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

stop fOoiins around with pistols and whisReS.
~.--
The Murder Of William Maddox.
Conflicting reports In reference to the kill
hs Of Mr.. William Maddox at his hoInc, near
MaddoX's Mill, on the Saluda River, IN this
.c0unty, having reached the village, u repre-
'rntalive Of the Press and Banner yesterday
cnt to the scene OF the bloody deed.
The wei Ing In which the deceased ana hls
family lived Is Il log house. with a framed
H"shcd ROOM" The cracks between the logs
composing the walls arc nicely flied With
clay and w~hi!ewashed. Noiwithstandihg
this fact, however, there are enough openings
TO secure sufficient ventilation for hySiSnic
purposes. The house is warmed by u nre-
place i've or six feet in width, in which. n hlaz-
Ing Dire on the cold morning was Il pleasing
sight 10 one who had been in the weather. Tor
four hours. In the house were. Two BEDS a
chest, \ table, u cradle, II few chairs, ana some
other articles. Some two years ago, inc resi-
<ienca OF Mr.. Maddox, which stood between
this house and The public road was burned ny
person or persons unknown 10 this oeronent,
and since that time The kitchen has been MS
ed as u dwelling for the deceased and family.
The house has Two outside doors: the front
door opening towards the public rond, ana
tho "spring uoor" opening on the opposite
side of the house, and IN the direction o; the
spring from which they used winter. In addl.
ton TO these doors there Is a door 10 The shed
ROOM" looking towards the public road:
There Is in the main part OF the house lot,
room in which the stcp-son OF the deceased
slept, aud which was reached by means OF II
ladder made OF 4 round pole split in two
pieces, when croSs-bars were put from one 10
the other. Mr.. Nermillion lived In u much
larger house about W hundred yards south
east, Sarah Maddox, a coiored woman, who
once belonged 10 Mr.. Maddox. lived two nun.
ured yards southwest OF Mr.. Fcrmlilion, and
Three hundred yards south Of the dwelling OF
the deceased, The To-, barn, stables, &C.. are
ON the opposite side OF the road, all being
within q low hundred yards of the twentieth
mile post on the road lending from Abberillc
village, ard known in that section Us the
."Cambridge road"
uun.er, it Is only necessary t. state that he
had no EsteningS to any OF the doors Of his
house, except 4 button" TO each with q screw
through the centre, the mere turning OF which
either Releases the shutter or holds 1t us the
case may be. The doors not shutting closely
could lie opened about as easily from the out
sidv as the inside OF the house. AS Il further
evidence or his fincicd safety in tho honesty
Of his neIghbors and the protesting arm or
the law 10 shield him from harm during the
Nsilent watches OF the night, we would mem
ton the fact that he had no lock on anything
IN the house except OH the top OF ali Old chest,
the hinges OF which being broken of the lock
was substituted for them.
Between eight and nine O'Clock Wednesday
night of last week, AFTER Sir. Maddox and his
family had gone TO bed, a knock was heard at
The door. Cnsuspecting the approach OF any
one with an evil intent, without hcsitating
10 ask who was there, he rose from his bed,
and opened the door i'll response 10 the knock.
Three mon were plainly visible In the moon
= light. One OF them said, as lie Wake into
the house. without being asked 10 come in:
"We want you TO let US stay all night with
you. We are wagoucrs selling wh.sKey. Our
T. wagons are stopped up the roud.'
Mr.. Maddox then said: II have no room 10
accommodate you. My house was bui ned
. two years ago."
HI Intruder then said AZ we cannot get
to stay all night With y"u, give Us some Tire,
that sc may bald Il fire OF the camp"
AL Ibis tunctUrc. OWING To The unnQtNrul
voice OF the stranger and his general be-
ha sior, and the quick perception Ola womnn',s
instinct, Mrs.. Mattoxs fears were aroused,
and she began 10 call her son. n lad OF twelve
years Of age who was sleeping upstairs.
She Cndeayored to awaken him for the up.
parent. purpose OF assisting MIR. Maddox in
supplying tie slr.nger's request for tire. Blu,
owing TO the TACT thIt be- was Il sound sleeper,
he was mol aroused until u little while latcr
To the stranger Mr.. Maddox replied
u am very. wiling 70 accommodate YOU 10 IRE
The tire IS in coals. Bring in Il board or piece
OF bark on which TO carry it away"
Intruder then stepped back into the
fora second. AS ne returned Mr.. Mad
dox was stirring his fire, with the tonss,
when the tntruder said:
ssNe would like TO get a twen'v 3oins, oil
TO this Mr.. Maddox replied 81 can't see
very we'll at night, and don't care to do SC
now. 1t may be that l Can chupge 1t for you
In the morning"
By this time Mr.. Maddox had gathered in
the tongs as much fire as he could hold with
them. and Offering 1t TO the man he said
"Medon't want hire. It's your money We
want. And we intend to have 1t, sir"
At this demand Mr.. Maddox raised his
tongs as II to strike the would be robbcr., he
gave back toward the door, Mrs. Maddox
Jumped out OF bed, ran through the door into
the'shed room."n and out ut the irint door OF
that room, while Mr.. Maddox aid his assail.
ants were IN threatening altitude. As soon
as Mr.. Maddox had followed his assailant to
lie aaarf he was shot and Instantly killed
falling out. OF the door. clearing the step,
watch is q big rock. his head making an In.
- dehtation in tho sand ns 1t struck the ground
About this time the little son appeared on
the scene; AS he ran out OF the house he
saw "Unc!e Billy lying III the ground In
front OF the door, and jumped over him. lie
did not then know whether he was dead OF
fallen down OF late. After running TO the from
gate in his fright he thought he would return
and SEQ If the old man was really dead:
= Acting on this impulse he went back, and
turned him over. and become convinced thai
life was extinct. This dcronent did not
Understand what brought out this expression
thing Ike This: III you o n behave your
self, we'll shoot you, too" One OF theli
number replied "oh, TO. he's a little hoy
We musn,t hurt him." Meanwhile
the houses Of Mr.. Nermiliion and Sarah
Maddox crying murder, robbers" 'Tbey
are killing Cousin Billy" Sarah Maddox
being easily walked was nrst to respond to the
possible, meeting Mrs. Maddox half way
Mr.. Vermiilion, not showing the nature O
deliberate in his movements. After putin.
. on his shoes, arranging his toilet, he had
cOlored maj TO accompany him To the house
of the deceased where he arrived. he think;
not longer than twenty minutes after tn,
murder. One Of the party Is said TO have beer
posted In the CHIMNEY corner guarding tn
'.spring door, and the path leading flom !
fer the purpose Of shooting Mrs. Maddo!
should she attempt TO make her escape, bu
1t Is thought she was not shot from the fac
that she ran out OF the shed room door, In al
unexpected direction.
PILLAG1SG TIL PREMISES.
Immediately after Mr.. Maddox was sho
the murderers entered the house. ransacke cd
.ket of bureau Growers, In the shed room ant
carried of u litlIe trunk. This trunk wa
sthe same which Mr.. Maddox rescued from
Two years ago. He then Carried
it into tie garden and told his wife to sit on il
.and not leave 1t. The trunk being a beav.
one, ard remembering Mr. Matdo%'s word
thought It we'll iil!ed with coin, After the!
carried 1t 10 the plum thickSt on tn,
found that it contained two dolls, a ley
rags. and q number Of undertaking for littl
children. The murderere got no money, a.t
ms mra can at a og aS TGcy took !I iie et trunk FROM FROM
; beside u chair on which was piled some quilts
and clothing. At night the t,cket book WA
put between the folds, There IL RENAME
4odisturbed. There Is 10 truth In the repor
That the murderers carried OF Mr.. MaddoN'
"land papers," They were kept In the PIN
chest 10 which reference was made as havin;
d lock but no hinges t. Its lid. Just here W.
would correct another report. The murderer
= have not been lack, as drsperadors, and havt
offered no further Insult or injury TO any
body in that section.
on q ARRIVAL IT TIL oUs
we made enquiry for Mrs. Maddox. but va,
informed that SHE was Ut the res dence OF Mrs
.TaylCr, q mile-andsa-l!alf distant up the road
where she has lived ever since the murder
Remaining on the place for d whine we saw
several persons who knew more or less Of the
sad affair. and the pumping process was com.
!. menced at once. We may % purdoned If we
refer to one Of the colored women who
seemed perfectly willing to taik about the of
lair, and seemed sorry that she could not tell
more of 1t. We believe she expressed hersell
truthIuiIy and without bias. In speaking o.
Mr. Maddox, she apparently did not mean
7 any disrespect by sp. ak .ng Of him us Mad
dox," without the usual prefix, and when
speaking Of the aides who were present. OF
f - GAt