The trial of Becky the slave

This isn’t the first time I’ve blogged about Becky, the slave of my 3rd great grandfather, James Meriweather Lankford. Becky was charged with the murder of her daughter, Violet, by drowning her in the Lankford family well. Actually, three of Becky’s children drowned in the well that day but she was only charged with Violet’s death. If you’d like to read what was reported about the case at the time, click here. 

In this post, I share court records recently found detailing Becky’s case as presented before the Greene County, Georgia Superior Court in September 1860. I didn’t learn anything new other than names of jury members who found her not guilty and sent her back to the Lankford home. I don’t know what happened to Becky after that. My guess is she wasn’t treated well but I hope she eventually found peace. 

Greene Superior Court, September Term 1860.

The State vs. Becky (a Slave).

Murder

Special Presentment.

State of Georgia, Greene County. The Grand Jurors sworn, chosen and selected for the County of Greene, to wit, the undersigned by Presentment in the name and behalf of the citizens of Georgia charge and accuse Becky a negro woman slave, then and there the property of one James M. Lankford of said County, with the offence of Murder. For that the said negro slave Becky in the County aforesaid on the twenty eighth day of March in the year eighteen hundred and sixty with force and arms in and upon a female negro child slave named Violet the property of said James M. Lankford and about one year old did unlawfully, willingly, feloniously and of her malice aforethought make an assault, and did then and there by throwing said negro child into a well on the lot of said James M. Lankford in the town of Penfield in said County, unlawfully, willfully, feloniously and of her malice aforethought her the said negro child did kill and murder. And so the Jurors aforesaid upon their oaths aforesaid do say that the said negro slave Becky on the day and year aforesaid in manner and form aforesaid her the said negro child Violet did unlawfully willfully feloniously and of her malice aforethought, did kill and Murder contrary to the laws of said State the good order peace and dignity thereof.

Greene Superior Court, September Term 1860.

William Moore, Foreman, Archibald H. Perkins, John W. Swan, William R. Wilson, William B. Johnson, David Leslie, Francis Hester, James F. Geer, Thomas B. Wilson, Valentine D. Gresham, Seaborn J. Jerrigan, William Rowland, John Colclough, Augustus B. Sharp, John P. Harris, Thomas J. Allen, Albert King, William O. Cheney, Lorenzo D. Carlton, Peter W. Printup, William A. Corry, George S. Tunnell, Asa Rhodes.

September Term 1860.

The Honorable Superior Court met pursuant to Adjournment.

Present.

His Honor Iverson L. Harris, Judge

Thursday, September 13, 1860.

The State vs. Becky (a Slave)

Murder.

The Defendant waives a copy of the judgement and list of witnesses before arraignment and agrees to go to trial on the Presentment.

September Term 1860.

Geo. O. Dawson, Defts Atty

The Defendant formally arraigned and pleads not Guilty.

September Term 1860.

Wm. A. Lofton, Sol. Genl.

The State vs. Becky (a Slave).

Murder

Jury Sworn

1. Joel J. Ruark 

2. Osborn Orear

3. James B. Dunn

4. Benjamin Jean

5. George N. Boswell

6. John C. Merritt

7. Archibald D. Brooks

8. Peter R. Brooks

9. John A. Cartwright

10. Augustus L. Kimbrough

11. William J. Mapp

We the Jury find the Prisoner not Guilty. W. J. Mapp, Foreman.

Whereupon, it is ordered by the Court that the Prisoner be discharged. September Term 1860.

Iverson Louis Harris, Judge of the Supr. Court 

Greene County, Georgia Superior Court Records for Becky's case (click to enlarge)

New addition to post after preparing to publish: One hundred years later, the press was still reporting on this event. I discovered an article in late September published by the Ledger-Enquirer in Columbus, Georgia on April 2, 1960:

A Century Ago in The Enquirer: Devilish Act of a Negro Woman. We learned through a gentleman from Penfield on yesterday, that a negro woman belonging to James Lankford, of that place, becoming tired of life, threw three of her children into a well, said to be 65 feet in depth, and then jumped in herself.

 Curt” Lankford went down after them, and found the woman still living and not seriously injured, when he reached her, she attempted to drown him, and was only by main force that he subdued her and brought her up; the children were all dead.

She is confined in jail, and will no doubt be hung as a murderess.

 She assigned as a reason for the rash and inhuman act, that she wished to die, and didn’t want to leave any of her children behind.

This article provided one piece of new information—that James’ brother Curtis was the one who jumped in the well. I had assumed it was James. We know from previous articles and now definitely from the above court records, that Becky was found not guilty. 

Reference

• A Century Ago in The Enquirer, Devilish Act of a Negro Woman, Ledger-Enquirer, Columbus, Georgia, April 2, 1960.
• Greene, Georgia, United States Records, images, FamilySearch; https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3M5-2S3N-2: September 4, 2022, image 1 of 338; Georgia. Superior Court (Greene County).