Murder of Laura Foster

This murder ballad isn't much about the victim, but the possible murderer. It's about Thomas Dula (Tom Dooley) who was hung for the murder of Laura Foster.

Thomas Dula (his last name pronounced Dooley) grew up in Wilkes County, North Carolina. As they grew up he and Ann became intimate. Before his 18th birthday, he joined the Confederate army. Ann had married around 3 years before Tom left to a James Melton. It was unknown if the relationship was still going.

Thomas then started to date Laura Foster a cousin of Ann's. I0t's rumored he was actually dating 3 of the Foster cousins including Ann. It's believed that Ann was possibly still in love with Tom and may have been jealous of her cousins.

In the last week of May of 1866, Laura had disappeared with her father's horse. Her father stated that he did not care if his daughter returned, but he wanted his horse. Probably believing at the time she had run away.

Rumors began to stir that Laura had been murdered and hidden. Her cousin Pauline admitted to where Laura's body was and that Ann and Tom had killed the young woman. The next day the horse returned alone without Laura. Search parties were sent out but the young 22/23-year-old wasn't found, but a bloodied rope had been.

It's never known what had happened that evening, but Laura was seen riding the horse next to Tom. She told a friend that they were eloping and Laura was pregnant at the time. Tom tried to run but was found by the posse that brought him back which involved Grayson (who some wrongly assume was a love interest of Laura's.) Tom had made it to Trade, Tennesse before being found.

Tom professed innocence, but after the arrest of him and Ann, he was found guilty from circumstantial evidence. Former North Carolina Governor Zebulon Vance defended Tom pro bono. It's believed he possibly did this because of him believing in Tom's innocence or because he was a Confederate Veteran. There were rumors of a former connection between the two that were found to be false.

 He was executed by hanging. The night before his hanging Tom wrote a confession that made it seem like Ann had nothing to do with Laura's murder. He did state at his execution "Gentlemen you see this hand? I didn't harm a single hair on the girl's head."

He was acquitted in 2001 from the crime. It's unknown what happened that night Laura died or even if Tom and Ann were involved and if they were what was the motive? Ann's jealousy? Some claim Laura was killed because she had a venereal disease. Tom and Laura's unborn baby? No one is for sure.

SOURCES:
Find A Grave
Murderpedia
Legal Executions in North Carolina and South Carolina page 14
Wilmington Daily Dispatch
Wilmington Daily Dispatch
Statesville Record and Landmark
Statesville Record and Landmark
The Fayetteville News