Middletown transcript., 1874-12-12

/ The finding Of Randolph Rhett dead
in his library, on the evening Of Octo-
Der %. 1858. gave rise 10 considerable
it.sxeitement. The sudden. taking OF oi
60 prominent member of the Carolina
Legislature a. Mt. Rhett Vas to be de-
1 plorsd BY The entire State. and when il
became known that be had been nur-
dsred, I thrill Of horror shot through
every lesrt.
Mr.. Rhstt's library vas situated en-
| he ground aoor Of his spacious snd
magnificent mansion. The eastern
windows looked ont upon beautiful
palmetto grove, while the southern
ones revealed the loyeliness Of flower
garden.
The legislator had never married,
but his roof sheltered : lovely girl Who
bore bis name. His nephew, ) young
Georgian named Parks Moultrie, r.
sided With him. The youth was read
ing lls~ under the Colonel. IS Mr..
Rhets was called throughout the State.
and it vas be who had found him dead
among biz books and legal papera.
When the student entered tie room
It eight o'clock on the fatal morning,
be ftnnd bis upcis1 bowed uPoa The
desk. like :. weary person mapping.
Ht did not na1ilest any surprise st
this. isr ths. Colonel. .oif,n. rose i, four u
read or wrote till seven. to fall asleep
agsin 10 the position / have. in = word.
described. Moultfis Il am writing |
from his testimony slicitsd at the in |
quest -took ! legal volume from the |
bookcase. and threw himself into . |
chsir near one Of the southern win
dews, the sash Of which Was raised.
He opened the volume 4 ! page where
several slips Of paper had been placed
By some one. and sudden breath of
southern breeze lifted them from Tie
book. One piece alighted directly BE-
nsath the Colonel. and the youth
thought to recover it without discom-
moding his relative He left the chair,
and vas putting his 6shd beneath the
kastssI rhen denoted dark red,spot
lf6se ETIo1;r
.Ss it looked like Blood, be started
"a tfisa 70 Issksh1 fhe Colonel. Fail
ng' 70 % 90 ~ gspsls shaking. be
aised bis head and saw the unmistak-
bic stare Of death IN his eyes. There
,sis ,ss a,rsd stain on bic wallsironea shirt
fort i Va the wound of ths HE
slttoyink dagger. The oOIoasI had |
eSn dad ssysssi hours. Palks Moul-
rsis si soald ,ses this at glanes.
~ III moi iouse the hotss until be
"a xaminsd The room, The Colenel's
,oney had not bes . touched; bic ps-
ersrvere intact. Then ! What motive
rompted Ibe murder /? Revenge! Col
net Khest had no avowsd enemies Who I
,ould Tstoep to the level of. shs mid
igbsl asssssip He did n0t fear the
: EAeaFhy y blow; ,.;,;;.s ..a., ], s..... q,
fa'.My foes are ehivaifous, \ be was !
ont to say.l '.s'a az whsn they 4 van. q re-
engs. jiks gentlemen, to the field Of
onoss they willbeall ms. :" gaa II
Psrk Moultfis found /. 81 bruised daisy i
# 0n' ilfhs siindov esiil. !, II bore the {
npriht Of shoe uails, and Il told the I
paihs that his snslss ial,in. assassiin. had 4
lined ne house through lie foyer i
ssdsn. ~ He he'd preserved tbs Leaf, &
'dasxhibited ii y sbse' eorssps,r's ,s jury.
have - said stl that a the papers of .hs de- :
'ssst vsre found intlet Bat 1 mys- d
y new ybothsrsd Tie D minds Il of many. i q
5iu, which ths Colonel Va known b
a'bsvs written; could NOT be found, Il
ough the msnsiennxas searched thor Il
81 s. Aqsen( n (tlns'a . y z AZ lat, deeply 6
lsisd aeeag some old lestsrs.es codi- ii