Description
Murder of a Citizen of St. Louis by a Negro - - About dusk evening before last two young men who work for Thomas Hubbard (residing about 4 1/2 miles from this city, on the Rochester Road,) were sitting on the fence near the house, when one remarked that he “heard a run go off,” and very soon afterwards a pair of horses harnessed to a buggy came walking along slowly - coming West.
They started to catch them, and as they neared the buggy, in the bottom of it, discovered what they supposed to be a drunken man, but who upon closer inspection proved to be F. M. Wright in a dying condition. He was not quite dead, though barely gasping as they took him out of the buggy to the house, where in a few moments more he breathed his last.
Instantly one of the young men mounted a horse and came to this city for the coroner, who ascertained the cause of the death to be from a pistol ball penetrating the skull about one inch above and back of the ear, and ranging forward. He also ascertained that about a half an hour before, Drs. Knode and Chambers of St. Joseph, had passed the buggy near Cox’s Mill, some 3 miles further on the road, and when they passed it, Mr. Wright and a stout negro man were in it, Wright sitting on the left side with his coat off, the negro on the right-side driving. A young Mr. Castle and others saw them about the same time. At the mill, Wright and the negro stopped, and Wright asked the negro if he would have a drink of water. The negro said “No,” very insolently, and seemed to be in a bad humor.
The trace of blood was discovered for 160 yards from the house, and a few yards still further back the sock and boot of one foot were found in the road. In the buggy were a bundle of bedclothes belonging to the negro.
Upon the murdered man’s person there were no papers to show from whom the Negro was purchased, but it is known here that Mr. Wright had left this city the day before to look at some negroes with a view of buying.
The only paper discovered was a letter from A. Beattie & Co., of this city, addressed to a firm in Gentryville. Mr. Wright was in the habit of carrying his revolver in his coat pocket, and it is presumed that when his coat was off, the negro, while carrying it, stole the weapon from the pocket, and secreted it about his own person in order to perpetrate the fiendish purpose at a more favorable time.
Upon the body of the deceased was found the sum of $1,848.60, but no weapons, and no papers except the latter above alluded to. From examination it appears that Mr. Wright was affected with tetter upon his foot, and a reasonable supposition is that he took his boot and sock off to give it some attention and while so engaged was shot down by the assassin at his side.
Judge Wm. M. Carter, of this City, took charge of the money found upon the body, and started yesterday morning for St. Louis after Mr. Wright’s family, which consists of a wife and several children. A reward of $500 has been offered for the apprehension of the murderer, and we hope soon to hear of his arrest.
The entire neighborhood turned out searching for him yesterday, and a number of vigilant and energetic civilians of this vicinity have also engaged in the pursuit.
Mr. Wright was for many years a resident of St. Joseph, and once held the office of City Marshal. He was well and widely known in this section of the country, and had many warm friends, who will sincerely mourn his sad fate. His home was in St. Louis, where the crushing tidings of his sudden and terrible death must reach his family this morning.
(Researcher's note: Francis Marion Wright was a slave trader who operated out of St. Joseph, Missouri, for 10 years and was known to come into Platte County, Missouri. He was frequently mentioned in The Kansas Narrative of John Doy.)Date(s) of Creation
7/14/1859
