Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-01-27
DIABOLICAL CRIME OF TWO NEGROES

Near Prosperity, in Newberry county, on
the evening of the 18th instant, as Miss Bes-
sic Werts, daughter of William Werts,
was going home from her brothers,, whom
she had been visiting, she was assaulted
by two negroes, Dave Spearman and Sam
Fair, who, after effecting their 6endish pur
poses, tied her to bush, first gagging her,
and then went to Mr.. Werts' and got their
supper afterwards, returning to their unfor
tunate victim and again committing acts of
violence, they killed her by choking her. At
the coroner's inquest, suspicion rested on the
above named parties and they were arrested,
and confession on the part of Sam first, and
then Dave, confirmed these suspicious. They
were then lodged in the guard house. On
Tuesday night they were taken from the
guard house by the infuriatad populace.
Sam was shot on the spot and left as being
dead, but Dave was carried to the spot where
the crime was committed, tied to pine tree,
and then shot. On returning, the crowd did
not find Sam, and at once search was institu-
ted. He was found at his mothers and
brought back to Prosperity. He was then
taken about one mile from town, where his
own life paid for his hellish acts, the negroes
assisting in the vindication of right.
The following particulars of the affair, as
certained subsequent to the lynching, are
furnished by a reporter for the Neus and
Courier, who visited the scene of the outrage
and telegraphed under date of last Thursday:
Miss Werts was greatly beloved in the
neighborhood where she was we'll known
and respected. Her father is large farmer
living about two miles frolu town. On Mon.
day evening, Miss Werts proceeded on visit
to her brother, about mile and quarter
from home. Dave Spearman and Sam Fair,
the former coal black negro and the latter
mulatto, each about 81 or 70, we're employed
on the place. Sam was ploughing in field
in sight of the house, Dave working near her
path. Sam was seen from the house working
in the field until supper time, Dawes position
being hidden by the trees. At supper time
both came to the house, ate supper in the
kitchen under the observation of Mr.. Werts,
VINO spoke with them on various subjects,
and did not see trace Of uneasiness about
them. After supper they went out again
for the night Dave was married and lived
with his wife on the place; Sam lived with
his mother on an adjoining plantation, to
reach which he would have to take the same
path as the murdered girl.
Miss Werts did not return that night, but
this excited no uneasiness, as it was sup
posed she had stayed with her brother.
Next morning Sam went to Mr.. Werts, con-
agitated, and told him his daughter
was lying dead under fence, about halt
mile from the house. Mr.. Werts hurried
there, accompanied by Sam, and, on finding
the dead body Of his daughter, sent him to
summon the neighbors, he waiting beside
her. In going to the spot. Sam had ac-
counted for hefdeath by saying he thought
Miss Bessie might have injured herself by fall
ing over the fence. Neighbors and friends
quickly gathered, and an immediate investl-
CATION was made followed by the discovery
of the perpetration of hideous crime.
A coroners jury met in Prosperity and
several persons were examined, 10 clue being
found to direct suspicion. Both the MUIR
derers were present as spectators. Here Mr.
H. G.. Moseley began some intelligent detect
i've work. Having an indeinable suspicion
of Sans knowledge of the crime, he, in an
Indifferent manner, asked him to take off his
coat and vest. He did so, aud on minute
examination of the latter strand of wool
was found near the lapel Of the color OF the
fringe of Miss Werts' shawl and hair of the
color of hers near it. He became very ner'
vous at this, and was taken aside and rigidly
Little by little he furnished
the following statement to the jury:
He and Dave, he said, had projected their
crime since last spring. Dave had told him
that he intended to meet Miss Bessie that
evening, and asked him to join him. He re-
fused and endeavored to persuade him from
it. Dave had told him that night he was
afraid that, after his treatment Of that young
lady, she was dead, and had asked him to
take another path home than the one the
body was found on to go home on, as there
was somebody on the other. He and Dave
went by the other path and separated, Dave
to his wife, and he going to his
mothers house. He acknowledged that the
next morning he had told his stepfather that
Miss Werts was not at home the night be-
fore, although he had left home at dark and
couldn't know other than by participation in
The crime He and his st,pfather had gone
70 the spot on Tuesday morning, being told
BY negro thathe had seen some one lying
Nv the road in the night and he there found |