The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1869-02-03
Correspondence Petersburg Index.l
NASHVILLE. N. c.. Jan. 81. 1869.

.3me NASHVILLE, N c., Jan. 81, 1869. y
Messrs Editors The North Carolina pa
pers have, from time to time within the last
twelve months, contained accounts of several
bold and daring robberies in the counties OF
Wake, Franklin, and Nash. The perpetra-
tors of these outrages invariably disguised
themselves and, until recently, no clue was
obtained as to the names of the parties nor
any data which would lead to their detec-
ton. All that was known to the people
living in the vicinity of these robberies were
the statements made by those who had fall
len victims to the spirit of lawlessness, ra-
pine and crime which seemed to defy the
law OF the land and laugh to scorn the ef-
forts of the officials to arrest and punish the
guilty desperadoes There was no evidence
to show thai any system of theft had been
organized. There was no evidence to show
that any concert of action was had, OF that
all these robberies were committed by the
same gang. 5..ei.. {.
At last, however, the facts in regard to
these mysterious and unparalleled outrages
have come to light The plot has been dis,
covered. The band of robbers have been
betrayed by one Of their own number. A
regular organized system of plumber,
which has spread alarm and terror through
out this and adjoining counties, has been
fully exposed; gang of highwaymen and
land pirates routed, broken up and captur-
ed, and are now confined in the darkness of
the dungeon to await the sentence of the
law, which will mete out to them Just
punishment for their heinous and atrocious
crimes.
Some six or eight weeks since, according
to secret signals, the gang assembled at
Stony Creek bridge, near Rocky Mount, for
the purpose of robbing Mrs. Kelly Lewis,
who was reported to have large amount of
greenbacks and gold in her house; but their
plans ware thwarted, and the whole scheme
came to grief through information furnished
by Eli Dampier. one of the robbers, who be-
| trayed his confederates on the evening ap-
| pointed by them to rob Mrs. Lewis. The
manner in which the party was attacked
! and pursued by the citizens of Rocky Mount
! has already been published.
! Suffice it to say, they made good their es-
cape. The betrayal by Dampier, however,
/ sounded the death knell of their hopes. He
gave tbe names and residences Of them all,
| which information has since led to the ar
rest of the whole party, except two, and for
these two as outlaws, reward of $500 has
been offered by the Governor. It is but JUS
| tice to Dampier to state that he alleges he
| joined the band in order to expose them at
| the FIRST favorable opportunity. If his state
ments be true he is entitled to credit for the
service he has rendered the country, in being
/ instrumental in bringing the offenders to
| Justice y
From the statements and confessions,
made by those confined in Jail here, we get
the following particulars:
1u NAMES OF THE ROBBERS. 81 q q
Lawrence Brantly. of Nash, and Weston
Watkins, of Wake, now confined in Louis
burg Jail; Kearny Griffin and Richardson
/ Driver, of Wake, and Peyton Price, of
Johnston, in Nashville jail;a Rafer Pearce,
! of Johnston. the leader, reported arrested
and in Ralei gh Jail JAS Benson and Jim
Edwards, still at large, and Eli Dampier,
the inforner isa a-i .a 7e"lse.@ ss59'
KEARNY GIIFFIN's STATEMENT. $
Griffin Zone of those confined here) is q
man of youthful appearance apparently
about 2G years old, has wife and six chill
dren, is, s,sprightly and communicative, seem:
| ingy very penitent for his conduct and
candid in his confessions, except he evinces
rather too much anxiety to lug in Dampier
with Pearce as a leader. I was furnished
| by him with most of the following tacts:tT
| he says the leaders would travel about
the country under, different pretexts, but
really to find ont who had money. As soon
as a good subject was discoved, they would
report at headquarters which seemed to be
near the corner where Wake, Johnston and
Nash counties join. Arrangements would
| Than Iva ,,aIa for ao,.b nf fha fropcr frDipO
by different routes, to meet at a certain
| point near, the intended victim. Having
met together all would black themselves
. but one who would be detailed as a scout
to reconnoitre and examine if all was right.
They would make the attack generally
early in the night, and with such boldncss
and intrepidity as to disarm all opposition
and to carry terror and dismay wherever
they went. Before daylight, they would
be scattered in every direction and many
miles apart, and thus managed to eIude
pursuit, ,,frt -, IL, -, =, =, -
The leader, Rafel Pearce, = is represented
as fearless and consrmmate rascal. He
would always appropriate the, lions share
of the spois, dividing out to the. Others to
suit himself. thus reversing the old adage
that thieves are honorable among them
selves. Schiller's Robbers, or Gil Bias
famous cavern banditti seem 10 be eclipsed
| by this modern clan. f...,is;s,.,r s,.v - ,..-
RoBBERY OF IRWIN FINCH AND NEEDHAM
/ a'el se9 ia'el BAILEY. faafiiaf5 1aI q,
/ About eighteen months ago this band of
robbers went to the house of Irwin Finch,
4 an aged, worthy and respectable citizen Of
! Nash county, and demanded bis money,
accompanying. their demand with threats Of
1 violence if he should refuse Upon his not
acceding thereto, they abused and NAL
/ treated him most shameinily, beating him
in cfucf and brutal manner, breaking
open his trunk and ,roibbing him Of about
/ $1,000. -. .~ a,, ~ '.,'.t' -, "a. "a,
"A few d days IS afterwards, fAtet Needham Bailey,
i a citizens of the same neighborhood, was
served in a similar manner, and robbed of
i about $1,000 in specie. -, I.-sw i. ..'''
ROBBERY OF RUFUS IyEY AND MRS.. HICKS.
The next exploit of the outlaws was the
4 robbery of Rufus Ivey, of Wake county,
I whom they relieved ofEa considerable
amount, after which they went to the resi-
| aence Of Mrs. Sally Hicks, of the same
1 county, and for the first time their fboldEess
4 or threats failed to intimidate or ffigliten
their victim! She met them with a heroic
| spirit, and under the most trying circum-
stances .defed the whole band and, dared
them tofexeeute their threats of violence
| This daring band of fhighwaymen, inswhose
presence Strong men turned pale and
trembled, were baff1ed and; defeated by she
heroism and determination of an 7unpro.
tected and defenceless Ii oaooDsan. They re-
= tired without carrying off 5anytof the rich