The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-02-06
The Murder of Col Steedman


COL Stced'nan by negr oes. We extract
the following particulars from a letter in
the Charleston NeiOs
Col. }. NJ. Steedman, in the vipor Of
his manhood, and in the midst of his
usefulness AS one Of the heat of citizens.
cana suddenly to bis death under the
following heart rending+ circumstances,
illustrating the dcp'orable state Of affairs
TO whi@h our once peaceful and happy
country has come:
Engaged in merchandising in a part Of
Lexington District, whore, since the ter.
minat'on Of the war, it became necessary
to guard against the depredatons of bur
glars, he aud his lttlo family occupied
apartments within his store. On the
nightof the 9Th of January, as they were
sitting around a bright winters fire, the
doors and windows all bolted or locked,
seeming to give security 70 all within, the
dogs, as faithful sentineIs, gave evidence
OF approaching danger without. The
Colonel arose, advanced toward the front
door, when his wife, taking counsel from
her iears," from information that day de-.
rived from negro woman, Of which she
had also advised the Colonel, rem oRstrat,
ed with him against the imprudence OF
opening il; begging him, instead, to 90
up stairs and look out a: the window
but THE fearless man, having faced danger
on many a bloody field during the late
war, now that peace prevailed, regarding
il as weakness not TO feel secure within
his own castle, needed not her gentle ad,
mention. lie had barely unlocked and
opened the door, when his devoted wife's
worst fears were fully realized by the re,
port of gun the entire load from it
having lodged in her husbands body
,hs still, however, retaining proper pres.
ence Of mind, had barely time to close
and bolt the door before the vile assassins
three negro men-wers laundering at
1t, TO force an entrance. Tho Colonel
called for his gun the resoule wife
hastily handed it to him. IIo warned the
assa'iants that so sure as they entered he
would shootihe Shlk they kEocked
kicked and pushed the door 70 open il;
the .wounded Colonel and his feeble
though reso!ute,. wife, pressing in return
to keep it closed. What an awful mo.
ment ! The Colonel, being no longer
able to stand or use bis gun, laid his dy
ing body against the foot Of the door.
still to aid his wife in keeping it close d,
directing her. at the same time, to shoot
them if they entered. Declaring aloud
her purpose to do so, she called the name
otone Of the fiends. the supposed leader
OF The band, and tod him to 60 away
that If money was what they wero after,
they could get none there, as all had bee n
sch: away. Ti,i', perhaps, with the fear
that tie Colonel was sill 'aJle to resist,
aud would unto death, caused them 10
drsist from further efforts The Colonel
lived but about three hours after receiy.
ing tho fatal wound his wife and two
little children, with perhaps, a nurse, be
ing the only witnesses Of the awful scenes
within that Seleaguered house, not know.
ing how soon it might be,set on fire, and
that then they would have to choose be
tween being burned alive or meetiop
death by the violent hands Of the mur.
derers OF the husband and father, there
| lying corpse.
The day after The murder, a jury OF
inquest was properly empaunel!ed by the
nearest magistrate, and succeeded in
drawing out such evidence from various
witnesses AS justidel the rendering a YER
dict that they believed the deceased came
TO his death by wound from a gun.
hfed from the hands OF one Of a party OF
three negroes-lleury, Emery and joe
known to have been prowling about the
neighborhood doing mischief, and OF
whom the Jurors aforesaid believed to
aave been parties to this INFAMOUS crime
OF murder, will, intention to rob.
The two former went oti with Sher.
mans army, and had bu, recently return
ed 70 this part OF the country-sntireIy
too IazC to work for an honest .ying, and
fully imbusd with tue radical idea OF
equality, boastingIy telling other negioes
OF the various murders they had commit
ted, and saying they had papers from ths
1 Yankees" which would protect them
from harm, do what they would. should
4 the white people here attsmp' to molest
them. Or course they found but few