The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-12-14
VENG EANCE, SWIFT AND SURE.

Il -
Details OF tho Horrible Crime rl,rce M
groes, 1nstigatcd by CupjdIty, Brutal,
murder Young md Harmless atly-
Tho Guilt Fully Provctl--Hamged to In,
Nearest Tree.
Correspondence Of the News and Courier
NEW ZION, December 9.-In the alb.
sence ofa representative of your pa,
per, and at the request Of many citi.
zens, both black and white, send yo,
herewith full and true statement OF
the murder Of Mrs. Kennedy, and the
punishment of her assassins.
On Sunday last, the 9th instant, Mr.
Thos. Kennedy, living near Salem, in.
tending to visit Charleston, went over
to his fathers house a little after noon,
short distance from his own, to ask
his mother to stay with wife during
his absence. Mr.. Kennedy's wife was
formerly Miss Ada Wright, of Darl.
ington, had only been married about
a year md expected soon TO present to
her husband the first pledge of their
mutual love. She was young lady
only l9 or 20 years of age, intelligent
and refined and highly respected bv ali
who knew her. When her husband
left she shut the door Of the house and
sat by window to write a letter to
her mother, little dreaming Of the ter
rible fnte that SO soon awaited her. AS
She sat there she saw in tho yard Joe
Barnes, colored boy about l6 years
old, who had been employed by Mr..
Kennedy the previous week, and sus,
pccting no harm she asked him to
bring her all armful Of wood This
boy had been induced by two negroes
living hcur by, Vance Brandt and his
sister Julia. ngcd respectively is and Is,
to hang around tho premises, and
when Mr.. Kennedy lett the place give
Il signnl TO Vunrc and Julia who Eept
themselves concealed in a thickct
This couple had heard of Mr.. Kennc.
dy'S Intentions to visit Charleston, and
thinking that he would have Il good
deal ofmoncy in the house determined
to break in and get ii. When Jur
turned to 20 for tic wood he gave Tic
SigI,I amt soon met Vance coming
into the yard. Vance asked him whcrc
Mrs. Kennedy was. and went in,mr.
N,airly to the window and three times
tried to get IN and three times he was
shovel out by Mrs. Kennedy. Finding
nc was determined to get in she open,
ed I he front door, ran through the
yard, and was just going through tnc
gate when Vance SHntchcU up IL hoe
lying near. overlook her at the gate
and Knocked her down. She imulo,ct
mercy and told him she would Give
him all the money she had il he would
onI! spare her lie. lie cursed her and
said, "l's been waiting To XIII YOU
a long time" nnd at that stuck he,
tw" more blows, in attempting TO
avcit " hich, i; is supposed. her hand
was broken JIst then Julia came n,
W tn Ano'l.cr ioc aud severed hci
head.
When Mr.. Kennedy returned about
three hours afterwards he found his
wife lying outside the front gate, mn.
lilated, cold and stiff. her head ulmos.
severed III twain. The entire Uranium
was cuI OF from ear to car, leaving
the brains scattered around on the
ground.
A jury Of inquest being held, re.
turned verdict OF "mlurdcr in the
highest degree by unknown hands. -
Several colOrca persons were arrested
on Monday; but no clue to their uuil,
being Obtained. were promptly rclcas.
cd. On Tuesday the colorcd bov, Joe
Barnes. was arrested. lie showed SC
much confusion Oh being questioned
as TO his whereabouts on Sunday tha,
only lew questions served to bring
out his full confession from which tht
above account is taken. Vance anf
Julia denied having anything to liz
with It, but tho clothes which the,
wore on Sunday were very bloody
with small particles Of brains upol
them. The money and pistol of Mr.
X. found in thcir possession were
! bloody, and OH being questioned ubou
the blood upon their clothes, the wo
man said she had killed Il chicken ant
tho man said he had killed. some part
ridges. On close examination tht
bloody finger prints on the hoe handl,
corrospomdcd precisely with those o.
tho shaw! worn bv tho woman on tht
ill-tatcd day, which circumstance haf
as great weigh; to coovict her rs tn,
testimony Of the boy.
AS was natu, II the community be
came SO enraged and infuriatcd tha
a crowd of citizens, numbering be
tween two hundred and fifty and thrc,
hundred both white and colored, af
ter due deliberatfon, decided to han,
the murdercrs to the nearest tree II
sight OF the place where the murdc
was committed. After sati factor,
examination, which fixed their Guilt
ropes were adjusted to the neares
tree, q cart was pushed undcr tho tree
and the prisoners ordered to monn,
Justthen Joe Barnes begged TO b,
allowed to pray, and commenced Il,