Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-03-08
The yor,t CoroIiro ou,,.vy..

Henry Berry Lowery and his brother Steve, who
is now reported to have killed him:
Henry Berry Lowery, the leader of the mos
| formidable band OF outlaws, considering the
smallness of its numbers, that has seen known
| in this country, is Of mixed Tusearora mulatC
and white blood, twenty-siX years OF are, fiv,
feet nine inches high, and weighing about Isl
pounds He has straight black hair like an In
dian; dark goatee and beard graceful in
shape, but too thin TO look very black. His face
slopes from the cheek bones to the tip of hi,
goatee, so as to give him the Southern American
contour Of phySiognomy; but it is lighted with
tie eyes Of different c0lOr-eyes of grayiSl
hazel-at times appearing light blue, with DROP
OF brown IN them, but in agitation dllatlng
darkening, and, although never quite losing the
appearance of smile, yet in action il is a smile
of deVlish nature. His forehead is good, and
his face and expression refned-Temarkably so
considering bis mixed race, want OF education
and long career of lawesSnesS. A scar of creS
cent shape and black color lies in the skin below
his left eye, said 10 have been made by an iron
pot falling upon him when a child. His voice
Is sweet and ca a Il, and in his manner there
Is nothing Sell-lmportdnt or staggering. He Is
not tal1atve, listens quietly, and searches
out whoever is speaking to him like man
llliterate in all books save the two great
books of nature, and human nature above
all. The color of his skin is whitish yellow
sort, with an admXture of copper-such a skin
as, Tor the nature of its components, is in colol
undesirable, there being no negro blood in it
except that of far remote generation of mu-
latto, and the Indian still apparent. ItlS enough
to say OF this skin that it seems to suffer little
change by heat or cold, exposure or sickness,
good housing or wild weather. The very rela-
iiyes OF white men killed by Henry Berry Low.
cry, admitted to me that ode is one Of the hand
soonest mulatoeS you ever saw
To match the face, the outlaws BODY is OF
mixed strength and beauty. 1t is well knit
wiry, straight in the shoulders and limbs, with
out physical flaw in it, and, as one nd 10 me
who had known him well since childhood, "He
Is a trap ball, elastic all over" He has feet
which would be noticeable anywhere, pointed
and with arching inStep, so that he can wear a
very shapely boot, and his CXtremities, like his
features, indicate nothing of the negro. good
chest long bones, supplencss, proportion, make
his walk and form pleasing to see. He is neoli-
gent about his dress, hut his clothes become
him and never disparage him. People have told
me that he wore fine clothes; but when ques-
toned to the point Of re-eXamination, admitted
that he had nothing on but a wooden blouse and
trousers, and a black wide-brmmed, stiff wooden
hat.
TO see this trim youth as he appears whenever
seen on the highroadS or the piuey forest by
path 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 preposterOus If we do
not consider the peculiar circumstances OF his
warfnrc-outlawed by the state of North Caro-
lina, without Il reliable base of supplies, and
compelled to carry arms and charges IN them
enough to encounter large body of men or
stand Il long campaign. A belt around his waist
accommodates five six barreled revoverS-long
shooters. From this belt shoulder strap passes
up and supports behind, singing fashion, a
Spencer rife. which carries eight cartridges, and
it is now generally alleged that be has replaced
this with a Henry ritie, carrying double the for
mcr number of cartridges, While successfully,
man after man ofthe band, by some mysterious
agency, becomes possessed OF a Spencer rife.
In addition to these forty or ortv-eight charges,
LOwery carries long-bladed knife andja large
11sk of whiSkey-Ihe latter because he fears TO
be poisoned by prom>cuOus neighborhood
drinking. He can run like a deer, swim,
stand weeks of exposure in the swamps and
forests, walk day and night, and take sleep
by little snatcheS, which, IN few days.
would tire out White Or nero. Although Il
tiDpler he was never known to he drunk Il
fact not to be justly asserted OF his cOniederaes.
Brought suddenly at bay ne is observed to wear
that light, hendisb, enjoying smile, which shows
a nature at its depths savage, predatory and
fond of blood. The war he hd- waged for the
past nine years, within region of twelve VI
fifteen miles square, against county, state, con-
tederate and United States authorizes, alter
uately or unitedly, is justification for tue terlor
dppIIcul III Inc faces Oh all Tue WLlLG people
within those limits. LOwerY's baud gives more
concern 10 the Carolnas than did Calleton's Lee
gion ninety years ago.
"What IS the meaning of this% said to
"ParSOn" Sincar-the fighting parsOn OF Lum-
bertOn-"hOw can this fellow, with a handful OF
boys and illiterate men, put to fight a society
only recently used to warfare and full of accom-
plished soldiers? Explain it .
"Lowery," answered Sinclair, "is really one of
those remarkable eXecut We spirits that arises
now and then in raw community, without adj
vantages other than nature gave him. He has
passions, but no weaknesses, and his eve is on
every point at once. He has impressed that
whole negro society with his power and indu-
ence They fear and admire him. He asserts
his superiority over all these whites Just as we'll
No man who stands face to face with him can
resist his quiet will and assurance and his
searching eye. Without fear, without hope, de.
Tying society, he is the only man we have any
knowledge Of down here who can play his part.
Upon my word, beheve if he had lived ages
ago he would have been William the CONQUER
or. He reminds me of nobody but Rob Row"
Mr. Hayes, a republican, of Shoe Heel, whose
knowledge Of the ScuffletOwn settlement is very
good and whose practical northern mind is not
likely TO be deceived, told me that Lowery
among his numerous warnings served upon peO.
pie, stopped one white man on the road and
said: You are taking advantage of my circum-
stances and absence to be familiar with nay FAM
lily. Now, you better pack up and get out of
this country" The man lost no time in doing
as requested; for Henry Berry Lowery generally
warns before he kills. In the matter OF honesty
in the observance of Il promise OF a treaty the
people most robbed and outraged by this bandit
acknowledge his Indian scrupulUusnesS.
MIR. MacNair," he said to one of his white
neighbors, whom he had robbed twenty times,
Il want You to gear up and 90 to Lumberton,
where they have put my vile in Jail for no
eIa &c tfa.
fault, and they CAN'T make it so. You people
won't let me work to get my living, and have
got TO take II from you; but, God knows, she'd
like to see me make my own bread. You 90 to
Lumberton and tell the sheriff and county com
mssionerS that if they don't let her out of thar
Jail ri retaliate on the white women of Burnt
Swamp township. Some Of them shall come TO
the swamp with me if she Is kept in the iail be-
cause they can't Get me-"
Lowery then named point on the road where
he would meet McNair; and he met him instead
three miles nearer TO LumbertOn. The feeling
OF terror in the county may be understood when,
without more delay, Rnody Lowery was set
free.
Since Jefferson DAVIS flight and the reward
put upon his head there has been no American
erlmlnal-Drobably none previously in all the
history of the country for offences at common
law-whO has been dIauified with the amount
of money offered for Lowery's undertaking. If
it should appear in the north that this sketch
was too strong, point 10 the reward and to the
TACT that this outlaw has already made Il person.
al and bloody campaign against society longer
Than the whole revolutionary war. OsceOla or
Powell (who was an immediate mixture OF In
dian and negro blood, and who fought over a
large rcgion), gave out in much shorter space
OF resistance.
Two things are to be chronicled in this
mans favor, and make them on the universal
testimony Of everybody in this region. He has
never committed arson or rape or Offered insults
to females. While entering private houses
nearly every day his worst act is to drive the
family into some apartment and bar them there
while the house is cOolly and leisurely ran.
sacked.
The brigand of the Lowery gang, in appear
ance, Is Steve, whose carriage is that of a New
York rough, and whose thick, black straight
hair, thin, black moustache, goatee aud very
lowering counicnance, set with backisb haze
eyes, give him the character his deeds bear out
Of rObber and murderer of the Murrcl stamp
lie is the most perfect Indian of the party. sn.
Deradded TO the vagabond. He is five feet ninr
inches high, thick set, round shouldered. heavy
and OF powerful strength, with long arms. n
heavy mouth, and that rruSque, aggressive
impudent manner, which BELTS the highwaymar
stopping his man. Steve Lowery reGuired
no great pIOvocatOn to take to the swamps
and prOwl round the country by day and niU6t
He is mentioned third on the list IN the govern
ors proclamation, figuring there at $500. or hal
the price of Henry Berry Lowery's mead. He i,
the oldest of the gang, said to be thirty one anf
hi auraN. Hsg.tsn s..~ 49,