The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-01-25
We have received the following letter from q
most respectable Citizen giving the particulars in
REGARD 10 the nho1e 11nfort IN ta affa

We have received the following letter from {
most respectable citizen, giving the particulars il
regard to the above unfortunate affair:
To the Editor Of the Daily Ne,cs:
Col. J. n. Steedman, in the vigor Of his man.
hood and in the midst of his usefulness as one o.
under the following heart ding circumstances
illustrating the deplorab sGate Of affairs to which
our once peaceful and happy country has come:
Engaged in merchandising in part Of Le1ing-
ton District, where, since the termination ct the
war, it became necessary to guard against tE0 de-
cupled apartments within his store. On the night
of the 8th January, as they were sitting around q
bright winter's fire, the doors a d windows oil
boed or locked seeming to give security to all with.
approaching danger without The Colonel arose,
advanced toward the front door, when his wife,
taking council from her fears, from information
that day derived from q negro woman, OF whlch
she had also advised the colonel, demonstrated
with him against the imprudence OF opening it,
begging him, instead, to go up stairs and look out
at the window; but this fearless man, having faced
danger on many bloody field during the late war,
now that peace prevailed regarding it as weakness
not to feel secure within his own castle, needed
unlocked and opened the door, when his de-;
voted wife's worst fears were fully realized
by the report of gun, the entire load from
it having lodged in her husbands body. Ho
still, however, retaining O proper presence OF
mind, had barely time to close and bolt the door
before the vile assassins-three negro men-were
laundering at it, to force an entrance. The Colo
mel called for his gun; the resolute wife hastily
handed 1t to him. He " w,rned the assailants that
80 sure aB they entered he would shoot them. Still
they Knocked kicked and pushed the door to open
it; the wounded Colonel and his Feeble though re-
solute wife, pressing in return to keep 1t closed.
What an awful moment! The Colonel being no
longer able to stand or use his gun, laid his dying
body against the foot of the door, still to aid his
wife in keeping it closed directing her at the same
aloud her purpose to do So she called the name of
ono of the iends the supposed leader Of the band,
and told him to go away; that if money was what
they were after, they could get none there, as all
had been sent away. This, perhaps With the tear
unto death, caused them to desist from further
efforts The Colonel lived but about three hours
after receiving the fatal wound; his wife and two
little children, with perhaps nurse, being the
only witnesses OF the awful scenes within that 6e
leagured house, not knowing how soon it might be
set on fire, and that then they would have to
choose between being burned airo or meeting
death by the violent hands of the murderers of the
husband and father, there lying corpse.
properly empannelled by the nearest magistrate,
and succeeded in drawing out such evidence from
various witnesses as justified the rendering ror-
dict that they believed tho deceased came to his
death by wound from al gun, fred from the hands
Of one Of party OF three seva
about the neighborhood doing mischief. and all OF
whom the jurors aforesaid believed to have been
parties to this infamous crime Of murder with in
tention to rob.
and had but recently returned to this part OF the
country-entirely too lazy to work for an honest
living, and fully imbuod with the Radical idea of
equality, boastingly telling other negroes of tho
various murders they had committed, and saying
that they had papers from the "Ynnkees. which
would protec. them from harm, do what they
would, should the white people here attempt to
molest them. OF course they found but few DO
levers IN their miraculous stories. Still it appears
they succeeded in making dupe Of the fellow
Joo, who became involved with them III this their
last sad transaction.
This, I presume, is not tho only instance in
which returned 'loyalists" have succeeded in
working upon the evil passions of those who har-
ing stuck to the "manor born" would have been
satisfied, even under the changed system OF
Of their brow" am glad, however, to be able to
assure you that in this instance these returned
''IoyaGsts" have received no sympathy from any OF
tho colored race, except tho too easily beguslod
Joe, as already stated On tho contrary, thor
manifested laudable disposition to forrct out
their lodging places and have them brought to
;ondign punishment-many declaring that burn
ing to death would bo but i just reward for thoir
Infamous crimes.
Great was the excitement when tho neighbors
Ind friends of the deceased assembled tho day
liter the murder, and learned all the incidents
it. Tho doed--so much cs tee1ned By
all-could not be brought again to % and useful
ness; but how to avenge the Infamous crimes OF
mis- murderors the destroyers of the brig at hopes
IF tho now widowed wife and orphaned children,
was the all-absorbing question! It was ascer-
tained from a negro that tho villain Emery, with
perhaps both the others, had fled early in tho
night shortly after the report of the gun was
hcard-f,r Aikon. Active, energetic, determined
electric spark, from Quattlebaunl's Mills-tho
telegraphic oflice-had already accom-
pished the good work. in part, before their arrival.
The citizens, who had got the news soon after, Sc
cured him as q prisoner. He confessed not onl|
ALL but told where Henry had gone, q few miles
off. He, too, was soon secured, and acknowledged
firing the fatal gun, and that robbery was their
only motive. Joe made good his escape and has
not been captured, sc far as have heard, but
parties have been in close pursuit:
Those two prisoners wero brought back to where
thew had committed so foul murder, that eyon
their hardened consciences smote them. Implor-=
ing forgiveness from the poor bereaved woman,
whose happiness they had destroyed, she ansWor-
ed them in tho true sentiments Of her bleeding
heart, ''Never in this world can forgive you'll"
They we're soon marched away, toward Lexington
iail, in tears. know ncthing farther OF this mat
ter This much think is strictly true have heard
other rumors, but rumors will not always justify
being recorded in truth.
I had writ en- the most of this article before I
saw the account Of this sanlo murder in your pa
per Of the 18th, copied from the Edgefeld Adyer-
tiser, paper generally correct in it's statements,
but not altogether so in this case as regards some
Of the incidents connected with this foul murder.
Louisville, January 20, 1867. p. O.
GEN. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF HIS DEATH
The Memphis Commercial, Of Sunday, says