The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1878-01-30
THE TRAGEDY NEAR HICKORY.

The officers of unioh county who took III
n. Secrest. charged with the murder of the
woman and child At Hickory. to Morgan,
ton. 10 be delivered into the hands ol the
sheriff Of Burke connt5. returned last night.
They report that when they arrived at lick
ory five or six hundred people had gather
ed around The depot and the greatest ex.
citsment prevailed At the spot where
,be bodies OF the woman and child were
found. several miles from Hickory. another
crowd had collected. il having been report.
cd ihst the preliminary trial world be held
Iat that spot. 80 intense was the feeling
against Secrest that his counsel, Hon. B.
S. Gather. VI Mdrganton. and Cul ID
Coleman, Of .ishesille; advised the .fficel
BY no means TO take bis prisoner from the
traio at hickory, but to go on to Morgan.
ton aud commit him 10 jail ut that place.
This was accordingly dore. and after due
,lelberation the magistrate who issued the
ssarrant fer bis arrest derided to defer the
trial till III ,rsdas the 2ltl. inst. when il
will take place at Irarl Station. about halt
way between Hickory aud Morganton.
Ii is stated that this exhibition oi feeling
on the part Of the people OF Gatawba. who
are ren,arkails fs.iheir law abiding eila-
rsc er. is due 10 the rapid accumulation OF
evidence against Secresi. Az the news u
the horrible tragedy slr. ad throughout the
county. a hu-t u Witnesses fucke,l to the
scene. each having his link III the chain II
eyidence. Secrs>t Was traced from Newton
to Hickory on the day helore has marriage.
March 4th. having with him the woman aud
child lie was Inarried--ilie minister WIN
perlnrmed The ceremony testlfes to this
aud on M.rch the 9th returned by way OF
Newton. unaccompunied by the woman and
child. aud few days after appeared at hi,
home 10 Union county. These aud num-
Der Of other facts combine 10 streng. hen the
already strong evidence against him in the
minds of the people of Catawba.
III the effort 10 divine The motive which
could have prompted Secre.tto commit the
deed. several persons III this aud Union
county have conceived the notion that be
WIZ W. fOhie way tOhEectcu Win ihe uufutf
u Jefferson T. Dunn. who was shot down
in his own barn lot in Union county. on the
10Th Of January last. aud that the woman.
Mrs. Stevenson. who Is niece Of Duun.
was in .he possession Of kEowledge which
would at least implleate il not convict him.
Az first there would seem to be no ground
fsr thissuspicion. but the relatives Vi Damn.
the murdered nlan. claim 10 have had eyi.
drnce against Secrest before this last accu-
satinn was brought out. aud 20 strong l.
their cOnyicilvB. that sone 81. thom will 60
g Morganfon to-day Or Tomorrow &c enica-
ynr to collect some Testimony 60 this effect
on The preliminary trial. 10 additio- to
this there is white niun in Uai0n cpunty
jlil now charged with the murder Of DInn.
aud il is thought possible that. at any rate,
some testimony bearing upon bis case may
be obtained.
While there is much doubt about there
being anything 1t al in this last charge.
ihe ease eontiues..to gros more complicated.
and The tragedy more horrible - H. sieking
details are one after another brought 10
light. .-Charloite Ohserrerr