The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-03-03
A TRAGEDY IN HARTWELL, GA.
Henry Hill, n Negro Prisoner, Kills T. =
Shelton, the Jailor, md Escapes Jail.
From the Hart,reR (Ga.) Sun.

From the HartueN (Ga.) Sun.
On the night of the 23d ultimo, just
after sunset, Mr.. Thomas Y. Shelton, the
jailor of Hart County, vent into the Jail
to feed and water Henry Hill, alias Hen
rv Turner, coored, who was the only
occupant, and who has been confined
therein for some months under charge
of burglary, preferred against him by
the Grand Jury at the last term Of Hart
Superior Court. Mr. Shelton had left
his store just about sunset, remarking to
Mr.. J. l.. Snipes, his copartner, that he
was going to attend to the prisoner and
go home early, as his wife was in great
distress, having just heard Of the death
of her brother, Mr.. N. X. Sullivan, of
Anderson, S. c. Mr.. Snipes thought
nothing strange of his not returning to
the store, and Mrs. Shelton, supposing
that her husband was at the store, suf-
fered no great uneasiness. About eight
o'clock at night Mr.. Snipes needed kew
which Mr.. Shelton had, and sent Il note
up to Mr.. Skeletons requesting him to
send the key, when it was ascertained
that Mr.. Shelton was not 1t home. This
caused considerable uneasiness, and after
search had been made at the various
stores in town, Mr.. Dobbins, the clerk of
Mr.. Shelton, and others, went to the Jail
and found the outer door open. They
entered and assembled the stairway to the
inner door, which opens into the hall
fronting the cells. They found that open,
and just inside the hall door lay the dead
body of poor Tom Shelton, his head hor-
ribly and cruelty mangled, and Henry
gone. Next morning Mr.. Allan McGee,
the Coroner, summoned an inquest, and
after hearing the evidence the jury rem
dered verdict, that Thomas V. Shelton
was murdered by Henry Hill, alias Hem
ry Turner, and recommended that the
Governor offer reward of fivo hundred
dollars for his apprehension. The man
ner in which the prisoner succeeded in
accomplishing his hellish scheme seems
to hate 9 been as follows: During last fall
he attempted to make his escape by burn-
ing the Jail, but was detected before he
succeeded. After this he was put in an
other cell and chained until short time
ago, he got to limplng and complaining
SO much that MIR. Skelton, through his
kindness of heart, removed the chains
from Ills limbs, but still kept him con-
- ha .t0it in,
the cell fastened to the floor, which Hem
nv succeeded in breaking OFT, the portion
Of the chain link where it was broken
being left Us sharp as a DULL pocket knife.
There is small wicket or trap.dOor in
the cell large enough for an ordinary man
to squeeze through, which is used for
passing food, water, &C., into the cell
without opening the door (both the
wicket and cell door are made OF large
iron bars). The wicket is fastened by o
strong lock to large bolt staple driven
ten inches into the huge side timbers of
the door. With the piece of chain he
went to work, and by degrees tediously
cut out the wood across the inner framing
of the cell door 50 that he could drive out
the large staple, lock and all, that con-
fined tie wicket. As his work pro-
gressed he would fill the trench with
cotton and carefully smooth it over with
the lime that had been put in his cell for
disinfecting purposes so there would be
no danger OF being detected, hiding his
work from the outside OF tile cell. HAY
ing cut around the staple sufficiently, he
pushed it out and that enabled him to
crawl out of the cell into the hallway in
front of the cells through the trap-door.
lie was then in position to plan fully bis
purpose. He armed himself with pieces
OF plank torn from his bunk, end from
the appearance of the surroundings IL is
likely That he took his position in the
corner of the hall between the door enter
ing the hall and the door OF the cell, the
one he occupied being the first one ON the
right as you enter, and quietly awaited
the approach Of his victim. MIR. Skelton
unlocked the hall door, and, with q
bucket uf water in his hand, entered to
approach the cell door, and doubtless as
he took his first step into the hall re-
ceived the merciless blow OF the concealed
assassin, who. turottling him with his
left hand, dealt the blows with his right.
There were marks OH the murdered mans
neck as if he had been chnked, and ten
distinct gashes ON his head, which was
crushed most feartully, and indications
showed that while MIR. Shelton was par.
TALLY stunned by the first blow, be had
not met lis death without a desperate
struggle, but he could not cope with the
infuriated negro, who has immense
strength. And there the poor man lay in
death with his face resting in large pool
OF clotted gore. The staple that had been
forced out to enable the prisoner to open
the trap.door had been carefully pushed
back. and no sort of caution or prudence
could have enabled Mr.. Shelton to detect
the terrible preparations OF the assassin
II he had taken the precautDn to have
peeped through the bars of the hall door
he would have seen the cell door fastened
just as it usually was, and the form Of
the crouching murderer in the corner
could not possibly be observed from the
outside Ut the hall door. And thus with
out any means of suspicion the poor
murdered man went right into the vii
lain's horrible clutches and violently
perished by his murderous hands.
THE MURDERER,
Henry Hill, alias Henry Turner, is no.
toriously desperate character. For the
last few years he has been addicted to
gambling and stealing. In 1876 lie was
confined in the Hartwell Jail under q
charge Of larceny, and, in company with
Dan Burriss. succeeded in escaping there
from. at the last September term OF
Hart Superior Court the Grand Jury
found true bill against him for burglary,
and under that Charge he has been con-
fined in Jail since. AZ short time after
said term, during the early part of last
November, he again attempted to escape
Jail by burning out, but was detected.
He is about six feet two or three inches
high, dark ginger-cake color, peck
marked. about 45 wears old, quick.
spoken, walks erect, has double thumbs,
and is rather raw-b0ned. The citizens OF
the town and community are terribly
shocked at the murder.
THE VICTIM,
Mr.. Thomas v. Shelton, the unsuspecting
jailor who was nangled to death by this
desperate scoundrel, was one of our best
citizens. He was noble, generous, up
right, Christian gentleman, and faithful
ly discharged his duties in all the posi-
tinns of life.. He was 90 years of age.
His death is great loss to our commu-
nifty. He was married twice, and by his