The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-05-25
A CHARLESTON PARALLEL TO TIE BEN.

A CHARLE8TOE PARALLEL TO TIE BEN
DIE BUToHERIEs.=-Ths. recent. Eeyala.
tions in regard to the atrooious murders
committed by the Bender family. in
Kansas, will %probabIy recall to the
minds of. some Of the older citizens Of
Charleston similar series of murders
that occurred near this city. more than
half century ago. In that day, tfA.
velers did not enjoy the facilities Of rail.
road transportation, and in consequence
there we're many little wayside inns
scattered along the public high ways,
some adjacent to the cities, and others
more remote. Such an inn was kept q
few miles from Charleston. Being near
the city, it was quito common for tra
velers, going or returning, to stop for
rest and refreshments. It was kept by
two people; man and his wife, who
were accounted to be. honest and withal
very prosperous persons. Their hostelry
and therefore popular. Occasionally. =
very mysterious and unaccounsable
manner; but mo, suspicion attached to
the hospitable inn. Keeper and his wife.
Matters went Oh shus for some time, the
mysterious disappearances mean while be-
coming more and more frequent. Fa-
thers. sons and brothers going to or
from Charleston would suddenly be miss
ing, and no possible clue to their where.
abouts could be obtained. Public excite
ment. as may. be supposed, was wrought
up to the highest pitch, until finally
there came sudden and horrible sol1-
tion to the mystery.
One night-so tradition saith-a be.
lated traveller, on his way to Charleston,
stopped at the inn. Sitting at the inn,
in the bar, slipping his toddy, it sud-
denly occurred to him that the actions of
his host and hostess were somewhat Pc
culiar. The fate OF other travellers in
that section probably made his sense of
danger more than usually acute, and he
resolved to be sharply on the alert. He
was shown to- his room by his obliging
host, and when the steps of the latter
died away on the stair, be made careful
inspection Of the surroundings. He dis.
covered, among other things, that the
bed upon which he was expected to
sleep was ingeniously fitted in slides, so
that it could be lowered with ease to the
ground-hoor beneath. Other ciroum-
stances convincing him that he was in a
trap OF some kind, he blew out his light
and patiently awaited developments. A
little after midnight, he heard stealthy
steps on the stairs, and he Immediately
put himself In position to defend him
self. The steps drew nearer and nearer,
and fnally the door, which was guiItless
OF either lock or latch, was cautiously
opened, and the hospitable host stepped
in. The traveller felled him with chair,
and made his escape to the city, CLOSELY
pursued byboth man and wife. who fol.
lowed him nearly to the city limits. In
formation was at once conveyed to the
authorities, and guard was sent ont to
the inn and the wretches arrested. The
investigation that followed revealed pit
belo v. the room in which the traveller AS
10 have rested. In this pit were found
the reWains Of all who had so ,myate-
Iiously disappeared. The spectacle was
q most ghastly one, and tho revelation of
such atrocfty created, in that primitive
day, much more intense thrill of hor-
ror through the country than the Bender
butcheries, and justice was swift in over
taking the murderer and his accomplioe.
Horrible DKATH.-Leyi Souls, who
killed Noah Sutton, both white men, in
Marion County, in February last, was
hanged, yesterday. The two mem were
employed as fat hands on the Pee Dee
River, and the testimony was that all
hands on board had been freely drink
ing. Souls, drawing q pistol, under
drunken excitement. discharged it to-
wards house on the river bank. Sutton
demonstrated. with him against this &C.
tion, being less reckless or more sober
than his companion. who, provoked at
the interference, fred upon Sutton, kill.
ing him instantly. The murderer was
promptly arrested and brought to trial at
once beioreth court then in session, con
victed and sentenced to be hung on the
10th OF the present month. He WAS,
however. reapited uutil the 23d, by the
Governor of the State. when the SEN
tenee Of the court was duly pnt into exc
cntion. In appearing upon the gallows
he presented thin aud worn look. with
indications that life could not be long
spared him even if the gallows was
cheated OF it's prey. His own statement
of the affair was that he was drunk and
could not remember committing the act.
On the scaffold he expressed penitence,