The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-06-02
A FEARFUL TRAGEDN.

INew York Hernld.l
rAtsoSs. Duplin o., N. q. MAY 25. 1877,

New York Herald.l
TarepSs nupln Co., ~ q, May 25. 1870
A mysterious tragedy was enacted
near this station. on the Wilmington
and Weldon Railroad. IN January last.
| A white man named r. b. Hatch was
assassinated i'm the early hours Of O dark
winter night, while sitting. In his own
house receiving three gunshot wounds.
from which he died few days after
wards. Coroner Lafayette Smith. Of
Duplin county. came to the spot. sum
moned Jury of the bystanders aud held
an inquest. II was IN evidence at the
inquest that the murdered man
was reckless aud Incorporate, a.
cruel husband aud father. aud had,
on the day Of his death. severely beaten
his wife and locked her into n room
for another ilogging. which he threaten
ell to administer on the morrow. At the
same time he had driven HE younger
children, three I'm number, with curses
out Of doors. Testimony was also taken
TO the lace that three nearLy~einultane
ous discharges of gun We're heard at OF
near Hatch's house that night soon |
after dark. No one. however. OF the |
witnesses examined had seen anything /
which tended 60 indicate who was guilty |
of the homicide. Although the deceased |
had fingered for several days after re-
ceivng his mortal wounds he had made
no dying declaration which implicated |
any person as his assassin. The whole /
matter was q horrible and apparently |
impenetrable mystery. The Coroners
jury returned verdict that Hatch came
to his death at tho hands Of some per
son OF persons to them unknown
Hatch had insured his life. some time
previous to the murder with the North
Carolina Home Life Insurance Com
pany, for the benefit of certain cf his
children. The policy was for $500 The
agent at Wilmington refused
to make payment. upon the ground That
he had reason TO believe that the death
Of the insured had been procured by tie
Of the policy. Two de,ec-
tives. Cameron and Martin. were en-
ployeI, il il said. for large contingent
fee, TO work NJ the ease. These detec-
Iives nj length. after quest Of months.
ahadowed man named Weeks. who
had married one Of Hatchs elder
daughters Some slight outgivinEs and
,ther clcws were fastened upon which
suggested that Weeks knew more about
he Staying Of Hatch than he was dis ,
posed to reveal He was confronted and +
charged with being accessory to the
,rime He denied his own participation.
,ut. being thoroughly frightened.
lNcuIpATEp THr LITTLE CHILDREN
whom Hatch had turned ont Of the
louse on that fatal night in mid winter :
Two nf these children are boys. one aged 4
sixteen and the other ton. and the third .
8 a girl of some twelve years In order to 2
yet something IN the nature Of evidence !,
against them the detectives proposed to i
ecret themselves in some bushes near &
he roadside. 40 that they might over
lear n conversation which Weeks was =
@ have with the accused. Accordingly {
Weeks led young negro man. whom he q
lad also charged with completely in the y
murder, toward the covert. before reach
ny which. however. the negro. suspect a
ne something. refused to proceed =
urthrr. saving. loud enough for the !.
aen in ambush TO hear. that he didn't n
tant to talk any more about it. The a
wo boys. alIatch's sons, were next 4
rought within earshot Of tho detectives. II
ihcn Weeks talked over the circum- q
tanccs or the murder with thom. The
ovs spoke of their dead fathers releut ~
nsa cruelty TO them and to their mother. 7
nd admitted that u
THEY SHOT AND kIIIEp HIM. t.
he gun having beon handed 10 them by i
heir little sister They implicated the 81
egro above mentioned rs having fired 81
nc of tho fatal shots The boys and \,
he negro were at once arrested aud !,
aiken on the 18th inst. before n Justice "
1 the noace at this place for examina- n
ion, The proceedings were postponed W
ntil to-day in order to obtain the at IL
enhance Of counsel from Goldsboro
iawyor Granger arrived here about y.
u. and the preliminary examination
roceedcI. resulting in the committing ,.
f the accused for trial at the next term
{ the Duplin County Superior Court.
-hich begins next week at kenanav.lle "
here is a strong and general sympathy
" the unfortunate children. unfwith-
landing their unnatural act Strange
} say. the only apparent motive which n
npelled these almost infant parrioidea "
'as love for their much maltrcated u
lother, and purpose - ayenEo her II
'rongs ii