BRUTALLY BUTCHERED
AN INNOCENT NEW KENT FARMER BRUTALLY MURDERED BY A PARTY OF NEGROES WHILE RETURNING HOME-HIS HEAD NEARLY CHOPPED OFF WITH A HATCHET- THE PARTIES ARRESTED &C
John C. Lacy, a citizen of New, Kent count, who lived on his farm, near the Williamsburg road, twenty-four miles from this city, was brutally murdered by four negroes on Friday night a short distance from his home.
On Thursday Mr. Lacy killed his hogs at his place, six miles, from Tunstall's station on the Richmond, York River and Chesapeake road, and then put them into his cart and brought the pork to Richmond to sell. After making sale, and buying a number of articles which were needed on the farm, he started home with the balance of the money in his pocket. When he had gotten to Cedar-Grove Cemetery, near Emmaus church, or in that vicinity, he was met by four negroes, who commenced a conversation with him and finally requested that they be allowed to ride home with him. This was refused by Mr. Lacy, because the roads were bad, his team was tired, and he was anxious to get home. Finding that they could not get at their victim in this way, they determined to take possession of his cart by force. It was Mr. Lacy's habit to always carry a hatchet with him, and knowing this they determined to get possession of it- thus disarm him, and if necessary use it in carrying off their plan to rob him. So they stopped the cart, got possession the hatchet after some resistance, and not being able to get his money without killing him went to work and well nigh chopped his head off. Rifling his pockets and taking such of his purchases as they desired, they drove on toward the farm-house of the murdered man, opened the gate, and turned his horse and cart into the yard.
One of the negroes, it is states becoming alarmed at what his associates were doing, left the party, went on ahead, and gave notice of the murders and probably mentioned names of those who were engaged in the horrid crime.
On Saturday a coroner's jury was summoned, an inquest held, and a verdict rendered in accordance with the facts above storied.
On Sunday the body of the deceased was buried at Emmaus church, near where he was murdered.
Mr. Lacy, it is said, raised one of the negroes who murdered him- all four of whom have been arrested. The man whom he raised, as well as one or two of the others, were with Mr. Lacy on Thursday when he killed his hogs, and were cognizant of his visit to Richmond. The two men first arrested seemed to have been innocent of the crime, and they are believed to have been let off. A negro woman who lived in the neighborhood had been employed by the other two to wash for them, and in her possession a pair of pantaloons was found. that had been washed but which were not dry. On these breeches were many blood stains. These two men were arrested- Sunday morning about 10 o'clock. The men first arrested gave the names of the others. In the possession of one of the latter the sum of eight dollars was found, and from the pocket of the other man was Mr. Lacy's hat taken.
The men were arrested by Sheriff Royster and Constable Higgins and were taken to Talleysville, four miles from Tunstall's station. There is no jail in New Kent county, the jail having been destroyed by fire some time ago.
It is supposed that the men will be brought to the Henrico county jail for safe-keeping.
The citizens of -Sew Kent are indignant at the crime, and much excitement prevails in the neighborhood of Mr. Lacy's former residence.
- Daily Dispatch, 21 January 1879
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