The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-11-24

We wee ODD that about one undved men
were in search for them Monday afternoon.
In search Of them. The community is In such
u state us to be ready 70 believe nearly any
thing they may hear.
TIE OPINION ENTERTAINED BY %
is. that the people OF that section are en'lrciy
OF the track rs 10 the real perpctrR:ors Of me
crime. md 1t may be that reports are put III
circulation to divert attention rom the cnl,
prlts. There are circumstance which has led
at least - few persons To have an opinion 10.
tally different from the generally ,!ccep!ea
theory. Two years ago Mr.; Maddox : uWeil-
Ing was burnt; three weeks before his death.
a new pasture gate which separated his stock
WAS cut to pieces and totally dcst royed; last
Wednesday night the murder was committed.
II is not impossible for the same emmy I"
have committed all these rhine Mr.. Mad
doX was u man who lived almost entirely. to
himself. He was q quiet aud peaccable citi-
zen. Free from gossip. Always paid his debtS,
and In no way was nc mn aggressive man IN
the offensive sense 0f the word. 1t Is ouropih-
Ion that II n detective were sent there NC
would soon cStouish the natives.
AFTER THE MURDER,
a well-worn wool hat, on which was consider
able cotton lint was found under the BODY o!
Mr.. Maddox. In another place. near the spot
where the trunk was recovered, q bandker-
chief was found with eye-holes and mouth
hole, BACKED around the holes with shoe.
backing, and strings attached for the evident
PURPOSE OIL tltllE nECulC IL uCSHl
pistol was also found, which, was carried to
Mr.. John Wilson Mt Honea Path. VINO pro
nouuced II u piece OF n smith 4 Messon pig.
tol, of q larger Size than Is ordinarily loundin
this section.
AT MRS. TAfLoR'S
we were met by tho good lady herself, who
is the only sister OF the deceased. We were
soon seated by n comfortable fire, %hen we
Informed her Of the nature OF our business.
She then related the facts substantially as We
have given them, and she expressed ana
seemed to feel an anxiety to have the muir
dererS OF her brother ca .ght and brought 10
justice; and inquired Of US what officcr usu-
ally Offered the reward In such cases. When
We informed her that the Governor OF the
state would, no doubt. offer q suitable reward
as soon ,s lie was officially informed Of the
crime, she seemed greatly pleased. III q little
while
MRS. MADDOX CAME OUT,
brincin. In her arms an infant less than n
year old. She is at least thirty years M
Maddox's juror, and by no means IN ili.ia'
vorcd lady. She appears to bear her alnlc-
ton with he nerve OF q stout heart, ana way
willing to i\npart ATTY information that she
could. The tact Is. however, that she was 70
badly frightened that she was able 10 tell
but little of the difficulty and the killing,
We were informed, though We did not hear
Mrs. Maddox speak as 10 this point, that
TIE LITTLE CHILDREN WE'RE FAST ASLEEP
during the occurrence; that they lay In their
beds alone, white the mother went to Mr..
Vermill,on's house, and during the time that
the robbers were ransackirg the house.
MADDOX AND HIS ELDEST DAUGHTER
slept in the bed facing the door, while Mrs:
and the smaller children occupied
the bed before which the door shutter opened
and partially screened from her view the va
movements OF the murderer. MIS-. Mad
was so much excited at the time or the
murder hat she was unable to rcco.icct
Mr.. Maddox and his murderer had
laid S.iflcpf Ia nflS nm e4Ph other or whether
Mr.. Maddox had only raised the tonss IN Il
threatening manner, but she seemed to think
her husband did not strike his a>sailant.
She was inclined to the opinion that 1t Is pos
siblc tia: Mr.. Maddox would not have been
killed IL he had given up bis money when the
demand was made upon him: But" she
added, "Mr. Maddox was not that kind OF n
man. He would defend his rights under any
the house. IT. took nearly all that he had 10
pay his taxes. lam sorry now that lie didn't
give them his money"
THE LITTLE BOY SHOOTS.
After the murderers had accomplished their
and had gone away the lad return
ell, got his gun aud fired II OF In tho air, In
alnlesS manner.
II ALARM
was given and q great numbe OF the neigh
murder. The corpse was taken In the
house and cared for.
GUARDING III BRIDGE.
In a very short time after the killing m
armed Guard was put vt the bridge to Inter-
cept any one who might attempt to pass.
But no one came.
SOMETHING OF WILLIAM MADDoN's LIFE.
He was born within a milo OF the spot
he was murdered. and had lived in that
neighborhood ali his life. He was perhaps
siyty-eight years OF age. He lived a life OF
scclusion from society. and devoted his ener.
GIGS chiefly to the accumulation OF wealth,
and never married until seven or eight years
Brown. whose maiden name WAS Maddox.
They have three chlldren-the youngest being
ten months old.
HIS wEAITTt
He died the owner Of one Of the best mills
on the river. and IL said tn have hecn the own
land In that community, while he had thou.
sands OF dollurS at Interest.
THE WONDER TO Us
will be, II tho murderers In this Instance do
mt set up and establish n plea OF selE.defence.
Did not Maddox pursue his a~ssailant7 Did he
NOT retreat as he fred? Some uries we doubt
would reality excuse a man for killing anoth-
or In IL case Of selt-dcfence like this. II our
inrics do not do their duty better and more
fearlessly we shall soon sce this country going
TO the bad
HIS EccENTRIcITIEs.
IAlI'iVheh .uis MAMMA o "FSltu III uillDunl
was equal to the richest In his community,
yet the poorest tenant on his place had as
many OF the comforts Of life as he enjoyed.
TRYING TO LIVE The L1FE OF = CHRISTIAN.
In his latter years he has striven with vary.
Ing success to live In accordance with the re-
Quircments made OF man by his Creator. and
some two or three years ago ne Joined the
Rapt!st church at Turkey Creek. For ono who
had lived so long without the restraints whici
the Church puts on man he found the Chris
tian'S life no easy one He w~nsalways regard
ed rs an honest man. mi never failed to pay
every debt which he may have contracted.
AN ARREST
A negro man from the neIghborhood OF
Honea Path, whose name we have forgotten,
was sent to Abbcville Jail two or three days
ago, charged with being one or the murdarcrs.
Trial Justice Young. who committed him,
thinks there Is very little evidence against
him. On our trip yesterday we saw one oil
the gentlemen who arrested him. He said II
was in evidence thnt the negro was abcent
from home on the afternoon previous to the
killing, and when be returned next day he
had mud on his pant,looDs.