Carthage, NC, September 11, 1880 – N.B. TAYLOR, the murderer of S.W. SEAWELL, of this county, made his escape out of jail last night.  He bored through the top of the house.  He evidently had help from the appearance of the hole.  The impression here is that some person got on top of the jail and picked a hole through the roof, directly over the cell where he was confined, and bored through where he was, cut the chains, and made a rope out of his bedding and swung down.  He has been guarded several months; the guard slept on the first floor of the jail.  There must have been money used.

Source: Raleigh News and Observer, 15 September 1880. Page 2.