The New York herald., 1868-04-04
THE DEATH PENALTY,
Execution of Two Negroes in
North Carolina.
THE CRIME AND ITS expIATloA
SCENES AT THE scAFFoLD.
From the Evening Telegram Of yesterday.l

From the Evening Telegram Of yesterday.l
TARBoRO N. c., April g. 1883.
Not in the annals of the North State have the
dreadful terrors Of the gaows been so terribly and
nwfuHy realized by the now dominant race Of the
South as they have been here to-day In witnessing
khe execution of hardened sable criminal and per-
hape more hardened mulatto accomplice. Indeed, 1
II might be said nowhere has the extreme penalty OF
khe law been more justly administered and more pc
cuIarly merited than in the execution OF John
Taylor ana Jim Knight for the wilful and de-
iberate murder Of John II. Cutchen, young
white man Of about twenty-five years OF age, 1
bf amiablc character respectable connec-
kons and good business attanments. The
Rssasslns victim wa the owner OF a small store
eitnated at Whttaker's station, the line OF the
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. in EdgecOmbe
county, Of which this Is the county seat.
THE CRIME.
The murder one Of the most foul and damnable on
record was for a considerable period involved In
gtantal evidence, though the most convincing, that
t1e murdereTs were convicted AS early as the 9th
Darkness hid the assassn's work from public view,
was this foul deed perpetrated by two fends in hu-
man shape whose names shall go down to posterity
warning and standing conviction that the decree
s'blood for blood" shall be meted out.
The details are exceedingly intricate and con-
eiderable difficulty was experienced in arriving at
she true state of the affair; but from the evidence
she facts are Cleaned as follows:!The mulatto Jim
Knight was exceedingly ambitious to become a
hand owner, to have his own farm and to employ his
own laborers He was tired OF working for others,
Rt which he had spent nearly lifetime, and being
possessed Of some intelligence he had so worked
tul African that he induced him into the commission
Of the horrible deed and actually made him the
chief perpetrator of the crime.
Both were intimately acquainted with the young
man Cutchen, with whom they were in the habit
Of trading, and that he had frequently
large sum of money in his drawer they conjonty
determined to become possessors of it. With this
view the morning preceding the MURDER John
Taylor visited the store OF Cutchen, having some
&ater melons to sell. These he disposed of to
the books Of the deceased SLOW that that Tayor was
not paid for the melons and the inference is that
return at night, with an assurance from Cutchen
That he would be admitted About eight p. M.
seen TO go from his house in the direction OF the
residence Of Taylor, with small canvas bag on his
or nothing, out what the witness could not say.
Nothing is known further until the following morn
time where he boarded. messenger sent to the
store found II securely locked, and repeated knock
young man Cutchen did not come FORTH and soon
suspicion was aroused, and, crowd assembling,
mutiiated corpse OF Cutclen Was discovered
The scene inside was horrfyhlg in the ex-
sent for, and with IN extra key he opened the
store door, and then the bloody scene WAS fully
fully dscolored tiat for time its Identity was
doubted; but the garments were evidence OF John H.
Nutchen only too convincing. Goods were found
displayed upon the in the act OF trading;
n claw hammer was there and a little canvas bag
Inches long, was discovered. From the appearance
pr the place the assassins came there ostensiby to
trade, but with the intention OF MURDER they called
Cutchen from his bed; he admitted them, and while
his back was turned to show them some goods
by the assassins ana with it he was dealt
p blow on the head that feled him to the
skuli the victim being fractured in four distinct
places; and believing life was extinct the murderers
then r1ed the drawers, obtaining several hundred
nollars in money and some articles of merchandise
decamped death s9sse 9ssss thH bor st9re "a ana n then m
th vouil1er was overturned, aud from the traces On
dered man Gns must @ mere ssaaassa VIII bIqqd f nave
ecoed over with arKs hat e e WE1s
testimony the victim was capable Of giving with his
moor in Stream on The coulter on tSe ss shsye on e
the walls, and blood was everywhere crying for ven
The people were fully aroused and on the follow.
fng day an inquest was held, but nothing leading to
solution OF the horrible mystery could be adduced,
Session. when in the house OF John Taylor, on being
cred and further investigation disclosed piece OF
canvas with the name OF Cutchen on 1t. The latter
s found under the bed ,S Of negro eSnGn6ne s Of
smother concubne Of his also, both living in the
lame nn, house, s the murder . was was fully fully esiab.
60 show that upon the night OF the murder Jim
knight came with the mysterious canvas bas, con-
Raining little nothing 10 the house OF John Taylor;
that they both departed together, and returned
about daylight in the morning In drunken cond-
they lthe women) were supposed to be asleep; and
that both OF them vacated the neghborhood that day
and returning made false Inquiries and untrue state
menis. Tue bood-staned coat was the first evidence
thai led to the Whole train OF evidence that finally
convicted the prisoners at the september term OF the
court Ia 1851 when they were condemued to expiate
their crime On the scanold today
THE IMPRISONMENT t...
In company with another notorious and desperate
q murderer, VINO VIII sooner or later with his
lie for his Grimes they have been confined in the
lad here since their arrest and subsequent
70 Their conviction. Previous TO the latter
but when thoy sentenced to the death penalty
This assumed fortitude forsOoS them aud bOtl gave
evidences OF fear, Knight particularly sinking under
khe terrible decree Oi the law,
THEIR CoNDCCr
Bince has been uniformly good, Taylor suhborny
eertng his innocence, while Knight remained mute
hnd downoast evidently showing that If he was the
protector his accompce, and, as Is believed the
tual murderer. Taylor Is u much more hlrdaaed
wretch, who SAYS that he VIII "die ganen Many
believe Taylor 10 have been the chief and under this
Impression he has been mportuncd 10 make con.
fesson that would exculpate Knight, the more seem.
hDgly repentent OF the two.
TIE aURDERERs
pre- neither peculiarly imposing In appearance.
raylor, OF this county. lie is about thrty-four
eears OF age q genuine black Congo six feet
high and OF powerful build. Ills countenance is
Extremely brutal in expression, and combines all the
Instincts Of the African for savage ferocy and an
absence OF all human tenderness. He III entirely
3nderent as TO his terrible fate and speaks lightly
pf It, boldly asserting his innocence throughout.
Jim Knight is q muatto, and was formerly owned
by o Mr.. Knight Of this county, whose name he
bears He L. abeut forty-tive years OF age, has on
Intelligent physiognomy, is OF low build, but stout,
6nd does not seem to be the protector Of the
bination for which he dies to-day. lie Is thought 10
and though he has generally more sympathy than
Taylor, the evidence shows him 10 be none the less