Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-03-16
THE NORTH CAROLINA BANDITS.
PARTICULARS OF THE SHOOTING OF STEVE
LGwERY, THE LAST OF THE GANG-A
SKETCH OF THE NOTORIOUS RoBBER.

SKETCH OF THE NOTORIOUS RoBBER.
The shooting of Steve Lowery, the no
torious outlaw, took place in the Scuffie-
town region, on the plantation of John
McNair, who has frequently suffered
from the depredations of his gang. Low
cry and others were carousing at whis-
key camp, where they were joined by
three farmers, who, after some conversa-
tion with the outlaw, during which he
Dragged of his deeds and prowess, they
left and returned to obtain a favorable
opportunity to shoot him. which soon af-
ter occurred. They took his body to
Lumbartown and gave it in charge of
the sheriff. There was much rejoicing.
The body of Lowery was placed on Ia
BILE in the sherif7s office Immediately
there was commotion in the town, and
the streets were soon filled with an excl
ted crowd, all rejoicing that the last Of
the outlaw was killed. The body was
perfectly riddled with bullets and buck
shot. The head was perforated in sew
eral places, and there were three large
wounds in the heart, any one of which
would have proved fatal. The outlaw
was armed to the teeth, there being
found on his person when killed Hen
ry rife, three pistols, and a knife with
a blade about twelve inches in length.
He was twenty-eight or twenty-nine
years of age. He is said to have been
the most cowardly, and at the same time
the most treacherous and vindictive, of
them all.
Steve Lowery, the last survivor of the
original gang of six desperadoes, who
has Just been shot as above stated, is
said to have surpassed his brothers in
cunning and ferocity. The family of
mulattos was one of few immemorially
free in North Carolina. The father of
the Lowery outlaws, Allan Lowery, bro't
up all his boys to the trade of carpentry,
and they were generally industrious, apt
and docile until the beginning of the ci-
vii war. The whites, who had always
disliked this free colored settlement, and
imposed upon it, began to impress the
Lowerys to work among the slaves Oh
the breastworks of Wilmington. Then
proud natures. revolted, and Henry Ber
ry Lowery, the youngest brother, ran of
to the swamps, and harbored there will
several of his connections. This outcas
life led to loose habits, and awoke tn,
spirit of retaliation. In 1864 a whit,
man named Barnes, who was a neighbo
of the Lowerys, was assassinated b,
them in the course of a feud, and sool
after another, named Harris, for perse
cutting their family. Federal soldiery
escaped from the prison pen of Florence
were said to have been accessory to thes
crimes, and when Sherman's army swep
up to this region, the Lowerys gave it
''bummers' aid and comfort After tn
army passed on, the white neighbor
turned about and slew in cold blood tn
, father and brother of H. B. Lowery
The vow ofvengeance made by the youn
man could not have been the immediat
incentive to his worse career, for he xii
ed nobody for two or three years. an
t once gave himself freely up to the FreeC
, mems Bureau authorities and went I
: jail But the whites would not includ
, him in the terms of the act of oblivio
! for crimes chargeable to the war; the
! arrested him at the side of his brid
t prosecuted his family, and finally vol
. a demon ADLER and bloodier than the
o could subdue. Collecting around him
+ little band, never greater than ten n
! less than five, Lowery turned robber, a
e cepted his outlawry as proclamation
h war, and slew without remorse all wi
hunted him or had prosecuted his XII
The immense number of his robberi
Z and the terror of his prescience al
u prowess finally put him out of the pa
e of any ones sympathy, and the adjutar
y general of the State, with regulars, M
l. itia and volunteers, took the field again
4 him. With the moral support Of the pc
u pie of Scuffietown, he defeated the who
IL force, added to the terror of his nan
II and made himself the Rob Roy M'Greg
l. of his race This defence was accol
IL plished, however, with the commissi
u of above dozen shocking murders, t.
IL or three of which are ascribed to rapir
a. The band invariably respected fema
Of virtue. and committed no acts Of arse
Id They often spared life where there "
&c temptation to take it, and have h
p the provocation of several murders co
10 mitted with less discrimination again
ID their color by the whites. Moss Ne
r station was the place where the Lower
frequently and contumaciously appear
y when the railway trains paused there
! the Wilmington and Charlotte Railw;
- The bandits carried from three to t
ri reyolvers apiece, knife, and a pair
- double-barreled shot-guns. Their leac
~ had Spencer or Henry breech- -loadi
= rife. The adventures of these band
!. would make a volume of thrilling int