The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-01-27
EVER PRESENT HORROR
IN THE GREAT NEGRO DISTRICTS
OF THE SOUTHERN STATES.
The Recent Terrible Crime by Black Demon
In South Carolina.
special to Chicago Times. !


NewberTy, s. g., Jan. 2o.-The full details Of the
horrible murder Of Miss wertz and the subse.
quent lynching Of the murdereTs, near Prospect.
~, In this county, have just reached here. The
murder occurred rear that place on Monday eve.
ming last but the body Of the victim was not
found until the afternoon Of the next day, when
II was discovered concealed In q dense thioket, o
few hundred yards from the residence Of her fa-
ther,a wealthy cotton planter Of this county. The
body Of the unfortunate lady was found by some
farm laborers returning home from their days
work. The face Of Miss Weriz was fearfully dis.
figured by heavy blows inflicted by heavy stick
or club. Her clothes were torn and disaranged,
and she bore other evidences Of deed even more
horrible to contemplate than her murder. The
laborers recognized the face Of the lady, and at
once communicated the unhappy information
10 her father On Monday afternoon Miss Werz
started from her fathers house TO visit brother
who lives about half mile away. About dark
che started back home. She was never seen
again until her body was found The crime
caused the most intense excitement thro'out the
neighborhood. Word was passed from neighbor
to neighbor, and within twelve hours after the
finding OF the body of the lady 1t was known TO
almost every man within circuit ol 40 miles
Towards night hundreds of men assembled at
Prosperity coming from all sections Of the cOun
try. The indignation Of the people ran sN high
that II was seen at glance that the capture Of
the perpetrators Of the horrible deed meant In
stantaneous death for them. Rough farmers and
farm laborere gathered about the scene Of the re-
cent tragedy and discussed II In whispered tones
and with menscIng air, and the names OF those
against whom suspicion pointed were given.
Miss Wertz was highly educated, accomplished,
and Wondrously beautiful, 1t was no wonder
that she was favorite in the neighborhood and
a great belle Under these circumstances II is not
strange that her terrible fate aroused such ndig-
nation among her friends. In the crowd Of men
assembled around the spot where her innocent
blood had been shed, and where she had met
with such dIshoDored death, were half a score
Of young men who had been more than Ordinari.
| ly interested in Miss Wertz. These were lopdest
II their dennnciations Of the deed, and manifest.
cd the greatest determination to pursue and
when found to visit speedy death upon the klay
ers OF their hearts idol
The body Of the murdered girl was removed to
the residence Of her father, where 1t was viewed
by hundreds Of the neighbos. srorg, rough
men, shed tears at the sight Of the mangled body
Of the delicate girl and each vowed in his heart
to take the law into his own hands and visit 1t
upon the perpetrators Of the crime Suspicion
attached to two negroes, named 9pearman and
Sam Fair, who were arrested and lodged in the
guard house. By their own confession their
guilt was put beyond question.
THE INQUEST AND LYNCHINa
An inquest was held upon the body Of Miss
Be- lie wertz, and the finding Of the jury was that
she came 10 her death by choking and other vic.
lent outrRges and criminal assaults upon her per-
son with the most diabolical purposes, and that
she was killed by David spearman and Sam
Fair.
Miss Wertz left her fathers house In the after
noon. Two colored men, who were working on
Wertza farm, saw her leave. Sam said that Dave
told him that he intended TO meet her aa she re-
turned home from her brothers that evening and
assault her. He said he told Dave not to do 1t.
They were plowing together when this oolloquy
took place. Shortly after Mr., Wertz stopped
Dave from plowlng and put him at other work,
which was unfortunately near the place where
Miss Bessie would have to return. He (Dave)
went to the spring which she would have to re-
pass, While there he sang as q signal for Sam to
come to his assistance. but Sam says he would
not &C. After supper he and Dave left Mr.. Wertz
to go to neighbours house. When they reached
the spring he wanted to go the path on which the
dead body was afterwards found, Dave told him
not go that way, as somebody was up there.
They went a short distance and separated. Dave
confessed to being behind 9 pine near the path
that Miss Wertz would take to return. As she
passed he caught and choked her and accom-
! plished his purpose. He then