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NARA 564
Sampson Co. N.C. Feb. 12th 1867

Maj. H.H. Foster
Bu. R.F & A.L.
Magnolia N.C.

Major
Your very courteous communication with regard to certain allegations made against me before the Bureau Officials at Wilmington by a Freedman calling himself Clayborn Robinson has been received & I embrace this opportunity of responding to your enquiries as well as I am able

I have a girl, bound to me by the County Authorities, named Mary, whose brother belonged to my Father in law Mr James Murphy and whose reputed father belonged to David T. Mathis My wife took the girl Mary at her mothers death when she was about five (5) years old and had no one to provide for her wants Her mother was a favorite servant and she was taken more out of pity than from any hope of remuneration or reward. The girls father (Clayborn) had, for years before her mother's (his wife's) death, been in an almost constant feud with her and finally some months before her death and at the commencement of her lingering and painful illness she repeatedly affirmed that he, under the garb of reconciliation & friendship, administered to her a glass of spirits which contained some drug or poison that preyed upon her vitals and health and finally destroyed her life. Her condition & symptoms justified her affirmations and as further proof of his guilt he then deserted her and never visited her afterwards, even in the darkest hours of her suffering, distress & death; but told other negroes that he had accomplished his purpose & was satisfied and it was known upon the plantation that he had been playing the paramour to the wife of another negro man upon the plantation. These facts were well understood - was the topic of conversation on the place by all the negroes at the time and though I have had no conferences with any of them I feel satisfied that they will testify to these facts as set forth and the then owner of the plantation, a man of priority & intelligence

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