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x- 00391 f*
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SLAVES TONY AND PE^l KILL OVF.RSEER, ESCAPE SHIELDSBORO JAIL, ARE RECAPTURED IN NEW ORLEANS WITH PROMINENT HANCOCK COUNTY CITIZEN, AND HUNG April 20, 181+6 March & April 181+6
"Gainesville (Kiss.) Advocate" - March 28, l8l+6, April 11, l8>+6 - MA
Slaves Tony and Peter killed a plantation Overseer in Hancock County. They were found guilty and sentenced to be executed April 20, l8I+6.
Much excitement occurred when sh MarxEii late in March from the Shieldsboro Jail.
As events were later revealed, R. G. Stevenson, a prominent Hancock County citizen and a member of the Board of Commissioners to accept the new^ourt House being built at Gainesville was responsible. His plan was to take the two slaves up the Mississippi River and sell them. Two occurrences of bad luck prevented this leading to recapture of the slaves and arrest of Stevenson.
A native of Hancock County saw him on a boat on the West Pearl River'en route to New Orleans with the two negroes. Before the Mississippi sheriff could reach the city, Stevenson had embarked with the two men, whom lie now called Tovn end Kai?i'y, on an upriver steamboat. While going up the Mississippi River an accident occurred to the machinery of the steamer and it was forced to return to New
Orleans for repairs.
Waiting on the dock were the law officers who placed R. G.
Stevenson in the Kew Orleans jail a\~jd it tuaicd convicted slaves
Tony and Peter to Shieldsboro where they were hung on April 20, 18U6.
Tb-re is -o ii.fornatJra r.s o fate of S'cevcmton.