June 2, 2022 / Joanne Yeck

Buckingham County Murders of 1855, Part IV

Need to catch up? Click here: Buckingham County Murders of 1855, Part I

With steady coverage of the Buckingham County murders, newspaper readers must have eagerly awaited the next “installment.”

On April 19, the following update was sent from Farmville by Correspondent “C” to Richmond’s Daily Dispatch. The report was brief but included new details to keep readers interested. Even today, we can imagine the train pulling out in Farmville, with “C” rushing to dash off his report. Printed in LATEST MAIL NEWS, the following headed the column:

Farmville, April 19, 1855. — I have just time enough, before the leaving of the train, to tell you that Garnett and Taylor, the two white men arrested at Buckingham C. H., for the murder of Chenault and Dean, in the store of Moss & White, which was afterwards burned, have been discharged upon that accusation: but are yet in custody, for petty theft committed by them. The two slaves who have confessed to the commission of the murder, and the two who deny it, are still in jail.

Regional interest continued to spread. On April 23, this brief report was reprinted in Virginia’s Alexandria Gazette.

Coming Next: Buckingham County Murders of 1855, Part V