the murders of her family, At his trial, which was postponed several
times, she testified for the State that Boswell had told her of the
killing of his family and her testimony. was corroborated by circum=
stantial evidence. Following his conviction, his life was respited
so that he might testify flor the State at her subsequent trial where
she was acquitted and he was finally hanged at Hillsboro, N, C., be-=
fore 3,000 witnesses on Oct. 31, 1879, .Boswell sat on KWKXXEXRRAKH
his coffin which had been placed on the scaffold while his death
warrant and his confession were read to the crowd, trembling violent-
Ly. When the trap fell, his neck was not_broken by the fall. and he
strangled for 29 minutes before dying.
NATIONAL POLICE GAZETTE, Nov, 8, 1879 (eae
RALEIGH OBSERVER, RALEIGH, N. C. Nov. 1, 1879
the mrders of her family. At his trial, which was postponed several
times, she testified for the State that Boswell had told her of the
killing of his family and her testimony was corroborated by circum=
stantial evidence. Following his conviction, his life was respited
so that he might testify for the State at her subsequent trial where
she was acquitted and he was finally hanged at Hillsboro, N. C., be-
fore 3,000 witnesses on Oct. 31, 1879, .Boswell sat on KUKXXXARKaKA
his coffin which had been placed on the scaffold while his death
warrant and his confession were read to the crowd, trembling violent-
ly. When the trap fell, his neck was not broken by the fall. and he
strangled for 29 minutes before dying.
NATIONAL POLICE GAZETTE, Nov, 8, 1879 (6=3)
RALEIGH OBSERVER, RALEIGH, N. C. Nov, 1, 1879
the mrders of her family, At his trial, which was postponed several
times, she testified for the State that Boswell had told her of the
killing of his family and her testimony. was corroborated by circum-
stantial evidence. Following his conviction, his life was respited
so that he might testify for the State at her subsequent trial where
she was acquitted and he was finally hanged at Hillsboro, N, C., be=
fore 3,000 witnesses on Oct, 31, 1879, .Boswell sat on HMKXKaXeRaxa
his coffin which had been placed on the scaffold while his death
warrant and his confession were read to the crowd, trembling violent-
ly, When the trap fell, his neck was not broken by the fall. and he
strangled for 29 minutes before dying.
NATIONAL POLICE GAZETTE, Nov, 8, 1879 (6=3)
RALEIGH OBSERVER, RALEIGH, N. C. Nov, 1, 1879
as Sey ee
ce O42 ons 8y 199 (6-9)
MEnmobtrs, maetie'S, & owe Sy toy
BOSWELL, RObert
Boswell, an Orange Co,, N. C., black laborer, lived with his common-
law wife, Nannie Blackwell, and their three children near the rail-
road track about two miles west of Durham. He began having an affair
with Rebecfa Lyon who lived with her husband néarby and shortly after-
wards Mr, Lyon died suddenly, Boswell then began staying in the Lyon
house most of the time and on the night of August 31, 1877, he re-
turned to the house that he had shared with Nannie and summoned her
outside. When she appeared, he attacked her with an axe and, chasing
her across a field, finally overtook her and cleaved her skull, He
then KEK carried her body back to the house and killed two of their
children with a razor and a knife, after which he set fire to the
house and took the youngest child to. the home of Mrs, Lyon, telling
her that he had killed the other members of the family, Neighbors,
noticing the blaze, managed to put the fire out before the three bo=
dies were consumed and Boswell fled, He was captured on Nov, 1;
1878, an ‘Wayne County and returned to Orange County for trial. In his
confession, he sought to implicate Mrs, Lyon and said that she had
poisoned her husband with arsenic provided by him and that she had
accompanied him to his house on the night of the crime and aided in
BOSWELL, Rébert
Boswell, an Orange Co., N. C., black laborer, lived with his common-
law wife, Nannie Blackwell, and their three children near the rail-
road track about two miles west of Durham. He began having an affair
with Rebec@a Lyon who lived with her husband néarby and shortly after
wards Mr. Lyon died suddenly, Boswell then began staying in the Lyon
house most of the time and on the night of August 31, 1877, he re-
turned to the house that he had shared with Nannie and summoned her
outside. When she appeared, he attacked her with an axe and, chasing
her across a field, finally overtook her and cleaved her skull, He
then #KKH carried her body back to the house and killed two of their
children with a razor and a knife, after which he set fire to the
house and took the youngest child to. the home of Mrs, Lyon, telling
her that he had killed the other members of the family, Neighbors,
noticing the blaze, managed to put the fire out before the three bo=
dies were consumed and Boswell fled, He was captured on Nov, 1, |
1878, an Wayne County and returned to Orange County for trial. In hi
confession, he sought to implicate Mrs, Lyon and said that she had
poisoned her husband with arsenic provided by him and that she had
accompanied him to his house on the night of the crime and aided in
BOSi
LL, Robert
Boswell, an Orange Co,, N, C., black laborer, lived with his conmon=
law wife, Nannie econ and their three children near the rail-
road track about two miles west of Durham, He began having an affair
with Rebecéa Lyon who lived with her husband ndarby and shortly after-
wards Mr, Iyon died suddenly, Boswell then began staying in the Lyon
house most of the time and on the night of August 31, 1877, he re~
turned to the house that he had shared with Nannie and surmoned her
outside, When she appeared, he attacked her with an axe and, chasing
her across a field, finally overtook her and cleaved her skull, He
then 44M carried her body back to the house and killed two of their
children with a razor and a knife, after which he set fire to the
house and took the youngest child to the home of Mrs, Lyon, telling
her that he had killed the other members of the family, Neighbors,
noticing the blaze, managed to put the fire out before the three bo-
dies were consumed and Boswell fled, He was captured on Nov, 1,
1878, an Wayne County and returned to Orange County for trial. In hig
conféssion, he sought to implicate Mrs, Lyon and said that she had
poisoned her husband with arsenic provided by him and that she had
accompanied him to his house on the night of the crime and aided in
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