The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-03
CRIME IN THE STATE
The Chester Murder.

The Chester Murder.
Tho yorpn;,,a EnouIrer saws: sin Chester,
on Sunday night last, William Ford Killed
George Cresswell, by stabblng him with
pocket knife under the collar.bone. Alter De-
inc Stabbed, Cresswell lived but q few hours.
The deceased was q discharged soldier, and
was engaged In business at Chester. we
learn that beth the men were members OF the
Sons of Temperance, and the difficulty origin
ated out of one or the other having been re-
ported to the Order for violation of the tenn
perance pledge. Immediately after the muir.
der, Ford made his escape, but was arrested
on yesterday morning, about three miles nortn
of YorkviIle, by Mr.. VIM. 81. Quinn, and ID
now In the jail at this place. Previous to ar
rest. Ford made full confession of his guilt
to Mr.. Quinn"
A Murder In Edgefield.
A correspondent of the Advertiser says:
The facts of the bloody murder nesr Edgefeld,
are these: The parties were all colored. The
mans name is John Mitchell, and the murdered
woman's was Sarah Kemp, all living and WORK.
Ing on the plantation Of Mr.. Harrison. Mltcnel
and this woman had falling out about the
crop, late In the afternoon OF Thursday, the
25tf ult., and Mitchell having large claw
hammer In his hand, struck her over the head
knocking her down, and never ceasiDg until
he mad beaten her head and face in rlghtiul
manner. Her skull was broken tnrouSn 10
several places. He then concealed the body,
and after nlghtfai, took 1t upon his horse ana
carried 1t TWO miles of, hiding It away In
dismal swamp, where he thought the eye OF
man would never penetrate. The woman be.
ing soon missed, suspicion was aroused, and
the husband Of tue deceased asked Mltcnel
If he had seen anything of his wife,
and was informed by him that she
had gone down the road that evening in
search of the COWS. The next morning the
husband of the deceased went In the direction
indicated BY Mitchell, and found the hammer
with which the murder had been committed,
all clotted with blood. and blood upon the
ground near by. Suspecting fonl play, ne LOOK
the hammer. returned to the house, ana ln-
formed the other freedmen OF 1t. suspicion at
once fell upon Mitchell, who being accused
made full confession, and told where the
body could be found. He was at once taken
into custody, and 1t was with great difficulty the
colored people could be kept from lynching
him by hanging him to the nearest tree. A
Jury was summoned, an Inquest held on FIJI
with the above facts. The jury also recon-
mend that Maria Mitchell, the wife Of the &C
cused, be arrested, as accessory to the deed.
And ], have since learned that both were
lodged In Jail at Edgefleld Courthouse.
The Ku-Klux Prisoners.
The Yorkvllls Enquirer says: "W. D.
Barns, of this county, convicted OF Viola
tion. of the enforcement act, and sem
fenced to twelve months imprisonment, was
brought to the jail at this place on Saturday
last 10 serve ont the balance of his term. We
are glad to be Informed that petition for his
pardon was forwarded from Charleston, and
strong hopes are entertained that 1t may be
favorably considered by the President. B. F.
Higgins, Of York, who was sentenced to three
years imprisonment, was taken TO the jail at
York on the same day. the condition OF his
health not allowing him to be sent to Albany"