Year: 1873

HILLsBOROUGH, N. c., June 80, 1873.


Beginning with one of the most horrible deeds in
the annals OF crime, followed by arrest, confession
and Indictment; then a fair and exceedingly i'm
partial trial, after prolonged Imprisonment, the
case OF Aaron Stroud, negro, was brought to
final and tragic close to-day on awretchedly i'm
prOvised galows. The details OF the crime were
not given at the time in the local papers; they
were in fact too repusive for publication, and
only brief recital OF the facts sufficient for all
purposes OF Information, will be given here.


HISTORY OF THE CRIME.


Four miles west OF Chapel Hill, the seat OF the
beautiful University of North Carolina lives Manley
d. stroud, one Of the most respected afiluent and
worthy citizens OF Orange county. Prior to
the war Mr.. Stroud was the owner OF
large number Of slaves who were
treated with kindness and consideration
characteristic Of the family. At the close OF the
war there was, as was the general practice, uni
versal Hegira OF the liberated slaves, each indi-
vdual negro eager to vindcate his claims to free
dom by change Of residence or location. As an
Illustration OF the Kindness OF the Stroud family
number OF their former slaves, instead OF following
the prevailing example, decided to abide with their
old master and continue the comfortable life they
had already led in that service. Among them was the
negro Aaron, who had been born to the family, and,
except in the name, his position was entirely un-
changed. On the plantation there was always
degree Of trust and c0nfdence-a reliance upon
the fidelity OF the negroes; belief in their a1ec-
tionate attachment to the family, which was con-
sidered an effectua safeguard against any deed Of
violence, and this trustiuness in state Of bond
age was rarely ever misplaced. This state of
feeling remained unchanged in the Stroud place.
The children OF the family looked upon the negroes
with the same degree OF confidence, the same abid-
ing consciousness OF respectful consideration and
with the same claim to protection. 1t was the
habit Of the smaller children to follow the boy
Aaron (fOr he was only sixteen years Old) to the
different places where the stock was fed. On the
day on which the outrage was committed two little
girls-one the daughter OF Mr.. Stroud, the other a
niece-had followed Aaron, as was their custom,
to the hOgpen. The elder OF the was not quite
iour years old; the other was younger. The hog
pen was located some four hundred yards from
the family residence, from which 1t was separated
by a branch, or small stream, with shrubbery in
tervenng. Upon arriving here the negro did not
Immediately proceed TO perform the duties which
brought him. he first carefully reconnOitred the
soul was near to witness mis- contemplated hellish
act ne seized the elder little innocent threw her
the q. aaa the acc o tne cnd s
permit. He then took her to the branch and,
after making an effort to etface the marks Of his
guilt by washing on the blood from the person and
clothes OF the child, he brought her back IN his
arms to her mother, with the story tn that she had
once fell aslecp while messenger was despatched
for a physician, upon whose arrival a very cursory
examination was made, and he LETT without really
knowing the extent or nature OF her injuries.
Shortly after his departure the child woke up, and
she described as we'll as her limited powers OF lam
| guage would permit, in hsping and innocent
tones, the nature and particulars OF the terrible
deed. The child was severely lacerated, and she
lnn a I'M
day the indignant and outraged father and rela-
tves took the negro anu closely examined him.
They tied him up, and alter while


FULL CONFESSION OF GUILT


was extOrted from him. Upon the subsequent
| The first and natural impulse was TO innct sum-
mary punishment and hang the f1end at once; but
better counsel prevailed, and he was committed TO
the county jail here to await trial by the regular
course Of law. The offence was committed shortly
before Christmas, the witnesses not specifying the
exact day. On the 7th day OF May last the prisoner
was


! ARRAIGNED FOR TRIAL


The prosecution was ably conducted by Solicitor
Bulla and the defence by Major John w. Graham,
State Senator, and son of the Hon. William A.
Graham, ex-secretary or the Navy. marked
little victim OF the outrage in Court The child was
accompanied by her mother, who held her asleep
on her knees during most o. the trial. Ine crmina!
insensblllty, looking around the court room as II
amazed at the novelty Of his position and seeming
to be interested in sights and circumstances en-
| tirey new to him. The only admitted evidence
was entirely circumstantial, the condition OF the
Child showing that violence had been committed;
that no other male person could have been present
but the accused; his bringing the child TO her
mother with al improbable tale of the injury; his
efforts to erace the stains OF the crime and, above
| all, the finding OF blood upon his garments, made
the chain Of evidence irrefragable. The defence
was both eloquent and able, and the case being
gwen to the jury that body retired and after lew
minutes reappeared in the court room with


VERDICT OF GUILTY.


Before His Honor pronounced sentence the
counsel for the defence made q stirring appeal
in the prisoners behalf, arguing tnat the
sentence Of death could not result in this
case as under the constitution the only crimes
punishable by the extreme penalty were
murder, burglary, arson and the violent Outraging
of women. He argued that the latter crime had
not been committed in this case; and believed IL
to be only a statutory offence, not covered by
the constitutional provision. The outrage had
not been proven; the age of the child alone
being Q guarantee Of that. 1t was, therefore,
only violence upon the person, with an attempt
to commit outrage. He, therefore, prayed,
| on behalf OF his ciient that sentence OF death
would not be pronounced. His Honor took the
case under consideration and adjourned the Court
| until two p. NJ at which time he took his seat,
and, without any preparatory remarks sentenced
J the prisoner to be executed in the Jail OF the
county TODAY between the hours OF twelve A. NJ.
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