Richmond Enquirer

Fredericktown, Md. November 11.

Murder.—On Friday of last week Edward Owings, a young gentleman about 29 years of age, and son of the late Edward Owings of this county, was murdered by six of the slaves belonging to his father's estate. The murder was perpetrated about sun-rise, and at a distance of little more than one hundred yards from the house. The circumstances attending this cruel transaction, as confessed by the blacks before the jury of inquest, and there is no other evidence on the subject than their own confession, we shall briefly state without any remarks, as they are now in the hands of justice, and we would say nothing to prejudice the public opinion.

The preceding evening, it seems, the negroes had been assigned a certain quantity of corn to husk, and say they were told, that, on their failing to finish it, they should be corrected. In the course of the evening it was proposed by one of the fellows, and to which all agreed, that if Mr. Owings did attempt to whip any one of them, they would unite in killing him. Next morning, on Mr. Owings going to the corn-heap, he found they had not husked the quantity directed, and called one of them to correct him. The fellow not going very readily, he took hold of him and led him to the barn, which was but a few steps distant. On reaching the barn the negro made some further resistance, when Mr. Owings called the others to his assistance, two of whom, by his direction, seized the fellow, and a third one seized Mr. Owings, with whom he said he wished to have some talk. The one who first resisted, on promising to be more attentive in future, was ordered by Mr. O. to his work, but immediately on being turned loose seized a club with which he made a blow at his master. This blow he parred with his arm, when the fellow caught him by the throat, to prevent his alarming the family; another of them took up the club, and a third a hammer, such as is used in ramming posts in making fence, with which he struck the deceased several blows on the head and back, and it appeared that five of the six concerned also gave him one or more blows.

They then concealed the body in some straw, and to prevent suspicion, directed a small boy to bring Mr. Owings' saddle and bridle, which they put on his horse, when one of them rode him some distance from the house and tied him in the cornfield until night, when he was taken to the village of Woodsborough, a few miles distant, and there turned loose, with the saddle and bridle on. The following day the horse was taken up, and brought home by a neighbor. This alarmed the family, and persons were sent in different directions, but could obtain no intelligence of the deceased. On further search being made about the farm, the place where the horse had been tied, and where some rails had been thrown down to take him out were discovered. This strongly confirmed the suspicion before entertained, and the blacks were charged with the murder. At first they all denied it, but on being separately examined, confessed the whole affair, and that they had thrown the body into a well, on the farm of Mr. Dorsey, nearly a mile distant. Here, on search being made, it was found, mangled in a most shocking manner, particularly the head, the forepart of which was beaten quite flat, and so disfigured as to render it almost impossible to recognize any of the features.

On the night subsequent to the murder, they attempted to remove the body, but it was so dark, and from some cause, they became so alarmed that they abandoned it, and it was not till a little before day on Saturday morning that they carried it to the well.

On Sunday evening the whole of them were lodged in the new jail, which is now finished, and from its strength and security, precludes all hope of escape from the sentence of the law which awaits these infatuated, unfortunate creatures, all of whom, we understand, by their late master's will, were to have been free in a few years.