The New York Herald Newspaper, March 9, 1872, Page 4

4 NEW YORK HERALD, SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 1872-TRIPLE SHEET, THE SWAMP ANGHLS. ‘What the Report of the Ku Klux Commit- tee Says About the Lowery Outlaws. Plato Durham and Giles Leitch Testify. ‘A County of Cowards and Ac- complices. The Terror of the Whites—The Sympathy of the Mulattoes— An Outlaw Demigod. POLITICS AND THE SWAMP WAR. Party Affiliations of the Lowerys—The White and Colored Voters—Curious Campaign Processions. ‘The Escaped Federal Prisoners and the Band. The Foes of the Gang Being ‘‘Run Out” or Killed—White Men Sending Their Women Away. “THEY ALWAYS KILL WHEN THEY SHOOT” “Mhreo Outlaw Reward-Hunters Killed in the Swamps—llow the Home Guard Become Demoralized. A Sabine Feat by the Robeson Sheriff. Carrying Of the Scuffletown Mulatto Women---How Lowery’s Threat Brought Them Back. © THE MURDERS BY THE WHITES. A State Impotent to Capture -Five Men. Will the Federal Government Do It? WILMINGTON, N. C., Feb. 29, 1872. Since my return aud rest in this city | bave seen the report of the Ku Kiux Committee, which 1s, in general, confirmatory of the taformation I have sent you from personal investigation, analysis and bellef. THE KU KLUX REPORT ON THE LOWERYS. Piato Durham, who resides at Shelby, Cleveland county, testified that “tne general rumor is that the Bherif of Robeson county 18 either afraid of the Lowerys or in complicity with them. For instance, Lhave heard that he will go out and summona posse of men, will ride about and send his men before him, telling then to search a particular piece of woods or a certain house, The generat opinion ts that be is either in complicity with the parties or afraid of them.” GILES LEITCH, the Judge previously referred to in these letters, gave before Pool’s Ku Kiux Committee these Bgures:— The county of Robeson had about one thousand Give hundred white voting population before the close of the war; since the colored population has been enfranchised there are about three thousand voters In the county; of that 1,500 additional voting population apout haif were formerly slaves, and the other half are cumposed of a population that existed there and were never slaves, and are not white, but who, since 1835 have nad no right of suffrage; I think that about one-half of that additional 1,500 voters were this old free and not white population; half of the colored population of Robeson county were never Slaves at all; in 1835 there was a State Con- vention which distrauchised them; up to that time they bad exercised the elective franchise; the tree negroes had exercised the elective fran- chise up to 1839; but Robeson county contained a larger number of them than most of tae other coun- ties; but really 1 do not know what these mulattoes of Scuiletown are; 1 think they are a mixvure of Spanish, Portuguese and indian; about haif of them have siraignt biack hair, and many of the charac- teristics of the Cherokee Iodians in our State; then, as they amalgamate and mix, the hair becomes curly and Kinky, and from that down to real ‘woollen hair; 1 Wink they are mixed PORTUGUESE, SPANIARDS AND INDIANS} Imean to class the Spaniards and Portuguese as one class, and the Indians as another class; I do Hot think that in class of population there 1s much Hegro biood at all; of that half of the colored popa- lation tnat | have attempted to describe all have been always free; | was bora among them, and I reckon that I know them pertectly well. They are @ thrifiiess, lazy, thievish and indolent population. They are called “1nulattoes;? that is the name they are known by, as contradistingutshed from ne- groes. There isa jamily of them by the name or Lowery that seems to have more Indian character- istics than perhaps any of the rest of that popula- tion. Ihave not been able to learn the origin of that family, though for several years 1 have been endeavoring to do s0, I think they are of Indian origin. Before the Revolutionary war they were ‘wealthy, and owned slaves. During the Revolution- ary war of 1776 they were known in that cauntry as robbers; they were neither whig nor tory particu- larly; they would rob and plunder and murder either side; during that war they accumalated ana massed a large fortune, and at the close of the war they were ricn, their ricbes consisting mostly in plaves; they were co\ored themselves, and they ‘owned slaves; 1 suppose there were a dozen heads ! of families, perhaps, to whom I allade particularly; soon after the close of the Kevoluuionary war, when law and order were re-establisned, and they coud ot carry on their robberies longer, they got into Hitigation; as a characteristic of these dozen heads of amilies, 80 It Was said of them, they were intem- peraie; whey had lawsuits, aud gradually and even- {ually, before my recollection, before 1 can recollect anything much about it, they had wasted their sub- stance In that county in liugation; they had lawsuits among themselves and with their neighbors; they were indicwed for violations of the law, aud were KNOWN AS LAWLESS MEN; just about thirty years ago, I think, the last of their slaves were sold Irom them; { do not think they have owned any slaves within about thirty years; the men of those families be- came mechanics; they had @ sort of cunning about ‘them that was different from the negro; they nad @u address about them, so that whenever they went toa trade they became accomplished meciantcs, more than ordinaniy skilled in whatever branch of ‘Dusiness they were Laught; that Lowery family are Ouly & part of this Mall Of Une diteen buadred vous population that I spoke of as having been enfran- chised by the late enfranchisement, thouxh they are the ruling spirits of that clan; during the Confede- rate war these people were called upon to periorm duty at the fortifications at the mouth of Cape Fear River; they were classed with ordiuary negroes,* and they vecame very much dissatusiied about 1, and refused to pe classed in that way, and when suunmoned to do duty they refused to periorm it, During the war there were poitee regulations in that State that made tt the duty of certain officers to obtain the services of these men for the purpose of working upon fortifications; the Lowery family generally, besides some others, relused to obey, and Upon the ofMieers requiring them to discharge those duties they deserted; they were out in the woods, aud when the officers of the law would go out to seck them tney Could not be found; of the county of Robeson there 1s @ region of avout eight or ten miles square 1a Which this old free colored popula- ‘on lives; it 13 called Scudletown; they ali Live inside ol that area; during the war,when they were called upon to work upon the fortitfcations they refused to do itand were iying out in the woods, and they were called deserters at that time; just a iittle re- fection will sadw you that that place called Souitie- town 1s right on the line trom Newbern, in North Carolina” (whitch was then in possession of the federal forces) and Florence, im Soutn Carolina, where the Coniederates bad a prison in which they confined federal soldiers; A NUMBER OF THE FEDERAL PRISONERS held at Florence escaped at various times, and in passing to the nearest post held by the federal iorces they would pass right to Scutietown; and they fell tn with these fel- lows, several who had escapea from Florence, after having been captured by the Con.ederates and im- Prrsoned there; just before the close of the war quite @ number of them got into this place, and there being such @ number ot deserters from the Confederate service, in the persons of these mulat- toes, instead of going on to Newbern, they stopped there, quite amuamber of them, and all banded to- Gether; those federal escaped prisoners and these colored persons together made a formidale force; tae white persons everywhere - in the State were in the service; and these persons, so banded together, commenced to rob und plunder; this was about October or November, 1864; a mix- ture of these mulattoes and these federal prisoners who had escaped from Florence banded together and had their camps in the swamps and t:lauds about there; they would steal out at nignt and rob fone person living in ve neignborhood of all ie . In the winter of 1864 and 1865 they robbed the wealthiest citizens all through the county of everything they possessed; avout the time that General Sherman was marching irom Savannah tarough to Haleigh; this again was in the direction of the line of march; about a week before Shermaa marched through Robeson county—I think he marched through there about the 7ih or 8th of March, 1865—just about a Week before thut time there were many Contederate oficers and soldiers home on furlough; there Wus a pouce force in Norin Carolina atthat ume Known as the home guard, Wao were required to perform semu-military service; just police regaulatious, how- ever; well, they were not suMctentiy strong in Robeson county to put down thls trouble with the mulattoes; along about the Ist of March several soldiers who were at home on furlough combinea with this home guard; 0. nt if ATTACKED THIS BAND OF MULATTOES and escayea federal prisoaers and Killed two or three of their leaders, captured them and shot them; then soon alter that Sherman came aloug, and that settied everyiming preiiy generally down with us tere, and we had very little more trouple right off; alter that the generai government established the rreed- Inen’s Bureau, and sent the agents of that Bureau down there to regulate our country; and while those people | am speaking of were never slaves, yet the Bureau agents seemed to take special care of their 1nverests and to protect them; 1 think they induced them to believe that it was tueir duty to prosecute thos® people who had killed the leaders of those robbers in 1864 and 1865; there were about eighteen do they support? To what political do they adhere? A. Ltaink that Henry Berry ny never | had much politics; all wis relations, all his color, ali his kin, all who are associated with him in any way are republicans; ne bas been 10 one or two proces- sions of the republican party, but having been un- der & ban in consequence ol warrant tor his arrest, Ido not think he has ever voted; [do not know how thatis; some say be has and some say he lias not, but think myself that he has never voted; I think all the balance of the band have voted the re- pubiucan ticket; they are of that that forms and Makes up that party in that secuon of the State. Q, And who are the men he has killed or made to quit the country—are they democrats or republi- fans? A. They are ail what are known to us as conservatives; 1 do not think that any who have quit the country are repubiicans; he has KILLED EIGHTEEN OR TWENTY MEN; this one man has killed that many, and ‘I think that two of them were republicans-—inen who were impressed to hunt them as part of the posse; about a month ago the Commissioners of that county instructed the Sheriff to get a posse to put down these outlaws, to capture them, to secure their arrest; accordingly he has had about a hun- dred men ior the last month seeking to arrest these Outlaws; there are only about seven of the outlaws; the Sheriff has put this posse under the lead of a man who was 4 Confederate officer, noted tor wis coolness and courage; they had heauquarters, and, [ think, made some arrangement about it; someting like a milttary arrangement; provisions were pro- vided for this posse, and their headquarters were up about the cenire of Scuilietown; I think the Sheriff ordered out avout a hundred meu, about ten from each towasuip, and there are about ten town- Ships in the county; well, avout the first thing they did after they got together tnere was this:—Tney con- cluded to CAPTURE THE WIVES OF THESE OUTLAWS, and perhaps their concuvines, unin king thasit would enabie them to get asight of the outlaws, to find out where they were, so that they could be captured; that in that they could successiully accomplish their capture; they thereiore sent outa guard and vrooght in their womea, and on the way they were Way laid, and three of the guard were killed, among our best men; they were ambushed by the robbers, aud three were killed; and then it was concluded to send the women to Lumberton, about ten miles from Where the headquarters of this posse was; they Were seat down there, and the magistrates issued ‘warrants against them for aiding aud abetting tue outlaws; tuey were not put in jail, but chey were kept under guard; I think the three men were Kuled adout Friday, as near as I can recollect, and there were iour otiiers wounded; there were seven men shot by the robbers, lour wounded and THREE KILLED STRAIGHT OUT DEAD; there were guards suicient, tough, to keep the women from being retaken by tne rov- bers; the women were sent down to Lumber- tou, the county seat; two or three days alter that Henry Berry Lowery seat @ messenger + down tu the Sherif of the county demanding tae release of those Women Or threatening that ne would cause blood to flow in Robesun county; the Sneriit was unwilling to release them, but there was such @ terror among the ciuzens tat they compeued hin todo it; men Were apprenensive that their wives and daughters would ve taken In place of the wives anu daughters of the robvers who were then under arrest, and they brougnt such a pressure to bear upou the Sherif that he coud uot resist, and he let them go; a few days betore | leit home they Kiljed two young men, between their homes and the railroad depot, which was avout taree-quarters of a mile trom where tucy lived; the last two were Murdvel McLean and Hugh McLean; and, at the same lime, there was @ man named McCallum, who was in the same buggy wich them, who Was Wounded, but te made his escape; L have understood that M. McLeaa had been 1m the Sheritf"s posse two weeks beiore, and was supposed to have possession of a long-range gun, but it turned out that he did not have it at the time he ‘Was killed; he nad been NOTIFIED BY THEM SEVERAL TIMES TO LEAVE THE DOUNIRY or twenty men atrested at that instigation, and [ defended some of them; Lam apracusing lawyer 1n that section ol the coantry; they were under ar- rest for about twelve months, and the Grand Juries failed to Ond @ true bill; 1 tuin& the political bias of that insti1uuon was unfortunate for us. iy, the Chairman (Mr. Povl)—What institution ? A. The Freedinen’s Bureau; 1 think {1 was unfortu- nate; weil, after that there were FOUR OR FIVE MEN MURDERED IN OUR COUNTY; they were attacked at night in their houses and muruered and robved of what they had; one of them was named Reuben King, who bad been sheriff of fas A county for about elgnteen years previous to that time; he was mur- dered by eight or ten of these mulatioes, and 1 will give the names ot themas far as 1 can; 1 assisted the State Solicitor to prosecute them, and I man- aged to have four of them arrested; I tnink about seven were Impiicated in the murder of King; the trial was removed from Robeson couuty to Columbus county, ao adjoining county; there was a severance; there were four on irial, and but two were tried, while two had vheir cases continued; the two who were tried were convicted; the evidence was mally that of an accompiice; alter conviction their couusel ap- Ppeaied to the Supreme Court ior a new trial, and pending the appeal they escaped from jail, and Unose two men, Who are now convicted felous, con- sutute a part of what is Known as the Robeson county outlaws; George Applewaite and Steven Lowery were convicted and sentenced to be exe- cuted, and escaped from prison; there are not a great many in the band, considering tne amount of misctief they do; oue of them, by the name of Heury Berry Lowery, 13 THE ACKNOWLEDGED LEADER OF THIS BAND; the trai of one of the prisoners 1s still pend- ing; (he other was Convicted upon anotner charge and banged since that time; he was not convicted of the King murder, but of a diiferent offence; he escaped with the convicted men, and then committed @ murder after nis escape: he was again arrested and convicted of that; Henry Berry Luwery is a vrother of Stephen Lowery, aud is the leader of the oudaws—is Lhe chief spirit among toem; the first murder that he committed, I think. Was about 186%; he murdered @ mau by the name of James P. Barnes, who Was attempting to put him inco service upon the fortifications; 1 think taat was about 1363; and avout the same year he murdered @ man by tne name of James Bb. Harris; the method of his murdering was always to Waylay and to shoot out of the thicket—oat of the busnes; he murdered this Harris about the same ume and a iictie alter he murdered sarnes; his reason for murdering Harris, as was proved, I timk, was this, there Was a gradge existing be- tween the two men, and it grew out of SOME WOMAN THAT BOTH WANTED TO ENJOY; Harris seemed to be successiul and Lowery murdered him for uw; I think that was i; I do not think there was any politics in it; | mean that i do not think there Were any politi- calor ower reasons in the exisung condition of tue country at that time that caused the murder; besides tnat James B, Harris was @ pretty rough man ulmself, and bad Killed two or three of these muiattoes before that time, and was engaged in the Killing of the jatner and brother of Lowery, the cnieis of the band of mulattoes, aud escaped federal pris- oners, in 1864 anu 1865, to which 1 have heretolore alluded; alter about 1566 or 1867 there were ia the band George Applewhile, Stephen Lowery, Henry Berry Lowery, boss Strong and Andrew Strong; Henry Berry Lowery marcied the sister of Boss and Andrew Strong, aml tnose two brothers are in his 1; taey form a Kind of nacieus there; 1 do not uly Femember the date of ther having been outlawed, the magistrates of tie county being empowered to dv 80 dy the laws of the Stale issued 9 proclamation of outlawry against wuose men some tiree or tour years ugo; this prociamation Of outiawry did not seed to huve any edect as ail; IT DID NOT BFFECT THEIR CAPTURE: asI teil you, they lived there among peopie of their class, Who are in such numbers that any attempt or effort to capiure \uem would always be made Known ta tiem belore it could be made effectual; Seuile- town Is some eight or ten miles west of Lumberton: this proclamation of ouilawry seemed to have no eftect; there Was a man by the name of Alfred ‘Thomas, Who was an agent of ihe freedmen’s Bu- reau, aud located there on daty; he and the sheruf of the county On Ove occasion walted upon Henry Berry Lowery, and he agreed to surrender to the authorities of the law; they brought num into Lum- berton and put Om in jail; he stayed there some two or turee weeks, pettiaps; I do not remember tue exact ume; ( understand that he said the agreement bad not been carried oul im good fatin, and be drew a revuiver on tue jauer one day and toid bua to open the door, aud tie jailer nad to iet num out; he has never been tried. Q. Vo ail the men of that class co-operate with Lowery ia bis outrages? A. Well, sir, [think not; Ido not th.nk you can put 16 exact in tnat light, buc I think that most of them sympathize with hum; think that if a band of men were to go there tor the purpose of arresting him tuey would ADVISE HM OF THAT FACT 1ME for him to escape; 1 do not think they really approve of his conduct, Q, Still they aid in sheltering him? A. Yes, sir, they shviter Rin; perhaps it would ve well enough for me to describe that country down there, 80 that you can understand 11; 1 do pot kaow either that my Gescriptive powers are suflictent to make tt tatelli- givle; there is Witat 1s Known as the Lumber River, Which runs right turouga avout the middie of Rove- son county ; along each side Of the river tt 1s almost enurely @ bluf; there is very iittic swamp along the bang o1 the river; in the upper portion of tae county is What 1s known as Back Swamp, which rises about hata mile peraaps trom the umoer River and empties into lt advut fliteen miles below; It Goes not flow more tha about a miie and a hiaif or two mues trom Lumber River all the way; Lhat swamp 1s about lnree-quarwrs of a mule wile on an average; iv 48 nov ail swamp, but there are islands in Mv Of au acre, OF LWo acres, oF five acres ta extent: the SWaInp 18 avOUL len mules th lengtu, Ol Aa aver+ age widtu of unr, quarters of & mile;' apou tose dens and Caves in Waica they Ty (eW people traverse Wat BWauID; Liere lew who know where the Islands are, or THEIR CAVES AND DENS are; some SX months ago we called upon the United states authorittes to assist our Sherif in exevuung tue laws of that county, we being unavle to do it ourselves; there was @ company Of Untwed Stu cldierd there about SIX MOULIS; They Were quarered at different points conuguous to Chis sWamy, et Lumberton aud at other points; weil, Henry berry Lowery ana his crowd of about seven men, were ouliaweid, but they were unmolested during the Whole Line; they shot coun or he would be killed; 1 believe that the polt- ticlaus who have establisued in that country the republican party have got all this class of People into that party vy instilling into them @ hatred toward the white race; J belteve they have been taught to hate the White man as one who was endeavoring to Keep away from them what are their rights; but, at the same time, I do not believe that tne republican party, a3 an organization down there, would shield those men; 1 believe that they desire that they should be arrested and punished; if those of thetr own color, that class of 700 or 800 men { have mentioned to you bad desired tt, or had made the effort, they conid have captured vhose mea, and they are the only men who can do it. Q. Do the whole of this Clan of men, amounting to 700 or 800 men, vote the republican ticket, accord- ing to your belie? A. Oa, yes, sir. Q. Are the county officers of your county all re- Publicans’ A. No, sir; our Sheruf 1s a aemocrat; a repubsican was €lected sheriff, but he tatied to give ond, Q. This democratic Sheriff was appointed? A, Yes, sir; by the Commissioners of the county; there has been a posse of the county out now lor about a month; they have FAILED TO CAPTURE OR HURT A SINGLE OUTLAW, wale, on the other hand, five of them have been Killed and four of them wounded; we are just in this condition:—if we abandon the hunt it will just ve giving up that whole country io the out- laws, just admitting that they are victorious; if we continue it there is not much prospect of its doing any good; we are in @ very deploraole condiion down there 1a Robeson couaty, Q. 18 there any prospect at atl of capturing those men? A. None im the world; | know it mast sound strange to men for me to say so; but there they have been for four or five years, during which time they have killed elguteen or tweny men, and not one of their own number has been kitied; 1 do not believe in witchcraft, nor in conjuring, nor in any- thing of that sort, but the fact o1 the business 1s that they are not being captured or killed; they are a terror to our country; our people, for tne last three or four years, of botn Colors, complexions and classes, are leaving the couaty to evaue tue suun- mons of the Sheriif; they are going to Cumberland aad to South Carolina; the men are SENDING OFF THE FEMALE MEMBERS OF THEIR FAMILIES, 7 to avoid their being taken by Heury Berry Lowery and his fang as a sort Of hostage; it 1s a terrivle con- dition, gentiemen; 11 18, there 1s no doubt about 1t; I think that Henry Berry Lowery und his gang are reckless; 1 beuieve that the posse who are attempt- ing to arrest them are demoralized by them; of course, | Cannot say that the whole State or North Carolina could not capture those men; but it has been the duty of the officers of the law, for four Years past, to do 1t, ana thus far they nave tailed; avout the first of tuis month we applied to Governor. Caidweil, and he sent down one huudred stands of arnis and some ammunition; [ do not know that that would do any good, uniess we had some men to use them; I do not think there has been any retusal on the part of Governor Caldwell to extend aby aid tous that he can; but there ts aobouy to exercise it, nobody to exert it effectually. Q. Do you betieve, or is it tue beet among your People, that it ts Out Of tenderness (o those peopie, on aceount of their color, and because such an at tempt would be unpopular among the black peopte of your State, tus to Make War Upon tuose people ¢ A. Ido believe tnat tae existence of this state of affairs in Robeson county is in consequence of the results of the war. TRE STATUS QUO ANTE-BELLUM, Q. You mean the rebeiliohy A. Weil, yes; 1 mean the Confederate war. You meaa the late war L A. Yes, sir; 1 believe r Ws existed now that existed belore the close of une rebellion these troubles could be sup. pressed. Q. Do Tunderstand that you mean that because oH nen have the suifrage, and because a vigor- ous effort to pub down tieir lawlessness mignot asiect the colored vote of the State, theretore the State authorities decline and refuse to dow? A. Weil, 1 do not think I would like to state it exactly that strong; I do not know exactly how to expresa 1b; it ts OWlng to the Changed condition of affairs, Q. Two or three regimeuts Were called out for the counties of Alamance and Caswell, Where there was ho resistance to the law; tue government of the United states has been caiied upon for alt its power, and it has been clothed witi very questionable au- thority, on account of outrages that are rumored and spoken of in other parts of the State; but in the county of Robeson, where so many men have been killed and where resistance -to law has been going on for 80 long a time, no commensurate etfort has been made by either the State or national government to put a stop to it? A. 1 do not believe Governor Vald well protects these people; I think that ‘the Sheriff of Robeson 18 anxious to use any eifort within his power to arrest them; Fbelleve that the oflicers of the law, it they could, would discharge their duties; I believe tnat originally the influence 0: those mea had prevented A STRICE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW; the political infuence that those men had pre- vented the strict eniorcement of the law; Ido not believe that Lhose considerations exist at present; our Judge there, Daniei L. Russell, 1 believe, is fuily in earnest in his desire to bring to punish- ment these Outlaws that are 10 his district; 1 do not think there 1s any complicity witn them on his part; at our last court there Was @ report of a jury of tn- juest Implicaliog nine men, who had been out for the purpose of arresting these outlaws; the wit- nesses were sent belore the Grand Jury, and the Grand Jury decided that tue evidence was not suill- cient to authorize them to find a true bill: Judge Hussell had entered upon the miautes or the Court his protest against the action of the Grand Jury. Q. Do you remember the facts attending tne kill- ing of that man? A. Weill, the tacts were that he lived in the immediate vicinity of the outlaws, and Was supposed to be in complicity with tiem in their acts; the Sherifl’s posse went to arrest tue outlaws, and falling to do it some oi trem TOOK Ur THIS COLORED MAN AND KILLED HIM; Ltoink there 13 no doubt of the fact that they be- lieved hd was really @ spy to assist and shied the outlaws. . Do you believe that that conduct of the Judge displayed any very gre@t Zeal lor We capture of those outlaws? A. No, sir, I do not; 1do not tank that displayed any Zeal; | think thatin that he acted Injtidictously; tuat he ought not to have done 80; I do not think that his ofic.al davies required him to do that; 1 did understand that the Grand Jur, did not have suficient evidence to find a true bill, and baat it was considered offoious in the Judge wo enter any protest at aii about their action, By tue Chairman (Mr, Pool)—I understood you to Say that these seven or eigut hundred persons that aman in sight of tie camp Of the United States sol- diers, killed him dead, and escaped with impuniiy; I wink they have kuled a3 many as eigat men within the last six months, an’ they have notified fgreat many men that if they do nov leave tue country they will Kill them; some leave the coun try; some will not leave, and THBY KILL THOSR WHO DO Nov; I ely sed tney have driven Of as many as twenty ea rom the counity, a Have tuese ouuaws any pollics? What ticket you designate as mulatioes are not negroes, but are 4 mixture of Portuguese and Spanish, white blood and indian blood; you think they are not geveraliy negroes? A. Ldo uot think thal the negro biood predominates, , Q. ‘The word “mulatto” means across between the white aud negro? A. Yes, sir. 4. You do hot mean the word to be understood in that sense when appited to those people? A. L really do not know exactly how to deseripe those people; the most or them have bushy, Kinky ba@lr, aud they are avout the color of @ cross between the white and the negro; but they do not exactly par- take of THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCH A CKOSS. Q. Do you recollect whether any white men of the county have had any dificulties with Lowery and his gang, in regard to some of the women of the families of fang gang? A. I never heard about that; I did hear this—that Lowery’s mother was ar- rested about the time her husband aud son were shot; I do not think that I neard that she was really punished in ary way; but she was under arrest, and berhaps they frightened her; 1 do not remember to have head that she was ever punished; I do re- member that at the time her husband and son were execuved she Was under arrest; I recollect hearing about that. Q Is there any white blood in that Lowery family? A. 1 really do not know; I think that the father was Indian; I think the fam- ily has about the characteristics of the Cherokees of our State; the mother was named Cumbo, and I think it is likely that there may have been some white blood in the Cumbo family; Ido not know that certainly, but I think it is /ikely. Was nut Henry Berry Lowery INDUCED TO UNDERTAKE RETALIATION because of the outrages commitied during war Umes upon the members of his family; 18 not that the origin of this troubie? A, I cannut undertake to say what he thinks does justify his acts. Q. I want to get at the fact. A. I state the facts; you know about what really did occur. Q You have a right to state what is the general understanding in the community, or what you be- lieve to be the truth, A. His father and brother bri kiliea by the home guards about the close of 10 Wi ‘ar @ Do you recollect whether any houses were burned? A. Ido uot think there were any houses burned; his father and brother were killed by a company ol home guards; he 1s said to have killea James P, Barnes ana James B, Harris during the war. Q. That was a private feud? A, Well, 1 do not know; James B, Harris was a home guard ofiicer to take the crowd to the forlittcauions, And there was @ private feud about some woman, but 1 do not Know exactly how much influence that had. Q I understood you to say that Lowery and Barnes were aiter the same woman? A. Barnes got Out a search Warraat for some beef cattle that he alleged had been stolen from him; and it was said that it was for that reason that he was waylaid by Lowery. ‘THR ESCAPED FEDERALS. Q. When these lederal prisoners were with them you say they were in the habit of going out and TORD ie, wealthy people in the nelguborhood? A. ‘es, sir. Q. Did they rob them of anything but provisions? A. Yes, sir, Q. Of what else? A. Ol money, jewelry and cloth- ing. Q Did they injure any of the persons they robbed ? A, I think that generaily there was no resistance to them; there was resistance at Dr. McNair’s, and there was firing by both parties, and some of the gang Were wounded; there was a United States sol- dier wounded, Q. Who lives in ScufMletown besides them? A, The Lowery family 18 Indian; then there are Lock- laers, Oxendines, Hunts, Joneses and Grayboys; I do not recollect how many other negro names there are; there are a dezen different families there; some of the Lowery aud Oxendine iamilies are related by marriage, but Lowery 1s lodian; the balance of them ure not understood to be Indian—tuey are mulatto; I mean colored people. Q. Do any white persons live in Scuffletown? A. ‘Yes, sir; Dut not Many now; they are ABOUT ALL SCARED OFF, ABOUL ALL RUN OUT. Q You spoke of Keuben King having been killed by this Lowery gang, and you said that several others were killedy A. Yes, Sir, Were all those persous men who had taken an active part against Lowery? A, No, sir; Barnes was about the first one that Heary Berry Lowery killed; the next one. was James B. Harris; those were private feuds; then among the first that were killed afler tne close of the war was Keuben King; he was a man REPUTED 10 BE WEALTHY, and they went to his house and rovbed him; he resisted their efforts to rob him, and they killed him. Q. What nad veen the relations existing before between King and those men ¢ A. I do not think there was any consideration in the world except 1or the purpose of geliing his money; however, he had been Sherif for some con- siderable time, and at one time he had this Henry Berry Lowery arrested, and he put him im contine- ment in Columbus county, the jau of Robeson county having been destroyed before that time; I do not know whether there was any animosity on ac- count of that or not. Q. Was he the man who went with the Freed- 8 a man to get Lowery to give himself up? 0, sir. Q. Was Mr. King with the gang that killed the fatuer and brotner of Lowery? A. No, sir; he had nothing in the world to do with it; perhaps it would be appropriate for me vo gay that there 1s a reward for Henry Berry Lowery and his gang; I think Lhaag reward has oeen offered for four or five of em. Q. For each of them? A, Yes, sir, a reward of- fered by the Governor; that has inducea a company of young men of avout equal numbers to amousn themselves in taat scuMetown district for the pur- pose of capturing them. Q How jong has tiat been going on? A, I think it nas been going on for tour or tive months; a young man of the name of McCallum was of that ‘company, and he was with the two McLeans when they were muriered; they were in a buggy together; they were halted and immediately fired on; the two McLeans were kuled outright, but McCallum seemed to be protected on the off side; he jumped out of the buggy and was shot in two or three places, but escaped; McCallum was one of some sevea or eight men who had made up their minds to CAPTURE THIS GANG, FOR THE REWARD perhaps, I suppose; and also for the consi. deraiion tnat it was thelr duty to do s0; in addition to that one of the McLeans had a long- range gun that it was understood tne Lowreys wanted; they have given notice to all those six or eight mea that they must leave tue country, or deatn will be their portion. Q. Do the colored people there justify it? A. I think not, as a class; 1 do not think they do; itis Just this way—in that immediate section of the coun- try, of about seven or eight miles square, neither a white man hor & colored man must opposa Henry Berry Lowery at all, or oe Will be snot down. Q. Shot down by Lowery or bis gang? A, Yes, sir; 1 think that while really they do not 11ke to up- hold his conduct there are a great many peopie there, white ag well as colored, Wao are airaid to abuse him, Q Do you not know that the Governor of the State has gone in person to that county? A. He had not gone there when | left home, Q. Has he not gone there since? A. I have not seen any account Of it it he has; 1t may be 80; there iy a terribie state Of affairs down there; but he had not gone down there when I le!t home. S ‘The only trouble you have is that seven or eight men, who have been outiawed, have got into an inaccessible swamp, 1n Which 1¢ 13 dangerous tor men to pursue them, and Where it 1s almost 1m prac- ticable to pursue them? A, Weil, that dues not state it exactly. THE GREAT DIFFICULTY. Q. How is it, cheny A. Lt 1s just this way:—These men have ail forieited their lives; they are enurely reckless; if you get @ squad of men from the coun- try, Who have been impressed into that Kind ot ser- vice, when Henry berry Lowery and his crowd shoot down two or three of them you cannot get the rest to come up well, i Q. To go into the swamp? A. Yes, sir. Q Is that swamp dense and inaccessible? A. Let me explaia two you how that 1s, There 18 @ dense swamp about halt a Inile in Width and about eight miles long. In that swamp there are a number of islands, ‘Then there are all througi that country, periaps, wacts of fifty, seventy-five or @ hundred acres of what we call “bays,"? Just & swamp growth Of bay trees, Some- Umes there 1s @ little estuary that goes into & creek and drains that spot, some kind of Little pranch, or “glash,’? as we call it, Tnose “bays” are numerous; sometumes they do not cover more than one or two acres, sometimes they cover seventy-iive or a hun- dred acres; but they are all avout tu that country there, Now, Lumber River runs through about the centre of the county. What we call the Black Swamp has its source im the western part of tne county, trom one of these “bays’’ that 1 have been describ- ing, and it extends parallel with Lumber River tor avous eight or ten miles, at no point more than two or three miles Irom the river, Then there are ‘bays’? and pranches that come in between the river and this swamp. 10 not know that | can describe it 80 as to give you an exact understanding of it, Q The growth is a thick jungle? A. In the swamp it is; butout on the islands ali over the swamps it is tne land, Q. But when you get into the swatap you cannot see & man any considerable distance t No; you cannot see @ man far, Q. The diMculty is to get these six or eight des- perate men out of that swamp? A, Well, THE DIFFICULTY 18 Ty KILL THEM; that ts it. é Q You have either to get them out or to kill them? A. Yes, sir; to capture them or tu kill them; I have really never read of or tearned-—— Q. Do you know Henry Berry Lowery personally? A. 140 not know him; I kaow all the rest of nem; Iknew ts father, his brothers and ail the rest of nus family, Q. You say that the Governor procured a full com- pany of United States troops to be sent there six months ago! A, Yes, sir, and they stayed there four or five months, Q. Did they make proper exertions to get these men out of the swamp? A. Ido not like to set my- selfup as & judge of what are proper exertions; whatever exertious they made were unsuccessful, Q. Could Uey have got them out? A. 1 think they coulda. Q. Do you think that the Sheria’s povse of 109 men, which he now has, coulddoity A. Weil, they have fauled to do 1 Q@ Do they nov understand the country and the localiues there better tuau the United States troops did? A, They understand the localtties better, but they do not seem to act with the proper disposition to cdtch tnem, Q, How could the troops have done any better than those 100 men which the Sherif now has in his posse, aud Who are well armed and have pienty of ammuuitions A. 1 think that the soldiers are trained to that sort of duty; they are better armed apd they are in discipline; {| think vhat generaily they ougnt to be more efficient than the set oi men the Sheriff calls ous to assist him. Do you think that the training and discipline of 4 soldier would make him aay more efficient for huntiag seven or erght felons in an almost inacces- aible jangle of that sort than @ Man who knows the country ana is well enough armed? a, I think that trained suldiers ought to be more efiicient than a posse of men whom the Sheriil summons promis- cuousiy, and who are not well arm: thing THE SOLDIERS SHOULD BB MORR CIENT, © you think there was any tak on the part of w Col woldiers? A. Ido not know that the officers disobeyed commands from their superior oilicers, but I Sins {aan iy e five months a hundaen men ve been able to capture ge’ What oificer was in command of those soldiers? 4 Paty ak bsg General Morgan is in command rict, I believe, Q. Has there been any lack of diligence on the Part of the civil oficers of the State to pursue and Capture those men? A, 1 think 80. THE RIDICULOUS VIRW. Q. On the part of what officers? A. I think that it 18 ridiculous to say that the whole State of North Carolina and the whole force of the army of the United States Cannot capture seven men, though they may be in a dense swamp. Q. Cannot a hundred men capture them as well as two hundred men? A, They have failed to do so 1n this instance, Q. Would two hundred men be more efficient than one hundred men in pursuing those seven men? A. They couid better accomplish the surrounding of them; it seems to me that a hundred men ought to be sufficient to capture seven, but the more there are the more easily the seven could be Jed, Q When you speak of the whole State of North Carolina and the whole army of the United staves, would you have the whole force of the State and the whole army of vhe United States sent down there to do what a hundred citizens might do as wall? A, We had a huudred citizens on duty there for a montn, and they have not succeeded in doing ter mee t killed, some of them? A. Ex: Xe) ol a ive of them have been gitlea and four of m wounded; I would have those mea captul Whatever may be the proper and necessary m\ of ee it; that is what I would have, What oilicars of the government, State or federal, have been guilty of neglect in this matter, do you think? Have the officers of, your county been guilty of laches? a. I wink it sometimes hap- pens that warrants are issued by magistrates for the purpose OF gratifying those Classes, that mea are arrested and tried {or some offences; 1 do not know that I couid exactiy call it persecution; but I think that but for the influence of this band some arrests wouid not have taken place. THE TALLY FOR REVENGE. Q. In these efforts to arrest Lowery and his gang how many have been killed of his friends and those Who are supposed to have given him some ald? A, Weill, his father and brother were killed during the war; there was a freedman by the name ol Bethea killed by the nme men to whom 1 alluded in con- nection with Judge Russell, and there was a man killed by the name of Saunders; those are the only men killed that I ever had any knowiecage of, Q. Has not the present posse of tne sheriff killea sone of them? A. I have not been intormed of fat «. Have you heard of the posse which the Sheriff has called ‘out taking some of these colored men, who are presumed to know something uf Lowery’s whereabvouts, and subjecting them to rough treat- ment, and on sume occasions hanging them up by the thumos or the neck to make chem tell? A, Lda not know that I ever neard of more then one in- stance of that sort, Q Do you think there has been any laches or dereliction of duty om the part of your county ofticers to arrest Lowery and his gang of seven mea? Have your county oillcers dono their duty im the premises, or have they not? A, (After a pause.! I think that the Sheriff, with the right to calla posse of the county, where there ure 3,000 voters, ought to be avie to arrest seven men; I believe that there is a terror of those Men On account Of the certainty with woich they aim; they SELDOM EVER FAIL T0 KILL WHENEVER THEY 81007; I believe that that mainly is the reason why they are not captured or kuled, 4). You mean tuai the people generally are afra'd of them? A, The people generally are airaid of them: that is about the trata of 1t;1 do hot like to- give it a harsher name than tliat; besides the terror that Lowery and his gang in- spire, there 13 a little of sympathy, too; I think that among his class aiid color there is @ lite pride that we have been unabie to take them; that he and his men Can conquer aud whip all who go after them, Q, Among the eight hundred of his own class? A, Yes, sir; with that class of people. Q. Would you not express it by saying that they had @ little admiration tor nis bold conduct and 113 success? a. Yes; well, admiration does not ex- actly strike it elther; bucit is just that way: 1b 18 a feeling inspired to his benefit, me Oo L understand you to mean that thatis the feeling on tle part of the colored people toward him because he isa man of color? think 80. Q Thatis what you mean? A. [think tuey feel more pride tn ii than they would if he werg a white man. NO CONNECTION WITil POLITICS, PX Q. You do not thiak Lt is connected with politics? A. Well, not that; 1618 just tus way—he and ail of those nen who are of the same complexion, the whole class of them, those seven or eight hundred mei lI speak of, are republicans, and there is one thing about it, they have not killed any that were republicans, except once by accident; their murders have been of the other party. Q. vid I not understana you to say that they had kilied two republicans? A. Yes, sir; but they were killed by accident; they were expecting the Sheriff along and they waylaid him, and the Shertif had sent some olnermen along who were republicans, and they mistook them and killed them; but they have never killed any o.her republicans; and I think anotner thing—1 honestiy believe that they are of the opinion tnat as long as they do not kill any but. Gemocrats tae government will not ve 80 hard with em. STRANGE PROCESSION ELEMENTS. Q. Have you ever Known of Lowery aad his gang attempting to influence the votesof men’ A. | have very iittle communication with Lowery’s gang; I think they aul. including Henry berry Lowery, have marched in political processions, and that far tuey have attempted to exercise a political influence; 1. Unk all but Henry Berry Lowery have voted. Have they marched in those processions since they were outlawed? A. I think not. Does this Lowery gang go tn disguise? A. They do when they go to commis a robbery; the evidence upon the trial for the murder of Reuben King was that they were disguised. : Q. Have they ever taken men out of their houses and whipped them? A, Ido not recollect any in- siance Of that sort; they just Kill whenever they attack; I do not think they bother with sligat Whipping; they, however, do go and caution both menand women about talking about taem, and unreaten that if they speak of them iu any dis- respectful way they will kill them; J do not think they threaten any punishment short of death, THE KU KLUX KILLINGS, Q. You stated tnat the Sheriff's posse on one oc- casion had killed a colored man; how many of tne posse took part in the killingy A, Ido not know. Q. Where was the colored man when he was killea? A, Weil, sir, he was in ScuMetown, in that Tegion of the county. Q. Was he not in his own house? A. I do not know; I think | heard that his budy was not found in his house, but found not far trom the house. Q. Had they any authority to Kili that many A. I do not think they had; I think that Henry Berry Lowery kilied James P, Barnes about 1863; I think that William Lowery commenced robbing avout 1864; he was the captain of a band, and he and his father were killed; atter that I suppose they did not hold themselves amenabie to law; they did not per mit themselves to be arrested after that time. Q. So these difficulties commenced in your State betore the War closed, and betore there was any political imfluence im the State, one way or the other. on the part of the colored people? A. Yes, sir; they were ielons evading arrest for their crimes before that time. THE SHOOTING AFFRAY OVER A GAME OF CARDS. Ante-Mortem Statement of the Victim—Flight of the Accused—O’ Connor as an Accessory. At two o*clock yesterday- morning Coroner Herrman was called to the house of Mr, William ©, Barrett, 235 East ‘Thitty-fourth street, to take the ante-mortem statement of Michaél Condon, Mr. Barrew’s coachman, who was shot in the abdomen by a pistol in the hands of John Newman, while quarreling over a game of cards, at 459 Fourth avenue, a few hours previous. Condon believes he wiil die from the ef- fects of the wound. In nis statement Condon says:—Yesterday after- noon, at about half-past five o'clock, I went into the saloon of Patrick Daly, 459 Fourtn avenue, where { found John Newman and several other men, My- self, John Newman, Bernard Newman and Andrew O'Connor engaged in a game of cards and played aboutan hoor, Atthe end of the fourth game we got into a dispute about Playing aud betting. Join Newman showed fight, and 1 told him that was no place to fignt, inside the saloon, but ifhe wanted anything he should come out on tne walk. John Newman then drew a istol and shot three times, one or more of the ullets entering my abdomen. As soon as I saw the pistol I heard tne firing. I feit that I was snot and 1 grabbed the pistol trom Newman and handed it to the bartender, whose name is Murtha, I made no attempt to shoot him after I got hoid of the pistol and never siruck him. John Newman then made his escape. Aided py my iriend I walked to Dr, Wayne's, East Thirty. first strect, and ater an examination Was taken In @ Carriage to che ‘Lwenty-first precinct station house wand Irom there home, 4 Was not armed at the time of the shooting; never carcy a pistol or any other weapon, Join Newman was a stranger to me, and 1 never Knew wim before the affruy. The jury rendered a verdict against Join New- man, and Coroner Herrman Issued 4 Warraat for nis ari res s Yesterday afternoon Roundsmen Rose and Ryan, of the T'wenty-first precinct, brought belore Coroner Herrman, at the City Hall, Andrew. O’Vonnor, Joan Mullen and Bernard Newman—titree of the men who ‘were present at the shooting of Jom Newman—and examined them Intormally. On listening to Newman it was decided to take his depositioa, as ne bore heavily against O'Connor m we part ne played immediately alter the occurrence. Newman, who is @ coachman for Mr. Henry Colton, of 110 a ‘Thirty-fith street, deposed tat wien the last snot ‘was fired he seized hold of John New: ty tried to pull away, but ne held on and gave him 5 few knocks; U’Connor at this time caine up Gr t struck the witness, a the same tWme ge el that man go,” and pulled the witness away from Newman, holding fast to him ull Jon Newman, the accused, had escaped; Newman thea ran off aud so aug O'Conner ve amdavit Coronet Herrman held it Committed him to the Some 60 await terarare wouon ot the authorities, Newman and Mulien were required vo give bail for their future appearance +0 Ways | BROOKLYN'S BOND BOTHER. That Little Deficiency in the Ex- Comptroller’s Office. ‘What Ex-Mayor Kalbfleisch Says Upon the Suds Jeot—Why"Were the Bonds Sold Below Part — The alleged discovered accounes ofex-Comptrolier Evan 5 ahaa to $99,160, is still a topic of absorbing inverest in po litical circles in Brooklyn, and has created no smail degree of comment in tne ontside world, The de- fictencies which were found by Comptroller schro- der, the present incumbent of the office, exist im the account of sales of the water and sewerage and assessment bonds. Ex-Mayor Kalb: who was Cnief Magistrate of the city dur- ing Mr. Jobnson’s term of office, states that if the ex-Comptrolier sold these bonds: for less than par he acted in deflance of law, and contrary to his directions. It he waa: fot able to sell them for par he should have given. them in payment to the contractors for the moneys due them. That he could have done this is made clear from the fact that he did it on several occa- sions when disposed. The law said wnat these bonds should not bear more than seven per cent ipterest.. If he sold them at less thao par he practically in- creased the interest that had to be paid by the city for the loan of the money. Mr. Kalbfleisch, there- fore, says thathe holda that the ex-Comptroller Violated the law. “In February,’ 1870, the ex-Mayor says, ‘1 found that on some bonds he had received: par andthe accrued interest on them, He kept the interest on $100,090 in his own hands tor several months, and even the principal was not paid over to the Treasurer until sev- eral days after it had been received. I did have supervisory power over the office, but the only course open to me in the premises was to com- municate with the Common Council, and that I ree sorted to. Asfar as the Comptroller himself was. concerned, when 1 undertook 10 ask him for infor-- mation a3 Mayor I got insulted. He bid me at- tend to my own business. He and his bondsmen,. he said, were amply responsibie to the city.. A com- mittee was appointed to investigate the matier, but they never reported. One ol the mempers of thas committee, Mr. Whiting, 1s at preseat De- puty Comptroer, The matier came up in the form of a resglution requiring the Comptroller to keep a record of the boucs sold, for how much, and to Whom sold; but Mr. Jonnson utterly disregarded it. laid all in my power to set the watter right, but. the Comptroller had absoiute power in the premises. In 1870 there was @ law passed relating to him the right option, either im pupite or private, without consulting anyoody. am certain that these bonds could‘ have been bought at par at apy time, Although not as desirable investments as the longer bonds, they were still desirable, secured as they were by the city, and bearing interest at seven per cent. { once asked nin What bonds were bringing, and he replied that he could not tell exactly, but he thougut 9734 or 98 I then said that if he had any undisposed of I would give as much as anybody else for them; in fact, 1 offered to give par, if necessary to obtain them. But I could not get them. His answer was that some ot them were issued to take up other bonds that had falien due; and yet these bonds, according to the treas- urer’s account, only realized 973¢ per cent —a loss to the city, apart trom the accrued interest, of 234 per cent. Ihave bought some of these bonds below par from contractors who nad received them in pay- ment for work done. The conclusion, in my opinion, 18 inevitable, that he puri sold them for ess tian when he could have easily got par for them in the market. In fact, if there be any doubt about this, [ think i¢ ‘will be dispelled by the truth that some of these very bonds, for which the city got only 97%, were isposed of by thebrokers at one-half per cent premium. Whether there was any un- derstanding with the brokers or not I cannot teil. ‘There was another Occasion when, at a similar loss, bonds that were issued 1n November or December were paid over to the Treasurer in February, with- out a cent of accrued intorest."? At the time the affairs of ex-Vomptroller John- son’s office were scrutinized by the Common Gout cit Commitree in 1870, Mr. Johnson made the follo ing written statement to the Committee, in answer vo a communication from the Mayor in reference to te sale and issue of bonds, as follows: Firet—A register containing the bonds of the city, giving the number of the bond, amount, &c., has been always kept in the office, the same ‘as was kept by my predecessors for the previous six or eight years. Second—In regard to the law last winter with ref- erence to placing the aale of Park bonds entirely with me, I am not accountable, but I do not see_how the city can suffer any detriment from the provision, as I give bonds to the city for the faithful performance of my duty. ‘Third—As to tho numerous other acts of which the Mayor speaks, and which he says invariably provide that, vonds shail not be sold for leas than par, I beg to differ with him, ‘as there aro some five or six where no restriction is placed, In regard to the city losing the accrued interest for two or three months, { do not deny ; but in no case has the, city lost rest for as long as six months, and the more eptible of complete explanation. In re- bridge bonds, of which the Mayor speaks, when the eity lost the accrued interest 1 would state that it was not the first Time that tt happened, By reference to my books I find that on the Slat of January, 1570, the Commissioners of inking Fund, of which the Mayor is one, purchased of me 150 of these bonds for $150,000, as that was ail we could get for them. On the 7th of February, 1870, 100 of these bonds Were sold for, $100,000, and the Mayor was consulted and agreed . 9 sale; in reply as wi tiocamount ‘of @L205 61 from April & 1810. to Ji 7, 1870, I would state that as soon as T le up my accounts the money was deposited with the Treasurer, ‘and beside, I knew of no law compelling me to deposit money with the ‘Treasurer unti! I had reasonable time to make up Tmy accounts. In conclusion, Ihave always done what I thought for the best interest of ‘the city, and all moneys received by me for the sale of bonds have been paid over to the City Treasurer as vunctuaily by tne as by any ocher city officer. The Finance Committee of,ihe Hoard of Aldermen will commence their investigation as to the alleged deficiencies early next weed. IS HE A PROCURER? Charged with Attempting to Abduct the Daughters of Respectable and Wealthy Parents—The Offender Protests His inno- cence. About two months ago Officer McArthur, of the Nineteenth precinct, arrested a man named John Mobride in Fifty-third street, on a charge of inde- cent exposure of person. McBride was taken to the Yorkviile Police Court, where he was com- mitted tor trial, and subsequently was sent for two months to the Penitentiary from the Special Sessions. A few duys after he had been “sent up’’—that is, sent to the Penitentiary—Mr, Whitcomb, of No. 23 ‘West Fiftieth street, went to Captain Gunner, of the Nineteenth precinct, and complained that an un- known man had been tn the habit of loitering round his house and offering insults to his daughter, a young girl named Hattie, aged twelve years. The Captain suspected at once that McBride might have been the person meant by Mr. Whitcomb, and proposed to that gentleman that they pay McBride @ Visit in his new home. They went, carrying Hatue with him, and she no sooner saw McBride than she fdentified um as the man who endeavored to Induce her to leave her parents and go wita him to @ house where she would have lots of fun and music, besides plenty of dancing. McBride, whose time Was up, was taken out of the Penitentiary aad eo afternoon arraigned at the Yorkville ‘olice Court, where Justice Bixby held him for trial in default of $1,000 bau. Mrs. Lathrop, of 46 West Forty-ninth street, waa in Court with the parents of Hattie, who are highiy respectable peopie, and identified McBride as hav- Ing made the same proposals to her aaughter—a very handsome young lady of, about sixteen—who accompanted her, The prisoner denies that he is gulity neither of this nor of the former charge of which he was found guilty and punished, and that he has been mistaken for somebody else. He 1s @ plasterer and belongs to the union of that trade. He 1s, he says, a stranger in this city, which is the reason he cannot prove his character. He requested that his denial of the charge should be puoitsned, and hoped that he would get a fair and full hearing, ‘which was all he wanted, besides time to commu- nicate wita his friends, Tne man certainly has None of the appearance by which characters usually addicted to the practices attributed to him are always recognized, and seems only @ hard working, intelligent mecuanic, as he claims to be. The case will be sent at once to the Court of General Sessions, where he will, of course, be given every opportunity of proving himself guiltless, if be can, of the charge, Fen aR THE BOY THIEF. Last Wednesday Mr. James Harttord, of No. at Forsyth street, sent his errand boy, Francis McGeaugh, to No. 9 College place, for a quantity of shoe findings. Tne boy got the findings, and, ac- cording to his story, while on the way to his employ er’s Was met by two men, who forced him into a hailway and there relieved him of his burden, What hurts the boy’s case the most, though, is the . fact that instead of golug to Mr. Hartiord and re« porting the attair, he went dirgetiy home. Yester- ree Ly Mog Pico, ate before yvud@e Dow- ing, he TOMVs, aNd tn default of b looked up. part: ORUSHED TO DEATH, James Sherman, alaborer, was digging a whee pit for the new wire factory at Passaic Village, N. de, on Thursday eventng, when a huge plece of froze earth caved in and crashed the unfoFtunate man to death, Coroner Denholm was summoned, and @ verdict of accidental death was rendered, De+ ceased had been ta this country. bu bw days, having very recentiv arrived Troi Rugiana,” " ;