Eight Years of Terror
Lowry outlaws ilefioil government
for nearly a deeade anil lield a whole
eounty in tliralldoin.
By STUART
The name of Henry Berry Lowry
no longer sends shivers up the back¬
bones of Robeson County citizens, but
for eight years that name was the sym¬
bol of death and fear.
Between 1864 and 1872, the Low¬
ry Gang struck boldly, often, and vi¬
ciously from its tangled lair in the
swamps around what is now Pem¬
broke. but was then called Scuffle-
town.
And some older Robeson County
citizens can recall vividly the atmos¬
phere of uneasiness that blanketed the
county in those days. When there were
stirrings in Lowry Swamp, there was
trepidation outside.
Mixed Blood
Indian and Portuguese blood flowed
in Henry Berry Lowry’s veins, and it
proved a strong mixture. The deadly
memory of an incident etched in his
cunning mind launched him on a
bloody career that neither local, state,
federal nor private officers could halt.
In 1864. Henry Berry's father and
brother were found guilty in a "court
martial" trial by local citizens banded
together in a sort of vigilante organiza¬
tion. They were convicted of stealing
sonic materials found in the elder Low¬
ry's home and both were summarily
executed.
Gang Organized
Henry Berry Lowry's course was
set. With three brothers, who later
were joined by a few other men out¬
side the family, he began exacting
his revenge by murder and arson. He
swore to kill every member of the
committee, and did get all but one.
Lowry Gang headquarters was a
house in Scufflctown which had a trap
door leading to an underground tunnel
which terminated in a thick, dark
swamp nearby. Members of the gang,
who knew the trackless swamp ps well
as most citizens knew their front yard,
escaped with regularity when capture
was imminent.
The gang did not set a pattern of
murder. One victim would be am¬
bushed as he rode along in his car¬
riage or buggy, another would be shot
down in broad daylight and the slay¬
ers would make no attempt to hide
their identity. A detective from the
North, employed to seek the Lowrys
out and capture them, found his
quarry, but he was blindfolded, tied
to a tree, and shot to death.
Love finally came to Henry Berry
and his wedding night arrived. Shortly
after the ceremony, the bridegroom
was arrested and taken to jail in Whitc-
villc. The same night. Henry Berry
escaped while still wearing his hand¬
cuffs — guns had a way of mysterious¬
ly appearing in his hands when he
needed them. Meanwhile, murder and
arson continued.
Sentenced to Hang
Law enforcement officials, however,
talked Henry Berry and three of his
aides into surrendering to them. He
was tried in Wilmington, and all of the
gang members were sentenced to be
hung. With four others, he escaped —
that provident gun once again had
appeared in his hand. Only one mem¬
ber of the Lowry gang was hanged for
his crimes.
In the last year of its life, the gang
topped off its exploits by taking a safe
from the courthouse in Lumberion.
The safe was situated in the sheriff's
office.
At least 10 murders, including that
of an ex-sheriff of Robeson County,
were laid at the swamp door of the
Lowry Gang. And Robeson estimates
place the death toll much higher than
that.
(Jang Wiped Out
But slowly, persistently, private citi¬
zens were taking steps to lift the fear
that hung over their homes by form¬
ing small posses and killing members
of the gang. One member was slain
as he vacantly strummed a guitar; an¬
other died when a posse member
aimed his gun through the knothole of
a floor. But the hunters died, too, in
too many instances.
When a member of the Lowry Gang
was killed, there was no thought of
legal action; there was only praise.
A posse killed one of the outlaws and
the news was reported during a Su¬
perior Court session in Lumbcrton; the
judge halted court to heap praise upon
the killers.
Henry Berry’s luck at eluding cap¬
ture held, but by 1872 his power was
gone. In that year, he died, the victim
of an accidental blast from his own
gun. The hammer struck the window
sill as he was loading the weapon and
a reign of terror was at an end.
But his body never was found.
Some think he really escaped and lived
out a long life in the far west.
ROW MANY CAN
YOU AYSWER?
Au, come on! You shouldn't have
much trouble with these questions. AH
the definitions represent words that
start with au —
If you get 17 or more correct, ex¬
cellent; if you get 14, 15 or 16 right,
good; if you answer 11, 12 or 13 cor¬
rectly. fair.
1. A kind of sale. (Remember; each
of these words starts with au-)
2. A number of people listening to
something.
3. A well-known institution of high¬
er learning is located here.
4. One of the Caesars of ancient
Rome.
5. A formal or official examination
of accounts.
6. A carpenter's tool.
7. A stable with which Hercules had
some difficulty.
8. To increase.
9, A soothsayer; a prophet.
10. Fortunate; prosperous; favor¬
able.
11, Imposing; exalted; magnificent;
stately.
12, I’ll be seeing you!
13, Absolute supremacy or power.
14, Another word that means just
about the same as authoritative.
15. A right to command or act.
16, An extinct bird.
17, Clark Gable. President Truman
and Jack Dempsey give these.
18, You can’t have this until after
you're dead.
19, Have you ever eaten here?
20, Shakespeare was: so were Rob¬
ert Louis Stevenson and Washington
Irving.
(Answers on page 40)
THE STATE. NOVEMBER 29. 1952
