The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-08-28
The Murder at wnisnker.s station

From the Weldon Ne7cs we CLEAN the fol-
lowing particulars of the most diabolical
murder of Whitakcr's Station, North Caro-
lima, on the Wilmington and Weldon rail-
road, Tuesday:
son the 18th instant one Albert STRAIT
foot, o negro magistrate, visited Whitaker's,
and while there insulted George Griffin, a
white man, some twenty-four years of age,
deputy agent at the depot as well as clerk
in the store of J. II. Cutchin. Stratfoot
boosted Of the black mans supremacy, and
personally insulted Mr.. Griffin; whereupon
the latter summarily put the negro out Of
his office.
"Stratfoot reported the affair to another
negro magistrate-onc Matthew Allen
who issued m order for the arrest of Crit
tin, the said order being placed in the hands
of two negro cc2stablcs specially depu-
TIED, named John H;mmons and Thomas
Winman, said order reading that the writ
to be returned to Matthew Allen on the
morning of the Oath instant at 9 o'clock
with or without the body Of George Griffin.
Mr.. Griffin had received an intimation that
the case had been reported, but On Monday
night he learned that one or more negroes
were in the vicinity prepared to take his
life. On Tuesday morning about Z o'clock
he was standing in the counting-room of his
store, when the two negroes n question, &C
companied by two others, entered, and pre-
scnted him with the order. Mr. Griffin re-
monstrated against his arrest, declaring the
manner informal, and told the negroes that
if they would send for Mr.. John Cherrey,
deputy sheriff for the county, and who re-
sided only few miles distant, he would
accompany them.
"At this juncture one of the negroes
seized a pistol belonging to Mr.. Griffin,
when the latter turned and confronted him,
when the negro deliberately shot the unfor-
tunate man, the ball entering just below
the heart. Mr.. Griffin at once started to-
wards the residence of Mr.. Cutchin, some
twenty steps distant, and while going there
three other shots were fired at him,
taking effect in his back. He met Mrs.
Cutchin OF the door, remarked that he was
killed, and fell upon the floor and imme-
diatcly expired.
"The negroes who had committed the
act took all the arms they could find in the
store and Immediately left. Information
WIS SOllNcJSd W lAS piopSA hu'ho' 4st|p "e
Tarboro', and search is being Instituted
for those who committed the act, though we
learn when last seen some dozen of them
were together well armed. Holden's mill
tia might find some work in this section"
We learn from the Norfolk Journal that
four negroes implicated in this brutal
murder were arrested Tuesday night. A
party Of fifteen negroes, all armed, at
tempted to rescue the prisoners, but nine
out OF the fifteen rioters were arrested and
taken to the Tarboro' Jail along with the
murdcrers. The excitement in regard to
the murder has caused an intense feeling
Of bitterness in the neighborhood against
the perpetrators of the outrage and against
the negro magistrate, who was in reality
the cause Of the murder.
The account in the Journal states that
the warrant issued by the negro magistrate
directed that Griffin be taken dead or
alive" If so, it is very important that
| that warrant should be exhibited in court
Great excitement was occasioncd by the
murder, but no Indications of violence up
pcarcd.