younger brother and half-brother—reorganized the remnants of the county militia to launch a new search for the outlaws. After spying on the residents of Scuffletown, they learned Tom Lowry planned to attend a political meeting at Union Chapel on the morning of July 20. The militiamen erected a blind along the trail they expected Lowry to travel and lay in wait. Lowry came down the path as expected, accompanied by a friend. The militiamen opened fire, striking Lowry. He ran 100 yards away into a swamp before collapsing dead. The men took his body to Lumberton and collected a combined $6,200 in state and county bounties. Steve Lowry and Andrew Strong no longer presented a great threat to county authorities, but continued to avoid capture. They still enjoyed the sympathies of the residents of Scuffletown and made public appearances in the community. In September they issued a "proclamation of outlawry" against several bounty hunters pursuing them, offering $200 reward for each. On December 25, they went to a store in Pates to confront a clerk, William Wilson, who had spoken ill of them. Strong threatened to kill Wilson if he did not leave the county the following day. The two outlaws left to partake in Christmas festivities, and Wilson loaded his shotgun in case they returned. Strong came back in the afternoon to make some purchases, and when he stepped out onto the porch Wilson shot him in the back of the neck, killing him instantly. Wilson took the body to Lumberton, collected the relevant bounties, and left the area. Throughout 1873 bounty hunters continued to search for Lowry. He eluded them but avoided public gatherings, staying close to swamps. He grew unhealthy and began drinking heavily. That year the General Assembly passed the Amnesty Act, which pardoned persons found responsible for political violence in the preceding years. The Conservative-backed measure was designed to protect members of the Ku Klux Klan, and the last section of the law read, "the provisions of this act shall not be construed to extend amnesty to [...] Steve Lowry." Lowry was the only person mentioned by name in the statute. Some of his friends petitioned the governor to pardon him, but their request was ignored. In late February 1874, Lowry came out of hiding to join in a party at the John McNair planation. He laid down his rifle to play a banjo, but