CRAVEN COUNTY, NC - NEWSPAPERS - Murder of Gabriel Hardison --------------¤¤¤¤¤¤-------------- New Bern Weekly Journal Commerce, 18 December 1866; GABRIEL HARDISON murdered in his home. The Murder at Croatan - Examination of Witnesses - A special Magistrate's Court was held yesterday by Justice OSGOOD, assisted by Dr. DIASOWAY, J.J. ROBINSON and Wm. HAYS, Eqrs. Vine Allen TOLSON, John IVES, W. T, BRIGHT, and Thos. TOSEN were sworn as witnesses in the case of Calvin McCRELLIS, a native of Lebanon, Main, recently a discharged soldier from the 2d Mass., Heavy Artillery, and now charged with complicity in the murder of GABRIEL HARDISON on Saturday last. McCRELLIS is about 35 years old, half haggard-looking, and of a rather seedy appearance. The examination elicited no proof against him sufficient to warrant commitment, but developed some extraordinary statements, which we will attempt to give in brief. John IVES, the first witness, was in the room at the time of the murder of HARDISON. A negro came for fire about sunrise, stating that he had just come from Beaufort. After some conversation, he left the room but immediately returned followed by three others, who with the most horrid imprecations demanded the surrender of the family. Mr. HARDISON replied that he was unarmed; to take anything they wished; but spare his life. Upon this a low thickset negro raised his gun, and shot HARDIOSN through the head - he falling into the fire. The murderers now began to plunder, and subsequently pulled the body from the fire to get a pocket book. They then started for a small store-house kept by IVES, where they found a quantity of liquor. Desiring bottles, they dispatched IVES to the house after some; supposing he would not attempt to escape as the distance was short. IVES, however, took to his heels and aroused the neighbors; upon which the murderers made a hasty retreat. The amount of their gains would scarcely reach $100. Only four men were seen but they were heard to speak of a large force, supposed to have been near by. None of the negroes could be identified. This is the story of the murder. In it we hear nothing of the man McCRELLIS. Miss Emmeline ROBERTSON, was next introduced and deposed as follows: She was on a visit to W. T. BRIGHT - a relative, residing near Croatan. The prisoner came and gave the following account of himself. He had been a Union soldier, and left a wife and daughter in Massachusetts. Upon his return home he found his wife in the arms of a hotel keeper in Lowell, and killed her at once. She had spent the $3,000 he left with her. He now took a steamer and came back to Newbern, went to farming upon a plantation belonging to J. L. RHEM; was robbed of his cotton, 2 mules, 4 horses, &c. Was on his way to Beaufort. W. T. BRIGHT had seen him on Friday evening going down the road, and again on Saturday coming up. Vine Allen and Thomas TOLSON live at Croatan Station. McCRELLIS came to their house about supper time on Friday evening and in conversation stated substantially above. He asserted that he was on his way to Beaufort to take steamer North. Remained at the house until the train came and was seen to get on it. All these statements went to clear McCRELLIS although his sections and language were most extraordinary. McCRELLIS was next put upon the stand and stated as follows: Had been in N.C. about five weeks; was a native of Lawrence Massachusetts; had been in service three years; discharged last September at Smithville; had left a wife at home; she left him; was with the proprietor of the Montezuma House; all the tales about killing her were lies; all the story about his farming was a lie; he had lied a good deal; had talked with a great many negroes; they spoke of a determination to rise; the negroes didn't get their rights; they wanted them; they were worse off now than when they slaves; of the northerners didn't help them they would help the secesh; if some body didn't help them they would help themselves; "blood and thunder" was the game they would play. The court, after having all the evidence, concluded these was not enough evidence to convict the prisoner; but still enough to make it certain he was not exactly the kind of man the neighborhood desired. He desired to g North and the court agreed to let him go, but remanded him to jail until such time as he or someone else should raise the necessary funds to pay expenses. This was, to say the least, a very singular legal decision. Was he guilty? He should have been sent forward to court. If he was not he should now be somewhere else than in the county goal. That's all we know about it. Also appearing in the Petersburg Index, Petersburg, Va. on April 1, 1867, under North Carolina Items was a short statement: The trial of Edward Smith, colored, for the murder of Mr. Gabriel Hardison, is progressing in the criminal court at Newbern ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Gloria Smith Taylor glot@netpath.net ___________________________________________________________________