The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1909-09-20
A REMARKABLE STORY.

VIII Ross, Whose Dead Body
was Found on the ailroad
Near Maxton August IA
Bloody Sunday.
Brief mention was made in
Thursdays paper Of the arrest
and Imprisonment Of three ne
groes Rafe Graham, Will Brown
and Sam MaIloy - who were
brought to Lumberton Wednes-
day night, on the charge Of muir
dering Will Ross, also a negro,
whose dead body was found on
the Seaboard tracks near Maxton
on the morning Of August
| last. 1t was also stated thatMal-
10y, who is also known as Green,
has turned States evidence. At
the preliminary hearing Wednes-
day before Justice J. S. McRae
at MaXton, Green, or Malloy, made
a very remarkable statement.
But before that statement is Civ
en- a little explanation is neces-
sary.
The coroner's jury which in
Vestigated the death Of WillRoss,
whose body, as stated above, was
found on the railroad tracks near
MaXton onSunday morning, Aug
ust l, returned as its verdict that
the dead man came to his death
by some means unknown to the
members Of the jury. Foul play
was suspected, but there was
nothing upon which to build a
clue. About five weeks thereaf-
ter a nego man who was paint
ing or doing some work in the
house in which the deceased liv-
ed found some bloody sacks and
clothes. He reported the matter
and Sam Green, who is d cousin
Of Ross and was living at Ross
home at the time of the latter's
death, was arrested. A day or so
later Ross widow was also ar
rested and placed in the lookup
at MaXtOn. Last Monday Green
said he wanted to made a state
ment, and that statement, which
was made to one Or two men be-
fore it was made before Justice
McRae Wednesday, was, as stated
above, very remarkable. Green
says that about 10 or II o'clock
Saturday night, July31, Ross came
home drinking and threatened to
kill his wife with a gun. Green
interfered, and while they were
struggling over the gun the wo-
man left the house. Ross fol-
lowed and as soon as he could
put on his clothes so also did
Green, to prevent, if possible, he
claims, any serious trouble. He
found Ross on the railroad track
near by and tried to persuade
him to let his wife alone. The
woman had gone to the house of
a neighbor, as it later developed.
After making some search for
her Ross unloaded his gun and
gave the shells and gun to Green
and told him to go home and see
| if his wife had come back and to
return and let him know. Green
ran to the house, did not fine
the woman there, and ran back
to let Ross know. When he APP.
preached the place where he left
Ross he saw three negroes be-
sides Ross. He recognized RATE
Graham and Win Brown, but the
other was stranger whom he
had never seen and has not since
seen. These three men had pistols
drawn on Ross. Graham accused
Ross Of stealing his bicycle. Ross
denied, saying that he found Ora
hams wheel uncared for anC
merely took it home to care fol
it until Graham should call for it.
When Green came up the stranger
turned his gun upon him. He ask
ed what the trouble was and wa:
told to shut up and get in from
with Ross and march. They were
made to lead the way to cluml
of bushes. Graham told Ross t,
get on his Khees and shot hin
twice in the head. After the sec
ond shot Ross fell and Graham
struck him twice in tn
head with an axe. Graham
and the others then swor
Green to secrecy and told hir
J to help with the dead man
r Ross head was wrapped in sack
and they carried him to the raj
road track. Just before the
reached the railroad train pass
ed. They placed the body fac
down, head toward Alma, fee
: toward Maxton, left hand doub
a. ed under body. They left tt
v dead man so and marched Gree
: to an old we'll and made hi
d swear again never to tell. Ate
S that they marched him to Il
| home of Ross and made him s
e in. After staying on the GU
n side a short while the men lef
n Green did not sleep and abo
IS day got up and went onGraham
It wheel to the home of Ross fat
!, er, telling him thatWill had be-
# killed by a train and his boz
s. was lying on the track. Aft
k going to some other places
r got back to Maxton about no.
le that day, Sunday. He had not to
s. anything before because he W
afraid the other negroes Wou
kill him.
9 That is substantially the ste
Groom told after havinC he