Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-04-13

MURDER AND SUlClDE.-1ne NOfIO'k pa
pers contain the following account OF a late re-
markable case of murder aud suicide:
On Thursday night the freight barge Neuse,
loaded with fish and shingles, under the COM
mand of Captain David Croker, aud belong
ing to the Pioneer Transportation Company, OF
Portsmouth, lett Edentou, N. g., for Norfolk,
10 tow of the steam tug Ludlow, hawser Of
about seventy yards connecting the two vessels.
The night was dark and very rough, aud the
progress across Albemarle Sound was slow
aud difficult. Previous to sailing Capt Crocker
had had some difficulty with one of his negro
hands, named Andrew Whitehurst, aud the
negro at once began to nurse such dreadful
aninosity towards the Captain that he WEI, RI
Mrs. Croker, who sailed With , htT husband
and was on deck at the line -. while the CAPTAIN
was s., os lo", anu, accosting her angrily, re
marked:
Madame, your husband showed his fist un-
der my nose.
Mrs. Croker replied, well, Andrew, you
shouldn't mind bim. You know how high
tempered aud passionate he is at tines" and
began to entreat him to cherish no ill.teeliug
in the matter. The negro was not disposed to
a reconciliation, however, aud he ended the
conversation with the suen threat, well,
all right 10 day or two
During the first watch Whitehurst was called
upon by Captain Croker to take his place at
the Wheel He refused to do 80, and When
the second watch came round he also refused
to obey the Captain and 90 to the Wheel At
the third watch, which was between three and
four o clock, he obeyed the Captain, and took
his station steering the barge. The wind was
blowing gale at the time, and portion OF
the deck load of the barge was swept over
board. Captain Croker could not sleep, aud
merely recined 10 his berth. Perceiving that
the barge steered badly be went on deck 10 see
what was the matter.
Shortly afterwards Mrs. Croker heard her
husband at words with Whitehurst and heard
his voice singing cut very loud, several times
as she thought, to those on board the tug Lud-
low. A short time after this, while Mrs. Crock
er was listening and patiently waiting the re-
turn of her husband, she heard Whtehurst
tell one Of the negro crew, who came att that
the Captain had just fallen overheard. She
Immediately few up the cabin ladder and on
deck and charged Whltehurst with having
thrown Captain Croker overheard. White
hurst stoury denied having committed the
murder, and insisted that the Captain tell over
board. Mrs. Croker became very violently
the people on the tug, but the Winds we're
roaring to such an extent that her cries could
not be heard the length of the barge. Fright,
eued at the probability of personal violence
from Whitehurst, she appealed to the negro
standing near for protection. He promptly
pledged her that she should receive bis pro-
lection. She continued to charge WhitehurS,
with numbering her husband, and he would as
persistently DENY the accusation.
Suddenly Wbiteburst let 60 the wheel, and
going forward, stripped of his coat, and was
seen by all the hands on deck to suddenly
plunge overheard into the seething waters of
Albemarle Sound. Remorse had evidently over.
come the murderous negro, and be sought in
the grave OF suicide to wipe out the misery
that overwhelmed him.
The whole transaction happened just off the |
mouth ofPerquimons River, where the Sound
is eight or nine miles wide.