“To the third query.—I never heard any official account of the case. I understand from inquiry, that the fact, as to the murder, is true; that the party’s name is Thomas Nowell, a butcher by trade, in the parish of St. Andrew; and that being in the direct vicinity of the Reverend Mr. Payne, and the Honourable Colonel Jordan, your Excellency may obtain a more particular account of this infamous wretch, who, I am told, ought to have been removed from society long ago.”

“Advocate General’s Letter to Lord Seaforth; dated October 25th, 1804.

“My Lord,

October 25th, 1804.

“I have many apologies to make to your Lordship for not sending an earlier answer to the several questions respecting the Negroes who have of late been most wantonly and inhumanly murdered. The delay has been owing to the difficulty I have met with in procuring any thing like satisfactory information as to the last of the cases; and therefore I shall hope for your Lordship’s excuse.

“With respect to the first; a man of the name of Halls, belonging to the Royal regiment, was returning home from his exercising duty, on one of his militia days; several Negroes were upon the road before him going on very quietly, and amongst them a woman big with child. Halls was in liquor, and was constantly bawling out to the Negroes and abusing them, and telling them if they did not get out of his way he would make them. On his beginning to run after them, they all got out of his reach, except this unfortunate woman; Halls ran up to her, and, without the least provocation on her part, very coolly and deliberately stabbed her several times in the breast with his bayonet. The woman, I believe, was not killed upon the spot, but died soon afterwards. Mr. Harding, the overseer of the Society’s plantation, was on his way home, and saw the whole transaction; he immediately secured Halls, and had him taken to gaol, where he now is.

“As to the second; Mr. Colbeck, who lived as overseer on Cabbage-tree plantation in St. Lucy’s parish, had bought a new Negro boy out of the yard[6], and carried him home; taking a liking to the boy, he brought him into the house, and made him wait at table. Mr. Crone (the overseer of Colonel Rowe’s estate, and which is near to Cabbage-tree) visited Colbeck, had noticed the boy, and knew him well. A fire happening one night in the neighbourhood, Colbeck went to give assistance, and the boy followed him. On Colbeck’s return home he missed the boy; and as he did not make his appearance the next day, Colbeck sent round to the neighbours, and particularly to Crone, informing them that the boy was missing, and desiring them to send him home if they should meet with him. Two or three days elapsed, and the poor creature was first discovered in a gully, near to Colonel Rowe’s estate; and a number of Negroes were soon assembled about the place. The boy, naturally terrified with the threats, the noise, and the appearance of so many people, hid himself under a rock in the gully. By this time Crone and some other white persons had come up, a fire was ordered to be put to the place where the boy was, and he was actually burnt out. From this hole the boy ran to a piece of water, which was near, and some of the Negroes went in after him. The boy, it is said, took up a stone and threw it at one of them. Crone, who it seems had brought a gun with him, levelled it at the boy, and shot him; and other guns, as I have understood, were also fired. The poor wretch was then dragged out of the water, and, without even sending to his master, a hole was immediately dug, and he was put into it by Crone’s order. I have been told that the boy was not quite dead when he was buried. Colbeck, the owner, soon afterwards came up, and had the boy taken out of the ground; and there cannot be the least doubt that Crone must have known him to be Colbeck’s new Negro who had been missing. A man of the name of Hollingsworth, it was said, also fired at the boy, and Colbeck brought his action in the Exchequer, under the act of the island, against Crone and Hollingsworth. The cause was ready to be tried, and the Court had met for the purpose, when Crone and Hollingsworth thought proper to pay double the value of the boy, and 25l. for the use of the island, with all the costs, rather than suffer the business to go on; and this I am truly sorry to say was the only punishment which could be inflicted for so barbarous and atrocious a crime. The Attorney General and myself were retained as counsel for Colbeck, and received instructions to the above purport. The case did not appear so strong against Hollingsworth; but I verily believe that, as against Crone, it would have been substantiated by the fullest evidence. It is due to Colonel Rowe to observe, that he was in England when the horrid transaction took place.

“As to the third: A man of the name of Nowell, who lives in St. Andrew’s parish, as I understand, had been in the habit of behaving most brutally towards his wife, and one day went so far as to lock her up in a room, and confine her in chains. A Negro woman belonging to this man, touched with compassion for her unfortunate mistress, undertook privately to release her; Nowell found it out, and, as I first heard the story, had the Negro’s tongue immediately cut out nearly by the roots, of which she instantly died. I have since been told, that Nowell had the poor creature’s tongue put through a hole in a door, and cut a part of it off himself; but that she is still alive. This case has been told different ways; and I have not, after many inquiries, been able to satisfy myself as to the real truth[7]. Thus much I have no doubt is certain, that the wretch, Nowell, has most barbarously and cruelly used this Negro, merely because she acted a kind and compassionate part towards her mistress.

“Permit me now, my Lord, as a Barbadian, to return you my warmest thanks for the zeal you have shewn in this business; and I trust the day is not far distant, when, through your Lordship’s exertions, I shall see that act in our statute-book repealed, which remains a disgrace to my country.

“I have the honour to be, &c.