The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-04-30
MURDER SAYS JURY
Coroner Commits RoWden
Black Without Bail
story IF the killing of Marshall 10"
land Heard by Six Men Who
Cali Ii Murder"

W. iit July -
That the deceased Marshall Rowland
came 10 his death from a pistol shot
wound by a pistol in the hands OF
Rawden Black and that the shooting
was a criminal act amounting 10 muir
der"
This is the verdict reached and
signed yesterday afternoon by Messrs.
l.. :. Stephenson. -. f. Fort. Jr. J.
X. Coppedge. George E. Badger, {.
\. Richardson and II H Roberts.
c~oroner's jury, after hearing the tVi-
dence Of the State against RaWdeil
Back. charged with the murder OF
Marshall Rowland at Willow Springs
last Sunday afternoon. Upon TINS
verdict he .,as committed 10 jail with
out bail to await the July term Of tht
Superior Court.
The jurymen met at II O'Clock in
Coroner Separk's office to hear the
evidence in THE case. The hearing
consumed more than an hour, but Inc
jury was but a few minutes in reach
ing an agreement as Indicated above
Present were MeSsrs. Argo & Shat
fer and Mr.. Curtis NJ. Muse. of the
firm of SteWart Il Muse, OF Ellington,
these two firms having been retained
as counsel for the defendant. Mr.:
II. f.. Norris was present also, and
will assist Solicitor Armistead Jones
in the prosecution. Solicitor Jones
yesterday conducted the examination
of the witnesses. The evidence Of
the States witnesses as given yester-s
day was in all material points iden-
teal with the account of the affair
as old by friends Of the deceased,
and printed in this paper Tuesday.
The Evidence.
The first witness introduced vas
young Creston Rowland, brother of
the deceased. and apparently fourteen
years Of age. He testified that his
home IS about a mile from Willow
Springs; that on the afternoon of the
shooting he went to Willow Springs
to see his cousins, sons of Mr.. John
l.. Rowland. who lives near the sta
ton. When he arrived there the boys
were not at home. He was told TINY
We're over about the station and went
over there. Passing by the cars on a
spur track Of the Raleigh and South
port Railroad, he was asked by
ItaWden Black. who, with several
others, We're at he cars. if he knew
where to get some liquor. The boy
says he odd them he did not. Black
said, Go and get US some liquor"
The boy replied: 4 dom nave to-"
Then Black got up from his seat and
cursed him and knocked him down.
Then standing over him.. he SAYS: If
You get up. l Will knock your Cd
ID head off" The boy lay there
for some time and Black turned and
left him. Then he got up and walked
down the road to a branch n wash
ed the blood from his face. Then he
went to the depot and was sitting on
the platform when his two brothers,
Marshall and Carson Rowland, came
up and asked him what was the mat
ter. He told them that q boy at the
cars had knocked him down, but he
did not know his assailant's name.
He pointed out the boy who had
struck him. His brothers asked why
he had knocked him down and he says
Because | would not go off and get
! them some liquor" His two brothers
walked down the road to the ears, he
following close ehind them. When
they approached Black and his asso-
ciates Marshall Rowland, the eldest of
the three, remarked: 1T seems that
some one is getting a new saw MILL
referring to some new machinery on
one of the flat cars. Black and his
comrades We're sitting on a flat car
with their feet hanging down.
Marshall Rowland then asked
Black: What did you hit my broth
er for" Because he was cursing
Of his cursing," said Rowland. But
what was he cursing YOU for?" asked
Rowland Don't keep talking to
me, you Cd ID son of a -"
said Black and pulled a pistol from
his left side hip Docket and fired.
This shot did not strike. and he fired
again, the ball this time taking effect
in the right jaw. Marshall turned
about and Black pulled another pistol
from the other side and fired again.
DeioW the neck. Black then
ran towards the branch near
by. but later came back and went into
4 the shanty car.
carson Rowland. a ~17-year-old bro
fher Of the deceased, was next intro
duced. His story of the tragedy was
IN essential parts identical with tina;
of his younger brother. Asked the
Instance from the shanty car to the
fiat car. where the tragedy occurred,
he said it was, he Supposed, about
80 feet. He said that after the shoot
ing he raised his wounded brother
up and ran for DR.. Dowd, who lives
a short distance from the scene.
Jim Rowland. a cOlOred man, was
! placed on the stand and said his frs,
knowledge of the affair was when ne
met the BOY, CreStOn Rowland. be-
tween the car and the station with his
nose bleeding. He asked if his nose
was not bleeding and he told him that
one of those fellows at the car had
knocked him down. He asked why
he knocked him down, and the boy
told HIM that it was because he re-
fused to go and hunt liquor for then.
lie was present when the boys two
older brothers came Up, and he told
the same story as CreStOn and Car
son had told regarding the words be-
tween h brothers. He said the three
! walked up to the ear, where the
young men were sitting and in a few
minutes he heard several pistol shots.
but could not see what was going on
for the smoke of the pistols.
Going to Shoot Somebody.
Frank Harris. colored, who was the
next witness. said he lives about 100
yards from the scene of the shooting
and was at home when 1t occurred.
He testified that he saw Black and
was talkig With him a short while be-
; lore the shooting took place and the
defendant asked him, What kind of
people live in this place." He old
nm that they were as nice people as
he would find anywhere Then Black
remarked. Il am down here in these
Wild woods and the first man that
crosses me l am going to shoot HI
out OF him. The negro testified that
Black had a pistol in his pocket at
that time. and. took it out and put il
back while in his presence.
Fled to the Branch.
Mr.. John L. Rowland, uncle OF the
deceased. was next examined. H.:
said he was at home about 800 yards