The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-03-23
THE SCOURGE OF robson.
Il SKETCH OF HENRY YBERRYLoWERY,
THE HALF-BREED OUTLAW.

Il SKETCH OF HENRY YBERRYLoWERY,
THE HALF-BREED OUTLAW.
Physique and Personal Appearance
A Walking Arsenal-Characteristtcs--
The Outlaws Wife.
The following details In regard to the
famous North Carolina outlaw, from the Lum.
berton correspondence of the New York Her.
aid, although, doubtless, somewhat over
drawn and sensational, will be read with in
terest at this time:
DESCRIPTION OF HENRY BERRY LowERY.
Henry Berry Lowery, the leader Of the most
formidable band of outlt Vs, considering the
smallness of 1t numbers, that has been known
In this country, Is Of mixed TuscarOra, mulat.
to and white blood, twenty.slx years of age,
five feet nine inches high, and Weighing about
one hundred and fifty pounds. He has straight
black hair, like an Indian; dark gostee, and
beard graceful in shape, but too thin to look
very black. His face slopes from the cheek
bones to the tip of his goatee, so as to give
him the Southern American contour OIL
physiognomy; but 1t Is lighted with eyes of
a different color-eyes OF graysn nazel-at aze az
brown In them; but In agitation dilaltng, dark
ening, and, although never quite losing the
appearance OF smile. yet In action 1t is q
smile of devilish nature. His forehead Is good
and his face and expression refned-remark-
ably so, considering his mixed race, want of
education and long career Of lawlessness. A
scar ofcrescent shape and black color lies IN
the skin below his left eye, said to have been
made BY an iron pot falling upon MIN when q
child. His voice is sweet and pleasant, and
in his manner there IB nothing selfimportant
or staggering. He is not laxative, listens
quietly, and searches ont whoever is speak.
ing to him like man illiterate In all DOCKS.
The color OF his skin Is of whitish yellow
sort, with an admixture Of copper-such q
skin az, for the nature of its components, is In
color indescrlbable, there being no negro
blood in It except that of far remote genera
tion of mulatuJ, and the Indian still apparent.
1t Is enough to say of his skin that it seems
to suffer little change by heat or cold, expo
sure or sickness, good housing or Wild wealth
er. The vely relatives OF white men kiiiea e.n ny
is one of thd handsomest mulattoes you ever
saw"
LowERT PHYSICALLY.
To match this face, the outlaws body Is Of
mixed strength and beauty. 1t is well.knit,
wiry. straight in The shoulders and limbs.
without physical flaw in 1t, and, as one said
to me who had known him well slDce child.
hood, ssHe is like trap ball, elastic all over"
he has feet which would be noticeable any
where, pointed and with arching tnstep, go
that he can wear q very shapely boot, and hls
extremties, like his features, indicate nothing
of the negro. A good chest. long bones, sup
pleness. proportion. make his walk and form
pleasing to see. He is negligent about his
dress, but his clothes become him, aud never
dIsparage him. People have told me that he
wore fine clothes, but, when questioned TO
the point Of re-examnatlon, admitted that ne
had nothing on but woollen blouse and
trousers, and black wlde-brimmed, stif
woollen hat.
To see this trim youth as he appears when.
ever seen on the hlghroads or the piney forest
bypath, or as often at the railway stations OF
Moss Neck, Eureka, Bule's Store or Red
Banks, is to see young Mars bearing about an
arsenal. His equipment might appear prepos-
ferrous, IL we do not consider the peculiar cir
cumetances of his warfare-outlawed BY the
State of North Carolina, without reliable
base of supplies, and compelled to carry arms
and charges in them enough 10 encounter
large body Of men or stand long campaign.
A belt around his waist accommodates fVe
sIx-barrelled revolyers-long shooters. From
this befr q siioulder strap passes up and sYp-
ports behind, singing fashion, Spencer rifle,
which carries eight cartridges, and 1t is now
generally alleged that he has replaced this
with Henry rife, carrying double the former
number of cartridges, while, successfully, man
after man of the band, by some mysterious
agency, becomes possessed Of Spencer rifle.
In addition to these forty or forty.eight charges
Lowery carries long-baded knife and q
large flask of whiskey-the latter because ne
fears to be poisoned by promlscuous neighbor-
hood drinking. He Gun run like deer swim,
stand weeks OF exposure In the swamps and
forest, walk day and night, and take sleep
by little snatches, which, 10 few days, would
tire out white or negro. Although uppler.
he was never known 10 be drunk-a fact not
to be Justly asserted OF his confederates.
Brought suddenly at bay he is observed 10
wear that light, 1endlsh, enjoying smile,
which shows nature at Its depths savage,
predatory aud fond of blood. The war he has
waged for the past nine years, within region
of twelve or fifteen miles square, against
county, State, Confederate and United States
authorities. alternately or unitedly, is jHstIf
all the white people within those limits. Low.
er,'s band gives more concern to me Caro-
linas than did Tarleton's Legion nlnety years
ago. r-7
sWhat Is the meaning of this ~ said to
'sParaon" Sinclair, the fighting parson o
Lumberton, "How can this fellow, with hand
| full of boys and illlterate men, put to flight q
society only recently used to warfare and full
of accomplished soldiers? Explain It,"
"Lowery,n answered Sinclair, ''is really one
of those remarkanle executive spirits that
| arises now and then in raw community
without advantages other than nature gave
| him. He has passions, but no weaknesses
and his eye is on every point at once. H
has Impressed that whole negro society with
| his power and influence They fear and ad
mire him. He asserts hia superiority over al
| these whites just as well. No man who
stands face to face with him can resist his
| quiet will and assurance and his searching
eye. Without fear, without hope, defyng go
ciety, he ls the only man we have any know,
ledge OF down here who can play his part
| Upon my word, believe if he had lived ages
ago he would have been a William the Con
quer. He reminds me OF nobody but Rot
Roy"
HIS BLOOD AND INCLrSATIONs.
The three natures of white, Indian and negro
are, however, seen at Intervals to come for
Is In his love Of rude music. He Is banjo
player, and when the periodical hunt for hin
Is done, he repairs to some one of The huts II
Scuff1etown and plays to the dancing of the
mulatto girls and bis companions by the hour
his belt of arms unslnpg and thrown at BIZ
feet, the peaceable part or the audience takins
part with mixed wonder. delight and appre
hension. Several times this banjo has nearl,
betrayed him to his pursuers Sheriff Macaii
Ian described himself and posse once lying ou
all night in the swamp and timber ar0unc
at daylight. "And," said he, ''that banjo wa!
just everlastingly drumming, and We coult
hear the laughter and juba-bealing nearly thu
whole night long,"