J.W. PIERCY vs. Festus SHERROD & Dan’l BUXTON

The two colored boys who were arrested on Thursday last for breaking into the residence of Mr. J.E. DAVENPORT were taken before Justice ARMISTEAD at 9 o’clock Thursday night for trial.

Mr. S.B. SPRUILL appeared for BUXTON, SHERROD had no counsel.  After several witnesses were examined, the court could not find sufficient evidence against BUXTON to convict, so he, BUXTON, was discharged.  SHERROD was taken to jail to await the next term of the Superior Court.

From the evidence it seems that SHERROD entered the house and on coming out saw BUXTON watching, and invited him to take part in the bigtime, he, SHERROD, was going to have on the money, giving BUXTON six dollars to start with.  The pair went to a store and purchased shoes, dry goods, &c.  and seemed to be having a good time, when Mr. PIERCY came upon the scene.  The amount of money taken was between thirty-five and forty dollars, the amount recovered after the arrest was about ten dollars, including the goods which they had purchased.

Source: Roanoke Beacon, 25 July 1890, pg 3. Available online at digitalnc.org.