Southampton County Virginia USGenWeb Archives News.....Murder, 1881 

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Ed. THOMAS, murdered 20 Jun 1881, at home, near Hebron Baptist Church 

Samuel WILLIAMS, indicted for the murder of Ed. THOMAS, 15 Aug 1881 


"The Staunton (VA) Spectator and General Advertizer," Tues., June 28, 1881 (Vol. 58, No. 41) 

p. 2, col. 1 

  MURDER OF A COLORED MAN.- A special telegram to tbe State says that Ed. 
Thomas, (colored,) living on the land of George W. Turner, near Hebron 
church, Southampton county, was found Tuesday morning, the 2lst, on the 
floor of his house dead, with eighteen buckshot in his back.  He was 
murdered the night previous while kneeling at the fire place in the act 
of kindling a fire.  The murderer is unknown, but suspicion points 
strongly to one of his own race as the guilty person. 


"The (Richmond, VA) Daily Dispatch," Fri., Aug. 19, 1881, p. 2, col. 4 

SOUTHAMPTON. 

EXCITEMENT ABOUT A MURDER-TRlAL - 
   THE COALITIONLISTS AND STRAIGHTOUTS - 
   THE STORM SATURDAY. 
[Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.] 
                        JERUSALEM, VA., August 16, 1881. 

  Yesterday was the regular August term of the County Court at this place, 
and although "August court" is generally very fully attended, this, I think, 
was the fullest I ever witnessed.  Without exaggeration, about two or three 
thousand people were on the ground, and so very dense was the crowd it was 
with difficulty that lawyers could wend their way to the court-house.  Save 
the several indictments made by the grand jury there was but little business 
of interest to engage the time and attention of the court.  The case of Samuel 
Williams, however, indicted for the murder of Ed. Thomas some time ago, was 
called and continued until the next term.  The only evidence inculpating the 
accused in this case is wholly circumstantial, and might, therefore, be 
disposed of without the manifestation of scarcely any excitement, but the 
wild demonstrations of feeling exhibited against him by the people of the 
neighborhood in which the unfortunate assassination was committed at the time 
of its commission foreshadows the fact that it may continue at the trial.  But 
it is to be hoped that every effort will be made as soon as possible in order 
that the prisoner may be assured a fair and impartial trial and justice go 
unimpeded. 

[...] 


Additional information: 

Articles posted as part of the Library Of Virginia's "Virginia Chronicle" 
   Virginia newspaper project, at: 
   http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/virginia_newspapers 
   - text of article corrected 


Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
by File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). 

file at: 
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/southampton/news/18810628ss.txt