Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-07-16
HORRIBLE MURDER.
Two Aged Persons and Negro Boy
Their Condition-Arrest of Two Ne
groes, &c.
From the Pittsboro Home

FROM Ine f-attSooro nome.
On last Saturday night one of the
most brutal murders that ever dis
graced civilized people was perpe-
trated in Chatham, six miles south of
Pittsboro, near Rocky River.
Edward Finch, an aged and well
to do farmer, Miss Sarah Finch, his
sister, and Ephriam Ellington,
bound negro boy, were found, on Sun
day morning dead, in their own house
from the blows of assassins. The scene
at the house was terrible beyond de-
scription. In one room lay the old
gentleman in his own bed, with about
half dozen frightful gashes about his
throat and face, and the sides of his
head crushed in. In the adjoining
room lay his sister similarly and as
fearfully gashed end mangled about
the head and face. Ephriam was on
a pallet on the floor with not quite 80
many wounds but quite as fearful and
deadly. The beds and the floors were
covered with blood Draws from the
lockups had been broken open, valua-
BILE papers were scattered about the
floors, and there was an axe, the in
strument of death, all clotted with
gore and grey hairs! The community
was thoroughly aroused, and focked
in from all quarters. They viewed
the scene with fearful Indignation.
The Coroner, DR.. w. NJ. Barns, ar
rived and empanelled the following as
juror of inquest: VIM. Womble, Oren
johnson, Carson johnson, A. J. By
mum, A. III. Merritt and John Tysor.
1t is impossible to tell how much
money the assassins got, but certainly
some, though S345.00 was in the house
which they did not find. Eight or ten
pieces of bacon were missing from the
meat house.
The jury is still investigating the
case. We cannot give the evidence Us
yet. Two negroes, Jerry Finch and
Lee Tyson are in Jail awaiting further
action ON the part of the jury. 1t is
uot true as some of the papers have it,
that Jerry was found washing the
blood from his clothes. The utmost
effort will be made to bring all the
guilty ones to punishment.
Eighteen months ago he Gunter
murder occurred, than which no deed
more foul was never perpetrated in
North Carolina. Two old ladies are
beaten to death, and little girl bad
ly mangIed and left for dead in their
own house, on Saturday night, and an
old axe was used as the instrument of
death. Ts this day there is great mys-
terry connected with the murder, and
no one has ever been punished or even
brought to trial for it, Now deed
of similar enormity occurs in the same
neighborhood-only two miles off
| the same number in each murdered
family, the same weapon used, the
same kind ef wounds given, on the
same parts of the body, in houses of
similar construction, with similar fur
niture and fastenings, facing in the
same direction, and to some extent in
volved in the same mystery. The be-
lief now is that the same parties did
both deeds.
Mr.. Finch was 70 years old and
had long been member of the Meth
odist church. His sister, Miss Mary,
was 81 years old. They both were
quiet, industrious and economical and
| of good repute. The boy Ephriam
was 16 years old, stout and hearty.
There is deep feeling Of insecurity
pervading the whole section. Every.
body says that the murderers mast be
found out and all are willing and anx-
ious to do what they can to catch the
guilty ones, and there are evidently
several of them.