The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-28
Vincent and E'urman De-
spatched at sumter.
SCENES ON THE SCAFTOLD.
Both Colored Culprits Proclaim
Their Innocence.
a White Han Suffers the Extreme Pen
atty at Abbeville.
SUMTER, S. c., March 81, 1874

expiated on The galows IN the death, by hanging,
OF Aaron Furman and Sam Vincent, both negroes.
The crime was terrible and atrocious. but the
retribution was sure and swift. Never in the an
nails OF Jurisprudence did stern justice with such
unerring certainty pursue, arrest, arraign, try,
convict, condemn and execute wretches in human
form who SO wantonly and dastardly took the liie
OF an innocent and unolrending fellow being.
HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
On the night OF Monday, the 9th OF February last,
three negroes named respectively Aaron Furman,
Samuel Vincent and Spencer Bradford, met here
and held a consultation, the subject OF which was
plumber and robbery, but which, however, were
to be preceded by the still greater crime OF muir
der. With remarkable unanlmity they agreed as
20 their purpose, and before they sepa-
rated that night their plans were perfected
and arranged even to the minutest detail
and In the most systematic order. The store OF
Messrs. Kicker Ferlter was selected as the one
TO be plundered, and their clerk, MIR. Henry Wide
Kind, young German, was marked as the victim
OF their contemplated bloody deed. Tuesday the
night following the preliminary meeting. was set
apart the time when their plans were to be
carried out; but, well matured as they were, the
murderers were frustrated IN their first attempt,
and Tuesday night passed of without the stain
OF horrible crime. 1t was the custom OF
Mr.. Widekind TO close the store of his en-
ployers every night at eight O'Clock, to take
the cash out OF the drawer, place 1t his breast
pocket, extinguish the lights lock the front door,
take the key with him and go home, where he
was welcomed by young wife and two handsome
little children. With all these habits, and his
route down Main street Two squares and up Cal
houn 70 his house. the murderers were familiar,
and they counted with certainty upon their vic.
tim and the booty that was to follow. Unfortu-
nateiy Tor them on Tuesday night Mr.. Wldeklnd
was accompanied on his way home by an old col
cred porter named Lnias Carter. whose presence
deferred the concealed assassins from making their
bloody assault.
THE MURDER.
Twenty-four hours passed and that fatal W cdnes-
day night had arrived. The assassins were posted,
two OF them behind trees Calhoun street aud one
OF them on cross street. whose duty 1t was to
keep watch and signal the murderers If any one
approached while they were engaged in their muir
derous work. one Of them, Vincent was armed
with blunt hatchet stolen from the store which
they intended to rob- Poor widekind Tor the last
time took the money, locked the store, and
placing the key in his pocket, proceeded
homewards. Little did he dream that
three black fends were then lying in
walt for him. The night was dark, the streets
deserted, though the hour was only about seven
were two cOwardly assassins Leisurely home
ward strolled the young German. Nc companion
was with him that night, who unconsclously might
have saved his lie. The corner Of Nam and Cal
noun streets Is reached and he turns DIP the latter
suddenly there sprang from behind a tree a black
orm. Wldeklnd saw 1t Tor an instant with It's
uplifted arm against the dark sky, and then
terrific blow was dealt him on the lett side OF the
forehead. His only exclamation was 40 Godln
Blood spurted nom his wound in every direction,
but he started to run back, when from another
there sprane another assassin, who caught the poor
German by Bs arms behind his back. and held him
as II In vice. Then up came assassin No. with
MS bloody Ratchet, and he dealt blow after blow,
with all the brutal force his African was capa-
bic Oh, until eleven irightiul gasbes were made
upon tue mead ANY one OF which sufficient to
cause death) OF the unfortunate young man. This
over the second assassin then let 90 his hold OF
WideKind, and he tell 10 the ground a bloody and
mutiated corpse. At this moment the third OF the
came up. He found Vincent still with the Ratchet
IN front of the corpse, and Furnan behind 1t.
PLUMBER.
With all possible haste the roll OF money, amount.
ing TO about SIS, was taken from an inner pocket
OF the vest. The other pockets were then rihed of
their contents; pistol, which the murdered man
carried, his watch, chain and several other articles
being quickly appropriated, and the murderers
they did not stop until they reached a
vacant lot upon the opposite side OF
the town. where the money aud articles
Tears, no division oil the spoils was made, an adj
Journment to the following night being agreed
upon Tor that purpose. Bradford at that meeting
was promised an equal share with the two primer
pal assasslns; but that division was never made,
nor was the money, watch or pistol ever seen to
this day. Bradford repaired TO his home, while
the other two went to the kitchen OF a citizen
here where they spent the night with woman Of
their own color.
DISCOVERY OF THE MURDER.
hali an hour mad elapsed and the murdered
man lay on the Sidewalk, not 300 yards from his
n ttyn ann .la af
dlVlne worship within easy hearing OF the clock
Oh the county Court House. and surrounded by the
oWeilpgs oil MS friends, his blood saturating the
SAND, nus body growing cold and stin in death, and
yet no one save ns red-handeo assaSsins knew That
TINS 1oul decd had been committed At last there
came Dy colored man named Louis barr. who
nearly stumbled over the body before ne saw it.
he nrst imagined 1t to be some drunken
man who had fallen on the sandy sidewalk and
went to sleep; but closer examination revealed
to him that the man was bloody that MS face was
so covered with gore he could not tell whether he
was black or white man, that his limbs were
rigid. that he was dead, and that a terrible muir
der had recently been committed. Startled as
came frightened, and, running down town, he
gave the alarm IN hall frantic manner to such OF
the streets, and soon the whole town was
aroused The hour was then only a little
past eight O'Clock. Whites and blacks turned out
alike, torches and lanterns flashed upon the
streets nurrying along to the scene OF the murder
where the body was soon surrounded by large
crowd OF excited aud alarmed people. The sight
that met their gaze was appalling. The features
OF poor NidekInd were Neutrality-suspicious., the
skull was crushed in several places the brain
ooziDg from the CHASTITY wounds; the scalp hung
In large pieces from his head the hair was matted
with blood and brains; his clothes were torn
and despatched with gore. and even the
adjoining wooden fence was irescoed over
with splasbes OF his likelihood. The body
was then removed to the hall OF a fire COM
pany OF which he had been member. This was done
because MS wife was eHCef3te at the time, physl-
clans declaring that the sight OF his corpse as 1t
was Then might result fatally TO her. Throughout
tne Wnoe Of That night scarcely anybody slept,
creased more than ever. No one felt safe In
community Where such daring outrage had been
committed Every citizen went armed, and when
night came eacn man and boy carried pistol, aud
ready LOOKING out Tor an assassin at every step.
Never In the history Of the quiet and orderly
county OF Sumter was there such scene OF excite
ment and actuai terror, and 1t is TO be
hoped there never VIII be again. To their credit
De II SAID the peyroes evinced thorough sense
o. tne enormlty Oh tnls crime, and were loud In