and left the
impression that she is guilty and shall not
be "blowed" upon by him, though the
contrary is generally believed. lie partooh
of a hearty supper. laughed and spoke
lightly, but ere the Tailor left him it was
discovered that his shackles were loose, u
link in the chain being filed through with
a piece of window glass, which was also
found concealed in his bed. While this
was being adjusted he glared savagely, and
in jocoSe manner said it had been so for
a month past. Before being finally lett for
the night by the jailor he requested that
Mr.. Allison, one of his counsel, be sent
for, and while charging him with the strict
est Injunction as to secrecy while he was
living, handed him the following, written
in rude manner with pencil -
STATEMENT OF THOMAS c. DULA.
[ declare that I am the only person that
had any hand in the murder of Laura Eos
ter
APRIL 80, 1868.
Besides this he had also written lengthy
statement of his life, but without any refer
ence to the murder, which was intended as
an exhortation to young men to live vir
tuously and not be led astray in paths of
vice as he was. There was nothing re-
markable in this document, though it
covered fifteen pages.
Left alone in his cell on the last night of
his earthly existence, the savage fOrtitude
that had characterized his trials, sentences
and Imprisonment began to give way, and
he nervously paced the floor as far as the
chain would reach. This was only inter
rupted through the whole night by an at
tempt to court "Nature's sweet restoror
but in vain, if a ftful half hour is excepted,
and the condemned, after the weary min
utes of that night, saw the last sun he
should ever behold shed it's glorious light
through the bars of the window. After
breakfast he sent for his spiritual advisers,
and seemed for the first time to make an
attempt to pray but still to them and all
others denying his guilt or any knowledge
of the murder. The theory seemed to be
that he would show the people that he
could die game" with an awful crime
resting upon his soul. Early in the morn
ing he was baptized by the Methodist cler-
gyman, and from that time engaged fer
vently in prayer but when left alone was
heard speaking incoherently, words occa-
sionally dropping from his lips in relation
to the murder but nothing that was intel
ligible And thus wore away the last hours
of the condemned.
So long had this execution been pending,
and as the murder was committed in one
county and the trial had taken place in
another, it became generally known
l. IL -