New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-04-20

An Atrocious Murder I'm Washington Coun
ty- What q Democratic journal saws

About "a.
In our last we gave the known facts of the
burning of Mr.. Langmades barn. and also
stated that freedman, Ebert Harris formerly
the property of MIR. L., had been arrested
under strong suspicion of being the incendiarv
on tuesday (of last week. the negro had a
nearing before Justices Bangs and Sullivan.
Inc testimony was purely crcumstantial
yet sufhcientiy strong to authorize the msgis.
trate In committing the negro 10 Jail to await
triai before the Superior Court Tie was de-
lVered TO the lallor and confined accordingly
On tuesday night, or rather Wednesday IN 5rn-
ing, between twelve and one O'clock. a marty
OF disguised mounted men, estimated by the
town marshal at from seventy.ive to one hun
dred IN number, made their appearance upon
the public square,
Proceeding to the Jail, they knocked loudly
upon the front door and demanded admittance
We should remark that the TAILOR and his
family reside upon the first floor. Being aroused
from sleep, Mr.. Mayo, supposing it to be the
marshal, called out, ''Hold on" Mavo was
Frustrated with rheumatism and unable TO
attend the alarm. Mrs. Mayo threw on a dress
and fastened to attend the summons, in the
meantime the knocking, with the order to
open The door, was repeated several times.
Ihe prisoners in the upper story were aroused,
and, seeing the masked horsemen around the
the object of the party and hoping by giving
tAe alarm OF fire to awaken and bring to their
renet the sleeping town. The man Ebert |
raised most piteous wall crying out o |
i-oro " Lord :" seeming to realize that he !
was the victim sought.
opening the door, with candle in hand. Mrs |
Mayo found herself confronted by fifteen or |
twenty disguised men. With that heavenly |
instinct II known only to the devoted mother, the /
nrst thought was for her little ones. AS the
men came crowding into the hall. she expostu |
lated . on will brighten my children to death - |
they assured her that her family should not be |
harmed, and asked "Where is he ?" meaning
the negro Ebert. Being told, they called for
the Key to his cell. Obtaining the key they
proceeded to the room designated, and soon re.
turned bringing the negro, his hands tied be-
hind MIN, returned the kev and left. As they
went out the negro looked her in the face, say
ing most ptiously, 80, Mssus!"
None Oh the party were recognized by any
VINO saw them. In fact but few knew ANYTHING
OF the matter until next morning
on Wednesday morning the body of Ebert
was found lying on its face, the hands tied, in
the edge OF mill-pond, one mile frem town.
number OF citizens repaired to the place end
mad the body taken from the water and the
coroner sent for. At the inquest Dr. A. Beach
examined the body and found five gun-shot
wounds; three Immediately around the left
ear-elther of which would have produced in
slant death-one through the neck and one
below the left nipple. No clue could be OBJ
famed as to the perpetrators of the deed, and
the verdict OF the jury was He came to his
leath from gunshot wounds inflicted by un.
known parties.-SandersViU GeorgLdR