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[[steal]]ing therefrom, sundry articles of personal property. On the trial, it was shown by the officer who arrested him a few days after the commission of the offence, that he found these articles on his person, which articles of property were identified by Mrs Murrow the wife of the said N.C. Murrow. It was also proved by her & the officer Mr Wm H. Reese that he made a full, free and voluntary confession of the commission of the offence.

He was convicted and is now under sentence of death, to be carried into execution on the 25th of this month. [[underlined]] Burglary [[/underlined]], which is the breaking and entering the dwelling house, in the 
night-time with intent to commit a felony has

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always been a capital offence in N.C. No distinction in Law has ever been made on that score between white & black.

James Davis, the former owner of said boy informs me that he was 17 years old last August. He desires him pardoned and I am informed that Mr Murrow the prosecutor, has signed a petition to that effect.

Whilst I cannot say that Robert Davis is an idiot or a person not responsible for crime, at the same time from conversations with him I am satisfied that his mind is below mediocrity in the negro race. He is very ignorant & somewhat stupid