The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-05-02
i BRUTAL MURDER.

q .H o. ID"
The western portion of this county,
lying between .Graniteville and the
Savannah River, was on, F:iday the
18th, thrown into the most intense
excitement on discovering that one Of
the most diabollcal murders in the
annals of crime had been committed
in that neighborhood. The murdered
man was Mr.. Hasting Holley, an ole
ar. and L respected ap tc tct' citizen Of Grcgg town
ship.
Some 25 or so yenrs ago, Mr.. Wi
ley Floyd married Caroline McCen-
don. During the war Floyd became
too intimate with his wife's sister,
Lizzie McClendon, and since the war
has been living with both, and is the
father of some twelve children by the
former, and the reputcd father Of six
by the latter. About a year ago
Hasting Holleyreported Wiley Floyd
who is lis brother in-iaw, for bas-
taEdy. The case came up before Es-
quiro Southall, Of Langley, and on
the evidence of this woman, Lizzie
McClcndon, the justice made Floyd
give bond for the support of two of
her children. Some three weeks
since he was reported to Justice Sims,
of Graniteville, and Saturday, the
18th of April was appointed for tic
trial. But neither Floyd nor Mr..
Hasting Holley, who was the princi.
pal witness against Floyd, was pres
ent. hIr. Jack Floyd, a son Of Wiley
Floyd, stated 10 the Court that his
father was too sick TO attend the
trial and in his name asked contin!
uance. The trial was postponed un-
til the following Monday. Again
both Mr.. Floyd and Mr.. Holley we're
absent, the former pleading sickness,
asked through his son that the case
should be continued until the follow
ing Saturday. Justice Sims issued
summons for Mr.. Hollcy which was
carried to his residence the following
Thursday evening. The constable
was informed by Mrs. IIolley, (tho
wife of Hastin -; sey,) that her
had len nome On Friday,
the 11th, to attend the first trial and
that she had not seen him since, and
that size supposed he was with his
relatives either at Graniteville or
Vaucluse. The constable told her
that he was not at either OF those
places. She then became alarmed
and on the morning following, Fri
day, the 18th, the ncighbors began
search. They took the road to
Graniteville which he Lad taken
when he had left home on the even
ing before the day appointed for the
trial, for being very old and quite in.
iiTmi, walk Of that distance was no
small task, and he started the even
ing previous that he might have plen-
ty of time to make the trip and that
he might have time to rest before tue
trial began. His relatives and friends
who were searching for him or rather
his body, for their suspicious Of foul
play had ripencd into certainty,
found his body in the woods about 80
or 40 yards from the road ut dis
tance Of mile from his home, and
some two hundred yards from the
house of John (or as he is better
known), Jack Floyd, on the road
leading to Graniteville. The BODY
was terribly 1nutilated. From the
signs on the ground in the vicinnity,
he had been killed or stunned in the
road and then dragged to where his
body was found, when the fcnds not
satisfied with The llte of this poor old
inofEensive man, cut his head from
the body and his hands from his arms.
The head was found near but it is not
known what was done with the hands,
as they have not yet been found.
The coroner was sent for and i'm
mediately on his arrival impancled a
jury Of inquest. The evidence before
the jury was of such q character rs to
render it necessary for him to issue
warrants for the orrest Of Wiley
Floyd, his son Jack Floyd, his wife
Mrs. Caroline Floyd and Lizzie Nc
Clcndon. And they are now in Jail
for murder.
ID. S. Henderson, Esq, has been
nkoi H., tl,o L. ~