The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-07-27
The Romance of Crime.

Last week there occurred in Bulltt
County q strange affair, which Is as yet
unsolved in it's particulars, but which
one OF those very peculiar, transactions
that seem to have no motive. a widow
lady, with, a daughter some eighteen
years OF age, lved near Mount Wash
ington. They were without male pro.
tectors, and lived quietly and securely.
One day the old lady received some
$4,000 in payment Of all old account and
locked 1t up IN her trunk. Tie night
following was dark and gloomy, and
that would naturally cause people to bar
and lock doors and windows, and cause
one to hesitate to open them to stran.
ger. Toward night an old, bent up,
decrepit man came to the door, and on
lie being opened asked for shelter for
che night. Tbs widow told him she
was alone, with no men folks about the
house, and she disliked to take stran.
ger under her root The old man said
he was stranger poor, decrepit, and
destitute, only asked for shelter from the
approaching night.
The lady ncccded to his request, and
in due time he was shown TO his room
lup-stairs. The night grew darker out.
side, and The widow and her daughter
were preparing to retire, when heavy
knock came, aud the voices OF men were
heard outside, demanding ndmttancc
in threatening tones. Terrified, know
ing the danger OF possessing sucn
large sum Of money, the widow concln6.
ed that tho parties outside were con-
tedcra,cs fthe man to whom she had
given shelter Acting upon this sns.
picion. with trembling limbs, she ran
up stairs and locked the door Of the
suspicious stranger. Returning down
stairs she heard the blow of an ak on
the door, and as she reached the bottom
Of the stairs encountered the man she
| supposed she had locked safely in his
| room. 'N..
No longer decripit. bent md feeble,
the stranger stood upright and assumed
stalwart proportions. The gray hair
the trembling voice " was gone, md
instead was a man Of powerful build and
determined mirn. -''' es%~
Believing that al was lost, the widely
exclaimed, "You know what I've got,
I'll give It up l' The stranger instead
Of accpding TO. the terrified woman's
Offer, replied Dont't annoy mo-; go
into your room M I'll nrn,.ct vnm"
He held in his hand ril h" :, ID taken
from tho rack, and ns the blows Of the
assaiants' ax fell fast upon the door,
pushed tho widow into her room. The
door gave way, and the fret man that
entered was shot by the stranger, who
seized the falling body and pulled it in
side the door. He then pulled the door
wide open and fred again. killing anolh.
er Of his assailants. The party tLrned
to flv, another Of their number received
shot from the valiant stranger.
The attacking party having fled, the
door was secured, and the af,righ'cd in,
mates took occasion to examine the
features Of tho dead robher, who proved
to be tho son-ln.law and neigllbor OF tho
widow.
1n'the morning another man was found
leaning over the fence, with his arms
thrown over the rails dead. Mortally
wounded, his failing strength had car.
ricd him to the fence. where in supper.
ting himself he died. The stranger
gave himself up to a magistrate, who
examined INTO the case, the stranger
refusing to give either his name, his resi-.
dence, orthe matter Of his business. The
, magistrate ordered his discharge, and
the mysterious stranger departed. Who
he was why he assumed the disguise
lie did on that night, what was the
nature ofbi business, or whittier he
went, is a mystery not easily explained,
and comment would be superlluous.,
I What we argue is, that what is call.
ed tho XIV amendment, both in its
inception and in the fraudulent means
i by which it has been forced upon ,s, is
virtually mere Act Of Congress, if
that can properly be called n" Congress
IN which nearlya third ofthA estates"
had no representation, and those tho
! "S,ates" TOO, which alone are vitality
| affected bv that "Ampndment." -