The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-06-27
The Las. 1as.aohusetts Horror.
MURDER COMMITTED AND CONFESSED By A
CHURCH DEACON.

/. No case of murder in the Commonwealth OF
Massachusetts since that OF DR.. Parkman has
excited such painful interest as that OF Corne-
Illus Holmes, perpetrated in the town OF Kings
ton on tho, night Of May 26. The two cases
have resemblance in common with the char
acter of the parties, and still more in the cir
cumstantiality Of the evidence fixing the guilt
upcn the accused. Andrews has confessed his
guilt after denial had become vain; and sets
up the preposterous plea OF having acted in
self defence. Sc
The deceased tHolmes) was found on tho
following morning in o grove ofpines, his head
battered and crushed in the most horrible
manner, as il the ruthless murdorer had lifted
o heavy stone in both hands and repeatedly
brought it down on the skull OF his ylotlH M5n 20
sii ,bs -.;ufcnre -nk-whfrh-hs-wro Capable. It
was as If man had been killing rattlesnake,
and, to make sure, had stoned its mead nntli
itwss thoroughly mashed into the earth; Four
places where the ground was stained with
blood showed the scenes OF successive
stages of the crime. The murdered man,
though not Of wholly strong mind, was physl-
cally powerful, aud evidently made desperate
struggle for his life. Struck from behind, and
stunned at first, it may be that he was after
wards stoned TO Qe8Gn.
AT first no one could be suspected. The
noiChbors all knew each other, and not one
bore character calculated to excite even the
fa1ntest suspicion. The murdered man had
last been seen ut the house of Samuel Andrews,
a friend, and q deacon in the Congregational
Church-a man who was without reproach IN
the community. It could not be that he had
followed from his own door.his own friend, and
brutally stoned him to death. Yet on him sus-
picion soon fixed, and round him circumstan-
ces have woven network of evidence from
which he SEEMS unlikely to escape. Some ope-
ratives had seen him 60 in the direction OF tho
river with bundle and return without 1t. by
singular chance, owing to the high water In
the river, the loosened contents of the bundle,
thrown into the water to be carried into deep
ocean, were caught and held by overhanglng
cured. They proved TO be shreds OF fclothng Gov
cred with blood, and out Of them was made, With
out difficulty, nearly complete coat. A pair OF
rubbers was also found, with pine needles
sticking to them. When these facts were
brought to light it was remembered that An
ydrews, on the evening oft murder, althouRh
he had appointed q religious meeting at his
own house, was inexplicably absent. His e1-
planation was that he was at work in HIS gar
den. Blood WAS found on his vest. He said
he had cen killing chickens. Wicroscoplcai
and chemical examination proved that it was
human blood with which he was stained. Then
some ladies recalled that they hnd met and
spoken with him in the evening, and that he
held with his hands to fence rail while no
stood with them. Upon examining this rail it
was found to bear blood marks, "a If it bad
been grasped by bloodstainod hands. Even the
wife Of Andrews remembered that he was rest
less and nervous during the night after the
murder. A hatchet belonging to him was
missing.
What was the motive of the crimeP The
murdered mnn, Cornelius Holmes, brother
Of Alexander Holmes, the richest man 10 me
town, was worth some thirty-ive thousand
dollars and had made will, in which he gave
twelve thousand dollars to Andrews, without
any apparent reason. This will was carried to
be registered BY Andrews himself the day after
the murder. Holmes WAS in the habit OF car
rying his money on his person, md $500 was
found in tho pockets Of the corpse. Andrews
saws that he must have had $500 at least; but
this assertion becamea . source OF suspicion, It's
object being to convey tho idea Of murder for
the sake Of robbery. Andrews steadily de-
MED his guilt. Then his friends gave
out the theory of insanity. Nov con-
fession and o plea Of self-defence is sent
in to the grand jury, who very properly de.
cided to reject it. If the guilty man will
sef-defence win be unavailing with the public
or Jurors or courts. Andrews dofence is Q
horrible relation Of unnatural passion and
frenzy. He saye he was decoyed to the ceme-
terry by Holmes, there assaulted by Holmes,
who, in phrenZy of madness and lust, knock
ed him down near the cemetery, because he,
Andrews, refused to go into the woods with
him. A terrible scene then followed, during
which Holmes attempted By force to commit
ar act which shall be nameless. He had before
displayed the same passion and made the like
attompt. and had been forgiven. Holmes had
given $40, 600 in his will To Andrews-for whai
motive no one knows. Andrews, too, wrote o
note inviting Holmes to the interview. The
attorney for the government has no confidence
in the truth of the prisoners story, and the
public discredits it.