Homicide in Greensboro

Title

Source Type

Newspaper

Publisher

The Livingston Journal

Publication Place

Livingston, Alabama

Publication Date

6/22/1867

Transcript

Homicide in Greensboro

During the early part of the week, considerable interest was manifested in the killing of a colored registrar in Greensboro, and the rumored danger of a conflict between the whites and blacks in consequence. The receipt of the Beacon of Saturday dispelled the fears of an outbreak between the races, however, and brought no little relief. The Beacon’s account is as follows:

Homicide - Alex. Webb, a colored man of this place, was killed here last Thursday afternoon by Mr. John O. Orrick. The particulars of this tragic and deeply to be regretted affair, as we have heard them, are these: Orrick, who had been sitting for some time on a box in front of the store of Messrs. Jeffries, Johnston & Co., saw Alex. Webb come down the flight of steps leading to Alex.’s shop, and advanced a few steps on a cross street and met Alex., when a few words passed between them which were not heard, so far as we have been able to learn, by any person—whereupon Orrick drew his pistol and fired three times, each shot taking effect, the last shot entering the heart. Alex. fell dead, and Orrick walked off up the street to his store, pistol in hand, remarking that “he would allow no damn negro to call him a damn liar.”

We infer from the few facts we have been able to gather that something had previously passed between them, through a third party, which was particularly offensive to Orrick.

Alex. Webb, we take occasion to remark, was a man of good character and had a large family dependent upon him for support. The affair is most deeply regretted by the community. The Sheriff, who was in town at the time, promptly summoned a number of men and made search for Orrick, but did not find him. There was, we understand, a great deal of excitement among the colored people, some of them threatening to set fire to the town.

Sources for

065-18670613-001