The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-01-26
TERRIBLE TRIPLE MURDER
Messenger Bureau,

Raleigh. N c.. January g.
Yesterday afternoon q horrible
triple murder was committed about
ELEVEN miles north OF Raleigh. near
IRcgers cross roads Robert Bridgers.
lcolored. came here TO sell some cot
ION an4 when ne returned home
found la his cotton field. a few yards
from his home. the bodies OF his
wife and two children. aged 4 and 5
bears. They had been killed with an
hxe, the heads of all having been
smashed and cut TO pieces News
lof the crime was not received until
after midnight last night Early this
morning the was captured.
near Holesville. this county, BY
deputy Sheriff Thomas e Daniel.
and a posse OF eight negroes. who
tracked him from the scene Of the
crime TO q house on a farm. The
house was locked and the windows
fastened. Several shots we're fred
Into the house to brighten the muir
jGerer, and after the windows had
been pretty we'll riddled with bullets
the man surrendered. He proved TO
be Willi1m Adams. q negro % a
lold. He is owe six feet high, weighs
l210 and of grt : strength. His eyes
lare as rsd as those OF an albino. He
l< cANA >oA 11
lived in this county three years. He
declares he IS innocent Of the crime.
while he evidence of his guilt Is
overwhelming. Two ladies saw him
yesterday At the place where he later
committed the murder. A white
Imam later saw him hiding in an old
fed near the same place. The man
shouted at him. but the negro did
not answer. All these identified
| II Sc found that the wnman
he killed was running for her life
when he killed her and that her chill
,dren must haVA seen him hit her
with the axe. Then he returned and
attacked her two eldest children. One
Of thes.. lid not die until her father
rcache' home and when the father
sid: Whore is Mama?" the child
sad: "She is dead The baby aged
q months was no; killed. Adams wife
raid HI liz not go home until last
nigh IA that his clothes were wet.
lie does not know she has thus told
itte truth regarding him.. He says
he has Ieen in prison in South Caro-
lima.
The crime was committed for the
purpose of robbery. The murdered
woman had Sc. which Allen got. He
must have thought that Bridgers had
more money in the house. He kill
ed the woman and her little children
lat the place where the bodies were
found There was rain, and his
tracks were very plain, and this was
fortunate as it had led to his speedy
capture. Coroner Jorden left early
this morning for the scene OF the
murder and Sheriff Page was notified
lat s o'clock that Deputy Daniel and
a posse had started with the murder
Ter for Raleigh. A man who came
i'm from the scene of the crime said
there was no danger OF pynching,
Though the murder had deeply stir
red the people in that section.
The following circular was issued
today by Adjutant General B. s.
Royster for the information of the
North Carolina National Guard:
i"Section 16 of the Militia Act, ap-
Iproved January 21st, 1903, provides
THAT a limited number or officers OF
the organized militia be authorized to
lattend and pursue a course OF study
lat either the general service ard stat
college. Fort L~eavenworth. Kansas
Tor the artillery school, Fort Monroe
Virginia. Commanding officers are
, requested t. make recommendation
without delay. limiting them to Off
!, ,cers below the rank Of major, pref.
l Ierably lieutenants. II Is desired tha
There be an expression OF opinion
/, that the @officer recommended il
: mentally qualified to pursue tn,
, course Of study at the school 70,
which recommended, and possesse.
: 1.-THE moral and physical qualification!
(which would enable him to use t.
, THE greatest advantage to the govern.
!, ment the Instructions he may re,
: lceive."
It Is not yet known when the in
Ispections Of the National Guard o
), ithis state will begin, but It is under
: stood that they will De made joint,
{ lby United States officers and by In
= lspecting General Balm of the NORTH
i lCaroIina National Guard. 1t is tn
t jdesire of the war department tina
8 inspections be held not later tina
April. in order that the reports ma,
t tall be n hand by May.
n An effort has been made to ascer
e lain the status Of the Populist part.
T; I'm North Carolina and what they pro
: lccse to do IN his years campaign
e but nothing can be found out. 1t 1
: understood that they have strength
? IN only two counties, namely. Samp
!, son where they have been extremel.
= lstrong for ten years, or ever sine
: the party began its existence) ant
In Chatham. n party was neve
lstrong in the extreme western par
: lCf the state.
The Hazel Creek Lumber Compan,
lof West Virginia, has domesticatet
itself in this state. It's North Caro-
llina place OF business will b. Sagi
e nav, in Mitchell county. The capita
i. stock OF the company is s135.0o0. I
;. has larger timber holdings in Mitch
: lell county.
y Another subscription Of $500 70
2 North Cardinals exhibit al. the s,
n Louis exposition has been Seceive6
: More money is needed for tins pur
> lpose. though all the work Is bein
:. dome with the greatest possible econ
= lomy.
= The Standard Turpentine Compan
a (which has headquarters at Blakely
. IGa., has fled its charter here, sew
q IeraI Raleigh people being stockhold
ers- This is th-scompany whic
makes turpentine and all sorts G
tsfhHr nrndnpf~ NJ nina et,,ro o.n