The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-31
Hanged.

pCAbbN ~ 49,
sonville, Missouri, in the presence of
5000 spectators, Richard I. Isaacs was
publicly executed for the murder Of
Henderson Clark, a youth. the son of
chased a drove of cattle on trust.
When out on the prairie Isaacs shot the
boy three times III the back. and left
him "A prey to the dogs, while he pro-
ceeded to St. Louis, sold the cattle.
pocketed the money, and murderer
like, returned to the place where he
had committed the crime. CaDturpd
he confessed all, revealed the hiding
place OF the money. (Which as usual
did not prove of the least benefit to
HIM and went to his doom with a
warning to all evil-docrs not to follow
In his foot steps.
lsaacs was born neir Boone. Ashe
county, y. c., and his parents still re-
side in that county at Perkinsville. Sin
gularly enough the second case oc-
CURED in the adjoining county of
Caldwell. We give a synopsis of the
case as reported for the Herald. from
Statesvilic where the execution took
place
Laxton, at tine time the crime for
which he died to-day is alleged to have
been committed, lived with his moth
er. sister and child-his wife being
dead-in Caldwell county, about SIX
miles from the village of Lenoir, the
county seat. He was a well to do,
well behaved, intelligent full blooded
negro, with a pleasant face. Social
and even race distinctions were but
slightly marked, and Laxton, being a
tolerably good farmer lived along in
ease and enjoyed the society ola mum
Der of his white neighbors. Among
these neighbors was a Mrs. Louisa
Barlow, who, with her two daughters
and little son lived within sight of
LaXton's house. Nancy is a good
looking mountain girl, with dark hair
n eyes, rosy cheeks and well moul-
ded figure. At the time of the alleged
offence she was seventeen years of age.
She, like the other members of her
family, is ignorant, and all the facts
go to show that. at least SO far as Lax
~ was 1olICtlIltO. SHE TOTALLY ulSIt-
garded all those natural distinctions of
race and color which the average per-
son recognizes by intuition. The Bar
lows visited the Laxtons and the Lax
tons the Barlows. Jim called frequent
ly after supper and spent the evening
with Nancy and her mother and sis
ter, a welcome visitor at the Barlow
fireside- Nancy borrowed, on one oc-
casion, the best dress of LaXton's sis
ter, and these neighborly acts were of
frequent occurrence.
These amicable relations were, how
ever, wrought to a sudden termination.
One day in April, 1876, the little neigh
borhoOd rang with the news that Lax
ton had committed a criminal outrage
upon Nancy Barlow. Some of the
%neighbors accepted the statement, and
Others shook their heads. The arrest
OF the negro followed, and by a justice
OF the peace he was committed To Jail
in LenOir, having been found by the
officer who went to arrest him, pursu-
ing the even tenor of his way to his
little farm, and apparently not alarm
ed by the prospect before him. The
trial came on in the Superior Court of
Caldwell county at the fall term, 1875.
Judge K. 2. Buxton presided. Colonel
u \. Folk. of Leneir. and r. F. Arm
field, of Statesville, appeared for the
defence, while solicitor w. H. II.
Cowles was assisted in the prosecution
by ~eX-Judge Clinton l.. Cilley, Of
Leno.r, and Il. f. Linney of Taylors-
VILE. There were many witnesses
examined and the attorneys fought the
case with great skill. ability and ener-
gv. For the State Nancy Barlow her
self was the main witness The told
the story of the alleged offence with
great minuteness and no effort of tn g
iuld betray her into any radio
ton of the tale of the violent as
sault 81 9 charged against the prison
CT. and of her frultless efforts and
earnest entreatIes to escape or dissuade
him from IN execution of his design.
Her mother In part corroborated her
testimony. For the defence it was tes-
titled hat Nancy had called Laxton
her sweetheart, and that on the ven
ing following hat on which it was
claimed the offence was committed
Nancy had been seen at Laxton's fence
talking with him as he was at work in
his field. Much testimony as to char
acter was given on both sides. After
the evidence, the material points OF
which are here given, the lawers sub.
mItted. their arguments, the Judge
delivered his charge and the jury re
tired, returning shortly afterwarG
with the verdict Guilty" Judg,
Buxton t%hereupon sentenced Saxtor
to death An appeal being taken, ths
Supreme Court decided that there haC
been error III the decision of a law
and ordered new trial.
A change of venue was obtained b,
the defence and the case was again
tried at the spring term, 1917, in Ire.
dell county. The same counsel ap
peared and the Ease was fought will
the greatest care and ability. Th
verdict was the same as before, an