State of North Carolina, Wilson County  }  To any lawful officer to execute and return forthwith Whereas information has the day been made to me William Ellis one of the Justices of said County on the oath of William Thompson that he has reason to believe that John Edwards or Kinchen Page either on or the other did shoot or was accessory to the shooting of his slave Abraham this day near Stantonsburg in said County  This is therefore to command you yo arrest the said Edwards and Page and them have before some Justice of said county to answer the aforesaid complaint and be further delt with according to Law. Herein fail not Given under my hand and seal this 22nd day of March 1855.  /s/ William Ellis J.P. {seal}

Summon for the state: John W. Nobles, Nathan P. Daniel, William Jordan, Mrs. Avy Peacock, Orange Jones

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State of North Carolina, Wilson County    }  The defendants John Edwards and Kinchen Page being brought before me William Ellis one of the Justices of said County of Wilson charged according to the terms of the foregoing warrant and being put on the examination John Edwards states that he met said boy Abraham in the road in Stantonsburg [illegible] near the bridge and told said boy that for previous conduct he [illegible] him a whipping and that he was agoing to whip him and that if he run he would shoot him whereupon the boy said if he was a mind to shoot he must shoot and troted off whereupon he did shoot him

Kinchen Page states he did not shoot the boy nor was he accessory to the shooting

Orange Jones a witness for the state being duly sworn states that John Edwards told him he did shoot the boy Abraham and gave as a reason about the same as said Edwards states in his examination as recorded above

Mrs. Elizabeth Heath being duly sworn states that she heard a gun fire and looked out and saw two white men running after a negro but did not know either of them

Mrs Avy Peacock being duly sworn states that she saw Mr. Edwards shoot the boy and then she also saw Edwards and Page run after the boy — She also states that upon interrogation that about the time Edwards had the gun raised to his face she heard Page say stop John or dont shoot or words to that effect