Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-02-19
4 Cruel Story.
MURDER, LAwLESSNEss AND INJUSTICE IN
GEORGIA.

GEORGIA
The Atlanta correspondent Of the Gin
cinnati Commercial, writing on the 18th OF
January. relates the following story OF
wrong and murder
| bespeak your careful reading Of this
case-a remarkable onc-exenplifying, a.
it does. several phases of Southern life,
customs, barbarity and lawessuess.
1t was rumored to-day that the .he-iff
and coroner Of Jasper county, Ge, 5Ia,
had Just been brought in under military
arrest. Upon dlligent inquiry, and from
reliable sources, [ have ascertained the
with and accounting for their presence in
Atlanta in charge OF 4 guard
In the county of Jasper, a freedman
named John Brown, and his wife, Maria
last year contracted with planter tvhite)
named Homer Barnes, TO work for him
Lately Maria told her husband that, at
different times during the summer, Barnes
forced her to Illicit intercourse.
On Monday the 18th inst, Barnes, who
had since married, went to Browns cabin
and asked Maria who had been telling
that he (BArne>) had been keeping her
Maria replied that she had told her hus-
band and he had spoken OF it.
Barnes left. bat soon returned with
revolver and club. Meeting Brown he
demanded whether or not he had sand that
Barnes had been keeping Mlria. Brown
replied that he had, and thought there
was no harm in telling the truth. where
upon Barnes struck Brown on the head
with the club, and then drew his revolver
and fired at Brown, the bail passing
through his coat and grazing his right
shoulder
Brown then ran out of the house. fol-
lowed by Barnes. who fired again the ball
entering Brown icit nlp; Blown fell. but
soon jumped up and ran again, when
Barnes fired the third hot. again hitting
Brown, who managed to gain the woods.
and that night went to Montce 10. a dis
ance Of SIX miles Here, with taree bul-
lets in his body, and simply for the want
Of money. he was unable to obtain u phv-
sician to attend 10 his wounds.
The next day he went to Robert Barnes
father Of Homer Barnes related what had
happened. and asked the elder Barnes tol
Gods sake to ct him his wife 70 attend
him and nurse him Barnes, Sr. told him
to procure a house and he would get his
wife for him. Brown then went to Berry
J Digby, Sheriff Of Jasper county. vino
lived ia the neghborhood. and procured a
house for himself and family, in Djghy'>
yard this was on Thursday, January 10.
That night Sheriff y Dgby gave u ball, to
which Barnes and his friends were invited.
Between eight and nine o o'ciock, after dane
had commenced, Homer Barnes went tc
the house where were Brown and his wife.
and again ac -us I'd Brown Of ta king about
aim, adding :. intend to Kill you both
/ Then drawing his revolver, he fired, hit
ting Brown in the head and II iehtly wound
ING him. Then turning to Maria B.owu
he deliberately aimed his pistol at her
breast and fired, the ball passing through
her, killing her Instantly.
Barnes then walked out to the yard,
and remarked to the sherif's son. John \.
McC .endon AMI others, that Il he would
/ like to see any one arrest him for killing .
/ Id niger, got on his horse and rode
away.
The sheriff says John A. McClendo-
came into the same room and said to him
Homer Barnes has killed that negro
wench." He went out and found tnat
sure enough " he had killed her. How
ever, he paid no more attention to the
matter until 1880 or one o'clock, and az
the people were going home from the bal
he sent word by one of them to tell the
coroner to come and hold an inquest. Next
morning he (the sheriff), having bushes,
to attend to, left early, but gave instruc-
tions not to bury the woman until the cor
oner arrived. At ] l A. NJ the coroner
and jury were on the spot, John A Nc.
Clendon, above mentioned, being on tn,
jury.
JANUARY II, 1868
Georgia, Jasper county; We, the ju
ry, after being duly sworn by w. Wilson
coroner Of said county, after an examiRa
ton of the body of Maria, wife of j OH
Brown. believe her death to have beer
caused by gunshot wound in the righ
, breast, on the night of the 10th instant, "a
the house of Berry j. Digby, Jr., by tn
E hands of some one unknown to US
Signed by the coroner and niue jury
men,
| The coroner advised the freedman
A Brown, to leave the country, else he to
I would ::lie1, which advice the freed
e man iost no time in complying with an
? in his crippled condition, and with hi
. three children, the youngest only eigh
: months old, made his way to Covingtor