Gallow's Ball II - Further Details . . .

LOCAL MATTERS

 The Lacy Murder

FURTHER DETAILS OF THE HORRID CRIME- NAMES OF THE ACCUSED- THEY ARE SAFELY LODGED IN THE HENRICO COUNTY JAIL-

Information received here yesterday fully confirms the account of the brutal murder of John C. Lacy of New Kent county, published in the Dispatch yesterday; and additional details fail to furnish any motive for the perpetration of such a crime other than that of mere petty larceny. From all we can learn, a plan was formed and agreed upon by three young negroes, named Pat. Smitb, Claiborn Smith, and Julius Christian, to waylay and rob Lacy, and, if necessary, to kill him in accomplishing their purpose. As before stated, it was known to two of the negroes who had assisted Lacy in killing his hogs that be had come to this city to dispose of them, and that he would return with the proceeds of the sale on Friday evening. Accordingly about dark on that day the negroes stationed themselves, at a lonely wooded spot on the Forge road about eight miles from New Kent Courthouse to await the coming of their victim. They were not detained long; for soon the old man's cart came rumbling along and passed them. They then set out in pursuit, when Claiborn, who appears to be the youngest and who perhaps was less of a villain than the rest of them, stopped behind, ostensibly to tie his shoe, but really, as he states, to "back out of the job," which, as its execution neared, be did not relish. Claiborn lingered behind, listening eagerly to ascertain what the others would do, and in a short time after they had left him h heard the voice of Lacy crying, "Murder!" "Murder!" in agonized tones, until it became hushed in death. He fled and was soon at home in the house of Andrew Whitney, an old negro aged, about sixty years. On Saturday morning, when the body of Lacy was discovered, suspicion at first fell upon this old man, Whitney, and Claiborn Smith, because they resided nearest the scene of the murder, and probably owing to other circumstances. They were at once arrested, and a search of the premises resulted in the discovery of some of the blood-stained clothing of Pat. Smith and Julius Christian. These discoveries, and the "confession," or rather volunteered statement of Claiborn Smitb, who related the plot of Friday and his connection therewith, led to the arrest of the other two, Pat. Smith and Julius Christian, on Sunday morning, at their home, on the farm of Mr. Alfred Selden. When arrested the hat of Mr. Lacy, four dollars in money, some groceries, calico, and a quantity of matches, also his property, were found in their possession. The inquest took place on Sunday, and a preliminary examination before a bench of magistrates followed on Monday, at which the four negroes, Andrew Whitney, Pat. Smith, Julius Christian, and Claiborn Smith were committed for indictment on the charge of murder. The repeated rumors of attempted lynching could be traced to no authentic source. Citizens in the vicinity, of course, were horrified at such a cold blooded and atrocious murder, but there was neither an attempt at lynching nor even threats to that effect. The people of New Kent are too well known to be law-abiding and peaceable to indulge in such a violation of the laws of the land as lynching. The prisoners, who were expected hereon Monday evening, did not arrive until yesterday morning, and they are now safely locked up in the Henrico-county jail. Their removal here, however, is not clue to any apprehension of lynch-law on the part or the people of New Kent, but simply because the jail of that county was burned last summer, and has not since been rebuilt. The two Smiths are aged respectively about sixteen and eighteen years, are medium sized, and of a light, ginger-bread color. Christian is about twenty years old, and black, and the old man Andrew Whitney is brown skinned, tall, and muscular. The two alleged murderers are notoriously bad characters in New Kent county.

- Daily Dispatch, 22 January 1879