Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-07-27
Fronn.thezAlb News
Horrible Murder.

On Tuesday last, at early morn, a most
horrible tragedy and murder occurred on
Mr.. B. H. Ellis. Mud Greek" plantation
in this county, in which Mr. Rush the
Manager, and Paul Butler, a freedman
working on the place, were the parties ana
both killed ss
The testimony before the. jury OF IN,
quest disclosed the following particulars
On Monday Mr. Rush saw some plow
lads abusing the mules, and ordered them
to desist. They laughed defiance and con-
tinued to maltreat the mules. Mr. hush
threatened to chastise them if they did not
desist, and one of them quit the plow and
went home The father andmother of this
one very properly brought him back to Mr..
Rush, and held him while Mr.. Rush adj
ministered light punishment. The father,
not being satisfied withsthe- whipping =ad-.
ministered by Mr.. Rush, concluded it was
his duty to exercise a fathers privilege !;
and while laying on the lash, Paul Butler,
a surly black fellow, walked up and re-
marked that before he would hold child
of his for white man to whip him, he
would suffer his hearts blood to fow" To
this Mr.. Rush replied: This is no busi-
ness of yours 60 on to work" Paul re-
piled impudently, saving among other
| things. that he "would suffer no damned
white on-of-a-bitch to whip ON of his
children" At this point Mr.. Rush got
hold of plow handle and made at Paul
| Paul retreated and seized heavy single
tree, and was about to make deadly as
sault. when Mr.. Rush, seeing his imminent
danger. drew his pistol and fired This
shot was doubtless fired simply to stop
the assaAan., and with no intention. OF
hitting him. At any rate they were very
close together, and the shot did not take
effect. Mr. Rush ther. rode home, and
rode rapidly away from the place, and all
was apparently quiet till the fatal hour
arrived next morning.
On Tuesday morning, when the negroes.
g.nrn on their wav to the field, some. OF
an canle up with Paul Butler, who had
W. on his shoulder. He informed
a t. i, was his intention to kill Mr.
fusj, as soon as he came out into the held.
lis friends argued the. matter with HIM;
nd begged him to nut his gun away and
- to work. lie refused 10 be governed
Is Ji.eir advice, and, perslstlng in his
JrdcroQs purpose, swore he would Hlh
Mr r. at iirsi sight All hands then
vent 10 work except Paul, his brother
Ben his relative, Ben Wade, and his
f-fend, Moses Holt-the latter three not
5ainr accounted for at that time. Paul
,.ationea himself a short distance from
the laborers. Mr.. Rush rode up, and
Paul advanced towards him, md addressed
lim with: "G-dd-n You. you shot
ut me Yesterday for nothing, and now I'm
ready TO shoot with You" whereupon Mr.
Rush replied: Don't come any nearer
ae. stand back" Mr. R. then attempted
10 draw his pistol, and while in the act
Paul levelled his gun and fred, placing
torty-eight deadly missiles in the breast,
abdomen, neck and head Of his victim
| killing him instantly. Paul then ran to
| his mule, tied in the woods hardly, noun
ted it, with gun in hand, and made of
towards the "Hobbs Place, another
one of Mr.. Hills plantations-followed
by the three missing negroes, Ben Butler,
Ben Wade and Moses Holt, and perhaps
some others,
At gate opening into the Hobbs plan,
tation they found the dead body OF Paul
living on one side of the gate and his gun
| On the other. The top Of his head was
blown off and his face burned with pow
der,-showing unmistakably that he had
come to his death by the accidental dis
charge of the remaining barrel while going
through the gate on his mule.
That afternoon an inquest was held
over. the dead bodies and verdicts rendered
in accordance with the facts.
The testimony satisfied the jury that
Ben Butler Ben Wade and Moses Holt
were accessories, and Deputy Sheriff Brown
being Present with posse, proceeded at,
once to arrest all three of them, and they
are now in jail awaiting examination. a..
Mr.. Rush was quiet, peacea5le, ster-
ling man, and one OF the best managers IN
the county. He leaves wife and three
children to mourn. bis sad and untimely
taking OF. Mrs. Rush, we understand,
was confined the same morning, after her
husband left the house, and was not IN
formed of his death till late in the after
noon. Three persons who were commits
stoned to break the terrible news to her,
failed o. courage and could not do it.