The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-28
NORTH CAROLINA.

OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Partisan Clemency-Honicide or Nephew
by His Uncle-A Tragedy In tho Dark-A
Negro Maraudcr Killed by Nesroes-An In
structive Letter to q sheriff.
RALEIGH, Dec. Is, 1868.
Crime atterly has been fearfully on the increase
In this State. Murderers, burglars robbers and
cendiaries have been holding high carnival, and
there seems to be adequate administration Of the
law for the punishment OF crime, much less the pro-
lection OF the innocent ana peaceably disposed. The
consequence is that decentralization OF society Is
papable result. II the laws for the punishment of
crime were carried out and enforced this increase
would be checked; but 1t Is matter OF regret to
state that officials In whose hands are placed the
administration Of those laws are often surrounded
by influences that render them comparatively in :
operative. Here the ruling passion is politics,
and through influences OF this kind the most noted
and dangerous criminals frequently escape merted
punishment. Even the murderer and assassin have
been allowed in many instances to escape their just
doom that criminals OF this class snap their fingers
and reve In the commission OF the oulest Deeds for
aught they care about the present enforcement OF
the law. Some pretext will serve to get them on
should they fall into the hands OF the officers OF the
law and often these are so frivolous that one can
scarcely be surprised at the record OF murder and
crime that the press here daily presents so far has
q
security amounting almost to reign ofterror among
the people throughout the State, but more particu
larry in some sections where crime is rampant
There Is lacking that confidence In the administra
ton Of justice and punishment OF crime so essen
tally necessary to the preservation OF the peace
good order of society and the repression of lawless
ness Judge Underwood's jail delivery in Virginia
scarcely exceeds in its effect society in that State
the wholesale pardonng OF criminals here, and this
at time when day hardly passes that some terri
Bile murder is not per petrated
For three successive weeks the Communication OF
the death sentence has been recorded in the OF
three criminals whose penalties had been affixed by
competent reconstructed courts and approved by
the highest legal tribunal I'm the Statethe Supreme
Court The release Of such criminals as Caesar
Griffin, Sallie Anderson and Jeter Phillips in vir
GINA can have no more baneful effect than the par
don OF such murderers az Alexander Willis, John
Owens and Joseph Lovick in North Carolina. Capital
community where crime and outrage are or daily oc-
currence. Not long since the details Of several
henous murders in this State were published in the
HERALD, and now there Is a fresh chapter to he
added, though the time has been exceedingly short
In Greensboro within the past week an ARRAY oc-
CURED between Alfred Ozment, white, and Anthony
Whittier, negro In which the latter killed. Both
had been drinking, an alteration ensued, and, as
usual the knife or pistol did its terrible work. Ozment
stabbed, Whittier twice In the neck INJECTING mortal
wounds OF which he died shortly afterwards. An
inquest was held and verdict returned In accord
Another Is the case of Mr.. John Gleason, q well
known and respected merchant OF Charlotte, who,
was shot twice by negro on Friday u last H in ts
presence Of the court Though both wounds were
supposed to be fatal, Gleason met MS death at the
hands OF another dastardly negro assassin. He ran
from the court, as Is supposed, TO procure some
means Of defence, and as he passed from the door
the street negro policeman dealt him powerful
blow ON the back OF the head with a club, which
felled him to the ground and killed him instantly.
lie never preathed again. This aggravated murder
fpali nn
among the citizens, which has not yet abated, and
II was believed the two murderers would be suhma
rily disposed OF by Judge Lynch. SO doubtful is 1T
now about the punishment OF negro for crime that
the public need not be surprised II lynchng, in
Indiana, does not follow as consequence OF the
failure TO administer criminal justice.
The next Is rather . curious case, and shows the
Governor In somewhat different role from that OF a
wholesale dispenser OF executive clemency. seems
that William IL. Suit OF Warren county. and negro
named Norval Lynes were engaged in o fight IN
which Suit shot and killed Lynes. An inquest was
held and the Coroner returned verdict that Lynes
came to his death nom gunshot wound inflicted by
william Ii. Suit. The case then came before three
loyal Justices one OF whom was colored for adiudi
cation, and after hearing the evidence pro and con-,
this eminent tribunal considered suit baIable and
released him on security OF $1,000. This coming TO
the ears OF the Governor from radical source, and
SUIT beng anything but loyal. man, 50 called
letter TO the Sheriff Of the county,
STATE NORTH CAROLINA,
70 ,hs pxraaa s RALKis
SIR have received Information in regard
III. letter. seems that Lynss shot killed BY Suit
81 s ssa that 4s % s
doaO. the crime balabie an II so am sure the
rp De sa Ha
in the eye law and ii the ana sight Of ru aoa
6s done Violent ike SUIT who resort 10 deadly ably
the power OF violated law trust. sir that win give this
Warren disposed TO do their duty such viii be re-
% sry ass and fearless %e as, Se
It would seem from this communication that the
Governor considers himself invested with powers ex-
raordnary, for he overrdes the ruling Of the bench
and constitutes himself Judge, jury and coroner
though most OF these denquents were his own up.
pointees.
Stili another homicide or a lamentab,e character
has to be added to the fatal list Captain Thomas
Ricketts, a mariner, together with his nephew,
David Fitzgerald, both OF whom had just returned 20
Norfolk from cruise to spain, were visit TO Mr..
David o. Laws residing near Halifax IN this State
On wednesday last the two gentlemen had been at
Halifax good portion OF the day, ana In the evening
returned TO the house or Laws for the purpose OF re-
turing. While on the way dispute arose between the
uncle and nephew and continued after both were in
bed for q considerable time. Fitzgerald becoming
exasperated got up about eleven P. NJ, and procur-
Ing pistol announced his intention Of killing hts
uncle. Their respective beds were in corners OF the
room diagonally opposite and the lights having been
long since extinguished, intense darkness prevailed
Soon, however, Ricketts, was startled by the ash
and report OF pistol shot from the direction of his
nephew's bed and seeing his life thus endangered he
seized double barrelled shot gun which was stand
ing at his bedside and fired 1t twice at the SPOT In
which he had seen the pistol flash. The inmates OF
the house, aroused by the reports OF the firearms,
came rushing with lights TO the room, where Ftz-
gerald was found TO DO wounded In the lungs by
discharge Of squirrel shot Medical attendance was
promptly procured, but though every effort was
about three A. M. coroner's jury returned u ver-
dict during the morning that David Fitzgerald came
TO his death at the hands OF Thomas Ricketts, under
justifabe provocation.
As thieving from whites IL not enough TO subsst
upon the negroes have turned to robbing one
OF "Culesv made successful raid upon one OF their
own color, living about five miles above Newborn,
on the river Neuse. They came In q boat. landed
safely, secured their booty, asaughered beef, ready
for market, and re-embarked. But a short time had
elapsed before the robbery was discovered, and a
party OF darkies set out In hot pursuit OF the ma
raudng party. After considerable deploving and
skirmisng on the part OF the pursuers the thieves
were overtaken aud fred upon with some effect, as
they abandoned their boat and ught refuge In the