Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-03-12
cnrespondsnee Of Tie c.arhssos e1urier.

BALTIMORE, March 6. -
Our citizens were appalled, this morning by
the announcement of the perpetration of one OF
the most heinous and bloody outrages ever con-
mitted in this city,-all resulting from the ex-
cessive use of intoxicating liquor. =.
At about five o'clock this morning, the watch
men sounded an alarm of fire, which was found
to proceed from two story brick house in Maid
en-Lane, occupied by James White, boot ma
ker. The whole Of the upper part of the house
was in flames when the fremen reached the
scene of the conhagaration, and the lowest part
of the house being fastened, no doubt was en-
tertained that the inmates had all pershed.
The greatest exertions were consequently made
to extinguish the flames, and in few minutes
an entrance was cleared to the chamber in the
second story, where the bodies Of White, his
daughter about Is years Of age, and his lit
tie boy about years Of age, were found scorch-
ed and blackened by the flames, tie two latter
on the bed, saturated with blood, and the father
lying on the floor, with his throat cut from ear
to ear, and shoemakers knife grasped in his /
hand and pistol by his side. On examining
the bodies of the children, that Of the daughter
was found to have the throat cut, and the skull
fractured by heavy blow on the back Of the
head, whilst there was bullet hole in the tenn
pie of the child, and its throat was likewise cut.
An inquest was held by Coroner Essender, and
Che testimony adduced, rendered it certain that
the father had murdered his children in their
sleep and cut his own throat, previously setting
fire to the house. The daughter had evidently
struggled with her father for her Life, but all to
no avail. go.
The bodies were removed to an adjoining shed,
and laid side by side, presenting a most shock
ing spectacle. The flames instead of concealng,
had only rendered more hideous the murdererist
ghastly work-the gashes in the throats of the
children, with their brains protruding from the
oriices in their skulls The fathers corpse ap-
peared more badly burnt than the Others, and
disclosed on the neck gaping wound that near
" severed the head from the shoulders.
It appears that the wife and mother was COM
pelled about week since, on account Of the
continued i'll treatment from her husband, and
the fact that she was daily expecting her con-
tinement, to leave the house and take up her
residence with her grandmother in another sec
tion of the city, where she now lies not expected
to live, She also took with her the little boy,
leaving the daughter with the father to keep
house for him. Yesterday afternoon, however,
he visited his wife, being at the time perfectly
sober, and ON leaving prevailed on her to allow
him to take his child home with him, promising
to take good care of it. Hereached home with
the child early in the evening. and after taking
supper went out, leaving it in charge of its SIS
ter. Nothing further was heard Of him or the
children until about o'clock this morning,
when he was heard by the neighbors knockingat
the door, and showing all the evidences of the
most brutal ntoxication. The daughter finally
awakening opened the door, and let him in,
The usual noises were heard in the house, as
when he came home in this condition, and about
an hour afterwards the neighbors were aroused
by the alarm of fire which subsequently disclosed
the foregoing frightful facts.
The murdered daughter was named Elizabeth
Jane, and was in her fifteenth year. a bright,
intelligent beautiful and promising child, greatly
beloved by all who knew her, and q general favor
te in the neighborhood Amid the crowd which
had gathered around the bodies was an old lady
who resided in an adjoining house, and as she
viewed the remains Of the daghter, excained.-"
Poor, poor LIZZIE she was so good and kind
and so much beloved by us all-her life was one
of suffering and always endeayonngto
conceal and hide from the world the conduct ofa
drunken and worthless father, who has returnd
her love and devotion by destroying her in her
Youth and innocence"-tears now choked the
poor woman's utterance, and she turned away
with lamentations of sorrow which drew a SYM
pathetic tear from the eyes of all present.
White, when under the effect ofliquor, has al
ways been regarded as most dangerous man,
and from the fact that he was fond of his children
there is no doubt that he was laborng under an
attack of mania potu at the time of enacting this
bloody tragedy.