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Title
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"The Murderers of Perry Arrested"
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Source Type
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newspaper
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Publisher
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Selma Morning Times
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Publication Place
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Selma, AL
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Publication Date
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4/12/1868
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Transcript
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"We noted in our last week's issue, the fact that a Missourian, by the name of Thomas C. Perry, keeping a small grocery store some six miles from this, on the upper Newbern road, had been most foully murdered on the Saturday night previous,--and that a negro man, suspected of the crime, had been arrested and brought here for trial.-- Facts, of which we were not then apprised, led to the arrest of two other negroes--Henry Bell and Henry King--employed on Judge King's plantation in the Walker Prairie.
The circumstances which led to their arrest, as related to us, are briefly these: On the morning after the murder, these two negroes returned to the plantation on which they were employed, having a quantity of goods with them, which they proceeded to divide out between themselves, and when questioned as to where they got them, Henry Bell said that he got them from his mother,--to which the man questioning him replied, “that story won't do to tell- you got them from someone else."" Bell then, or subsequently, confessed that he had killed a man and taken them.
The negro who questioned him, and who deserves great credit for his conduct on the occasion, whose name we would gladly publish had it not escaped our recollection, informed against Bell and King, which led to their arrest. They were brought here last Friday, under the charge of a guard of some eighteen or twenty persons, about half being freedmen.
Henry King says that he and Henry Bell went to Perry's store on Saturday night to trade--that Bell told him as they went along that he intended to kill Perry--that they bought some articles, when Bell stepped out and returned, in a few minutes, put the muzzle of his gun in the door and fired, --he then stepped in and fired a second shot, -the first shot, however, having proved fatal.
Though Bell has not admitted, since his arrest, that he did the killing, no doubt is entertained of his guilt. Henry King's story is believed to be substantially correct. Unless they make their escape, of which there is danger, as the jail in which they are confined is not considered a safe one, they will no doubt afford a job for the hangman.
Henry Bell, Henry King, and four other freedmen confined in the jail in this place, were sent to Marion last Wednesday for safe keeping, the jail in that place being more secure.
The guard having the prisoners in charge, returned on Thursday, and report that when near Mr. Barron's, a number of men, armed and masked, suddenly appeared from the side of a hill, where they had been concealed, demanded that the two negroes who had murdered Perry be delivered up to them, threatening to shoot the first man who offered the slightest resistance. The guard, which consisted of only three men, believing that they could not successfully resist, delivered up Henry Bell and Henry King.
What disposition was subsequently made of them, we know not, though have heard several reports on the subject.
One of the prisoners, whose name we have not learned, made his escape, after night, by slipping his handcuffs.We noted in our last week's issue, the fact that a Missourian, by the name of Thomas C. Perry, keeping a small grocery store some six miles from this, on the upper Newbern road, had been most foully murdered on the Saturday night previous,--and that a negro man, suspected of the crime, had been arrested and brought here for trial. Facts, of which we were not then apprised, led to the arrest of two other negroes--Henry Bell and Henry King--employed on Judge King's plantation in the Walker Prairie.
The circumstances which led to their arrest, as related to us, are briefly these: On the morning after the murder, these two negroes returned to the plantation on which they were employed, having a quantity of goods with them, which they proceeded to divide out between themselves, and when questioned as to where they got them, Henry Bell said that he got them from his mother,-- to which the man questioning him replied, “that story won't do to tell--you got them from someone else."" Bell then, or subsequently, confessed that he had killed a man and taken them.
The negro who questioned him, and who deserves great credit for his conduct on the occasion, whose name we would gladly publish, had it not escaped our recollection, informed against Bell and King, which led to their arrest. They were brought here last Friday, under the charge of a guard of some eighteen or twenty persons, about half being freedmen.
Henry King says that he and Henry Bell went to Perry's store on Saturday night to trade,--that Bell told him as they went along that he intended to kill Perry--that they bought some articles, when Bell stepped out and returned, in a few minutes, put the muzzle of his gun in the door and fired,--he then stepped in and fired a second shot,--the first shot, however, having proved fatal.
Though Bell has not admitted, since his arrest, that he did the killing, no doubt is entertained of his guilt. Henry King's story is believed to be substantially correct. Unless they make their escape, of which there is danger, as the jail in which they are confined is not considered a safe one, they will no doubt afford a job for the hangman.
Henry Bell, Henry King, and four other freedmen confined in the jail in this place, were sent to Marion last Wednesday for safe keeping, the jail in that place being more secure.
The guard having the prisoners in charge, returned on Thursday, and report that when near Mr. Barron's, a number of men, armed and masked, suddenly appeared from the side of a hill, where they had been concealed, demanded that the two negroes who had murdered Perry be delivered up to them, threatening to shoot the first man who offered the slightest resistance. The guard, which consisted of only three men, believing that they could not successfully resist,--delivered up Henry Bell and Henry King.
What disposition was subsequently made of them, we know not, though have heard several reports on the subject.
One of the prisoners, whose name we have not learned, made his escape, after night, by slipping his handcuffs."
