The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-08

"niggers." good while prior to the time OF the
killing OF Norment the Lowery gang shot dead a
negro belonging to one Joe Thompson, who lived at
Ashpole Swamp, sixteen miles from Lumberton,
ana was neighbor OF Henry Berry Lowery. The
band mad robbed Thonpson's house OF bedclothing,
&C., and. thinking OF some story relative to their
doings which the negro had told, they shot him
dead at his own shanty. Then they ordered Thomp-
sons driver to gear up the family carrage and
them home, which he did, and they LETT the vehicle
not far from Henry Berry Lowery's house. This
must have been ABOUT at the close OF the war, for
the driver narrates that three United States
ers or escaped prisoners were then with the mulatto
robbers.
THE FATE OF ZACH M'LAUGHLN.
This Zach Mclaughlin, who Is alleged TO have in.
hicted the mortal wound upon Mr.. Norment, met
with fate justly deserved. He was native OF
Scotland, and One OF low, sensual, heathenish type
OF white men, who consorted with mulattoes and
spent his low energies In seducing mulatto girls
and women. Having laid out in the swamps with
the Strongs, Lowerys and Applewhte, he picked
up an almost equally renegade white by the name
OF Biggs, when, one evening, the twain met at a
mulatto shanty upon an Identical obect-namely. a
mulatto syren As they quilted the place to go
home, Mclaughlin, who was drinking deeply OF VII
famous liquor. said to Biggs with an OATH
"Ill Kill you right here unless you Join with me
and rob the smokehouses and shanties OF some of
these freedmen. We want you with our crowd ana
you've got to come or die."
Biggs says In his statement that ne went out of
the fear OF DEATH and helped the robberes OF that
night but privately made up his mind to escape
from Mclaughlin or to Kill him.
Mclaughlin finally grew very drunk, and insisted
upon building ire at place In the swamp and
resting there. These two men were now quite sep.
arated from other companionship and when the
fire was lighted Mclaughlin who possessed mo-
nopoy OF the arms compelled Biggs to sleep between
himself ana the burning brands, while he mean.
time, bent aKiInbo over the burning blaze and
dozed. Biggs began to test the sleeping outcast by
rolling and moving, and finally by jostling McLaugh
lin. Remembering his description OF his pistols,
and In particular one pistol, which was described
as
NEVER MISSING FIRE.
Blggs managed to pun 1t from the sheath In
McLaughlin's belt With this he shot the
white outlaw through and through and then
slipped away into the swamp to see II he
moved. The drunken beast being perfectly dead,
Biggs made his way TO Lumberton and related
the story. Search was made, and on the spot OF
ground indicated, beside the extinguished fire, the
bloody carcass OF Mclaughlin was discovered. Just
previous to this aGalr-November 9, lS71-McLaugh-
lin and Tom Lowery had escaped from Lumberton
jail by avaiiing themselves Of loose IRON bar aud
wrenching the CRATES OF the jail windows
Blggs received $500 for his two shots into
McLaugnin's body. He has figured in subordi-
nate degree since that time as a volunteer to cap
ture the outlaw Chief Mclaughlin was altogether
q meaner specimen OF mankind than the strongs
and Lowerys.
THE MURDER or STEVE DAVIS.
i'm no of m n
outlaws appeared at the house OF Angus Leach,
near Floral College emale), and proceeded TO seize
large quantity OF native brandy, distilled there
for the frut.growing neighbors-some say brandy
designed TO evade the revenue laws.
Lowery's band was alert and fond OF strong
drink. and they seized all the available vessels at
hand-kegs, pitchers. pots and measures-to trans
port the liquor. Unwilling to despon without in
aictlpe pain. they struck old Angus Leach oycE the