The New York herald., 1871-02-04
He Murders Another Negro tC
Obtain His Wife.
Remarkable Articles Of the Muir
derer to Obtain Poison.
SCENES ON TIE SCAFFOLD.
Full Confession of the FienGisb
Crime.

negro preacner, in July last The circumstances
which led to
THIS MURDER,
though not peculiar to the negro race are OF
such frequent occurrence among them since their
emancipation as 10 disclose an alarming state OF
immortality and depravity. ALI the parties to the
crime are negroes OF the most genuine African
type, not even a white witness being examined at
the trial. From the best Information now hand 1t
appears that Aosa.om Fisher. with his wife, Ann
Elsher. and their family, consisting Of severa! chill
dren, the Oldest beng boy OF about fourteen,
sid d at Beaufort IN tls county Not far from this,
on o neighboring Plantation, there worked negro
known as Duncr Har ;et, all being natives OF the
county, and none OF them bearing what might be
termed bad characters. Socabllity among them
selves being one OF The prevailing characteristics Of
the negro disposition, Damer Harget became vlsi-
tor at the house or Absalom Fisher where he was
constantly TO be found In the evenings after work.
This was the even III The day time, when Fisher
was absent. The visits were unremtting, and soon
the preacher discovered that Dumer was partlcu
larry asslduous in his attentions TO his wife, and
closer observation reveaed the fact that
AN IMPROPER INTIMACY
had sprung ND between them. Jealousy, the green
eyed monste, at once took possession Of the sable
preacher, who from thar moment kept close watch
upon his wife and allowed the guilty pair but little
opportunity for the Qualification OF their Illicit de-
sires This course On the part OF the betrayed hus
band aroused ali the venom and bitterness In Du.
mef 6Y which seml-slvage nature is capable, and
corresponding oesree OF hatred was manifested
by the uniaithiul VIE towards her lege lord. To
make matters sui worse Ior the param0urs, Fisher
forbid harget to enter his house, but notwtthsand-
ing all thus precautions, the guilty pair managed
az intervals TO hold candestine meetings.
and have stolen interviews. For a considerable
period the affair renamed in this irksome
nrsati m af an.rfh fhnf fhnnr
murder goes, the guilty pair resolved to put the
uyng obstacle To the grlliIcalion or their lust out
or the way. IL was some time in June last that Har
get formed this desperate determination, and once
formed, he prosecuted !t with vigor. One OF his
nIst and known operations was q Visit TO tue drug
store OF Mr.. Martini OF Beaufort, whom he asked
TO sell him
SOME srRYoHNINE
That gentleman, now q member OF the House OF
representatives at Raleigh, VINO always exercised
proper discretion, winch Is commendabe, In the
sale OF all deadly polsons, asked Target what he
wanted with strychnine. He replied, Il want 1t to
kin rats-u
.sHave you anv physicians or any responsible
PERSONS certificate that you will not apply the pol
son to any improper useS" asked Mr. Martin.
'No sah,, sad harget; 'bnt amt gwne TO do
have it.n
Il tell you, cey hant no danger sab; Just want
de medieine 10 all dem yarnlihtsn
cant help 1T, Dunsr WON'T let you have It,"
Anus tue muiueieF mas io.ieu III MS nrst attelnpt
20 take tue Lie OF a fellow creature through the
caution OF d druggist. what number OF lives
might be saved II all druggists could overlook
ayarice and exercise slular discretion Finding all
attempts iii this direction ruthless, Harget next
turned his attention 10 Dr. Jordon, negro medical
practitioner In Tie neghborhood. He approached
him somewhat differently from Mr.. Martin, and
oegged him 10 procure
TIE POISON
Cor him. The doctor ii turn interTogated HarCet so
closely to The lie intended TO make Of the
strychnlne and his answers were so ambiguous and
confused That tue suspicious OF the sable
Esculapius became aroused, and he also re-
FUSED to furnish the insinuating means OF death.
disappointment and ll.-luck, the murderer turned
away nom Dr. 10 dan and next sought 4 negro by
the name OF Giilet. whom he endeayored 10 per-
suade to bring him the strycnnine from Newbern.
To this person he Is said to have disclosed his iOul
ana @ % lnuraeruus purpese, Inc plan being that when
TO Fishers wue, who was 10 administer 1t TO their
victim at his meals, IN coree or some other beve-
rage. For the third time he was banled Get also
refused 10 beco.ne party to the crime OF murder.
All the ingenuity tnat Ills feeble intellect was capa-
BILE Of being exhau ted in mis- frequent attempts
TO obtain some deadly poisonous drug Harget then
Ees0lyed upon del berate murder On the night OF
Thursday about the middle OF July, he remained at
home, morOse and sullen, refusing to go to bed de-
spite the entreaties of his negro mammy or foster
mother, who saw that something terrible was preying
upon his MIND. She continued 10 beg and ilnplore
him TO retire with all Tire affection OF mother but
60 no purpose and, becoming desperate he then told
ner his terrible purpose lie said he would Kill
Fisher; that no man should stand between him and
his plans
NOT EVEN JESUS CHRIST
After delivering himself or this blasphemous
speech the murderer took his musket, which all
negroes In this section have, and LETT the house. On
the following day Saturday Fisher was missing,
but there was particular notice taken OF his ali
ssence; The same day Target and Fishers wife, at
tired In their holiday BEST attended large religious
meeting, and on the sunday following attended d.
vine service and partook OF
THE SACRAMENT
even while their hands were red with the blood OF
the womans murdered husband. After the service
the deuby guilty par returned TO Fishers resi-
dence and there Target remained for several days.
About the middle Of Inc succeeding week nsh-
.ermen on the river discovered what upon nvestiga-
efAr fnrn I.At thn hf,Hu nf
pulled 1t into their boat but found IL was anchored
Oy rope round the, neck which was attached to
piece sl railroad on ai the bottom. This they also
pulled up. The body was brought to Beaufort,
where after, coroner's inquest was held, and
tho body was ident.hed as that OF
ABSALOM FISHER.
lie was shot by u musket ball. which caused In
slant death. The theory OF the murder B that
Harget lald III wait near Fishers house al CT the
night OF Thursday; that Fisher left his home early
on the morning OF Friday. and that he was met III
the road by Haiget and shot Tne tragedy over,
Harget went to Fishers house and ac-
qualnted the woman with the fact that her husband
was killed, and II is said that he then made Fish
er's oldest boy go with HIN and assist In removing
che body Of his murdered father to the river where
he secured the piece Of railroad iron to 1t and sunk
IL. Soon after the discovery OF the body and Its
Identification suspicion at once attached to Hareet
hs the murderer, and both he and Ann Fisher were
found against them, and they were tried at the
january term of the Superior Court. and Harget
MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE,
ater an absence OF tive hours BY the jury from the
court room An appeal was taken In the case Of the
ceived his sentence with the utmost composure.
While In jail he made several attempts to escape and
swore that he would do something
BE
rather than be hanged. once he succeeded in get
ting out OF JAIL but recaptured before he placed
half mile between himself and the place OF his In
generation.
THE CONDEMNED
Is accused OF having taken away from her lawful
spouse the wife OF another man once before the
amour which resulted III the scanod tragedy OF to-
day. His general character was not good. He Is
about six feet high, with what is called here bau
countenance, light complexion OF the black negro,
weighs about one hundred and sixty pounds and Is
thirtytwO years OF age. His expression ID exceed
ngy repulsve.
As an evidence that the ruling passion Is strong
fn death the condemned man, since his sentence,
made several Appeals to the Sheriff to allow the
woman. Fisher. 10 visit him privately in his cell.
She, too manifested a desire TO crafty the bestal
passions, and would nave eagerly accepted the de-
sired PERMISSION. On three dierent occasions they
were grantel lnterYleMs ut the door of nia cell.