298
The Lawson Murder
The New York Times, of December 26 and 27, 1929, gives the
facts relevant to this ballad.
Walnut Cove, N. C, Dec. 25 (AP) — Becoming suddenly insane, a
Stokes county farmer today slew his wife and six children, and, after
having laid them out for burial, went into a patch of woods near his
home and killed himself. The body of C. D. Lawson, the 43-year-old
father and husband, was found about half a mile from the home with a
shotgun wound in his chest. . . .
Greensboro, N. C, Dec. 26 (AP) — The theory that a blow on the
head a year ago caused Charles B. [sic] Lawson, Stokes county farmer,
to become suddenly insane yesterday and kill his wife and six children
was discounted today. . . . Physicians who removed the brain of the
man . . . found no trace of a blow on the brain. . . . The examination
. . . revealed a low-grade degenerative process in the middle of the brain.
Davis FSV 278 lists the ballad as known in Virginia.
'Murder of the Lawson Family.' From J. C. Folger, May 15, 1937, as
"collected from a friend" ; no address.
1 It was on last Christmas Evening;
A snow was on the ground.
His home in North Carolina
Where the murderer was found.
His name was Charlie Lawson,
And he had a loving wife.
But we'll never know what caused him
To take his family's life.
2 They say he killed his wife at first.
And then the little ones did cry,
'Please, Papa, won't you spare our life?
For it is so hard to die !'
But the raging man could not be stopped ;
He would not heed their call,
And he kept on firing fatal shots
Until he killed them all.
3 And when the sad, sad news was heard
It was a great surprise.
He killed six children and his wife,
And then he closed their eyes.
NORTH CAROLINA BALLAD:
'And now farewell, kind friends and home ;
I'll see you all no more.
Into my breast I'll fire one fatal shot ;
Then my troubles will be o'er.'
They did not carry him to jail ;
No lawyers did he pay.
He'll have his trial in another world
On the final judgment day.
They were all buried in a crowded grave
While angels watched above.
'Come home, come home, my little ones.
To the land of peace and love.'
'The Lawson Murder.' From Miss Edith Walker, Boone, in a manu-
script book of songs loaned to Dr. Brown ; undated. With slight verbal
variations, the same as the preceding text.
'Charlie Lawson.' From the John Burch Blaylock Collection. Seven
four-hne stanzas, substantially the same as A except for omission of the
last four lines of stanza 3.