Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-12-07
Brutal Murder and Robbery. {

nal IN South Carolina to record q murder moro
brutal than HAT which occurred nrsr West
Ualon3 on the night OF the I'd instant. Mr..
William John Hunnicutt, worthy citizen Of
our county,, by trade o mechanic and farmer,
left his home, nino miles below wnlhalla, last
Saturday and brought to market three bales of
cotton llewas accompanied by his liitle son,
aged ten to twelve years. After selling his
cotton and making some settlements he loft for
homo we presume about dark as he was seen
to pass the shop Of Mr.. Willis Moore about :
O'Clock, where ho had mule shod. He vas
then sober ani one mile on his way home.
About II O'Clock az night the little boy arrived
at home and on going into the house informed
the family his father was hurt. His body was
found on the hounds Of tho wagon dead, tho
head swinging 30 as nearly to touch the ground.
His skull bad been fractured by blow fyo
inches long. which must have produced death
almost instantly. 1t was also found that The
little con had been struck severe blow on the
head, fracturing his skull some three inches
lie remembered but little Of tho night, but
claimed his father was struck by negro with
an axe handle and that he could identify him.
lie stated the negro asked his father where he
had been and where he was going, and on being
told bo had been TO Walhalla and was going
home, he struck his father, who said "Get up,
Kit" and never spoke any more. The boy never
knew his father was dead and in somo way got
home with the mules and wagon.
The murder was evidently committed for the
purposes Of robbery, as his pooketbook was
gone, while somo fruit trees and 'other articles
werc either on the wagon or found on the road.
II is known he had some money his person
by tho statement of persons with whom he
traded just before leaving Walhalla.
Mr.. IIunnicutt leaves helpless family, con-
sistipg Of wife and ten children, the youngest
an infnn, Of year or so old. Tho little son,
it is said, will die and has lost all power TO talk
and recollection of what he told Sunday morn
ing
The killing was done, rs located by tho state
ment Of the child and by two pools of blood, ono
from tho father, the other from the son, ns
shown by hair on tho ground where the child
fell, on the Schroeder hill, within the incorporate
limits of West Union and within about one
hundred and fifty yards of the dwelling of the
late Jacob Schroeder. Tho murderer or mur-
dcrcrs were evidently bold, and whether insti-
gated by i'll feeling or motives of robbery did
their work too cifectually.
An inquest was held on Sunday, tho Sd
instant over the dead body, the jury after
hearing the mcager evidence returning u verdict
that the deceased came 10 his death by blow
with stick or other instrument in The hands of
n person 10 the jurors unknown.
Since then two negroes, Adolphus Richardson
and Frazier Copeland, have been arrested on
suspicion and arc still detained in custody.
Whether the evidence will justify their con-
tinucd detention or the issuance Of q warrant
against them or either of them, we arc unable
to say.
If ever q case existed which called for
liberal reward for the arrest of the guilty
parties this is one. If ever case existed which
invited, may more, demanded tho voluntary
efforts Of every citizen of this community to
arrest and bring to trial the guilty parties, this
is one. Every citizen of the county is deeply
interested in tho punishment of this crime, as
if allowed 10 be forgotten and the perpetrators
60 free IL will lead to other murders. The casc
appears to be one of pure and unadultcracd
murder md this makes its detection and pun
ishment moro important, since if tho party
escape fclon will be at large, while others too
lazy 10 work will be cmboldcned 10 become
fclons. Let our Governor then at once offer q
liberal reward for the apprehension of this
double murderer and let every citizen of The
county keep lookout to detect the criminal
Apart from The boldness and atrociiy of the
crime, it being committed early at night, on the
public highway, within one hundred and fifty
yards of dwelling and on two persons in
wagon, there is a mystery how tho boy drove
and got home, seven miles distant. 1t seems
that ho had TO pnss through some gates and
fences and Travelled several miles along rough
country road. The story first told by him how
ever shows that he remembered correctly where
tho tragedy occurred rs also where sornc bundles
fell off tho wagon. lie also told that as he
could not make the mules go on with the lines
he got on the doubletree and from tho tongue
mounted one of the mules and brought The
wagon home. lie also was able to tell the
direction he came, an old cross country road,
which the facts on examination verified fully.
Since then his mind has failed and no informa
ton can be gotten from him, rs we hear. II is
q bloody and mysterious case and no effort
should be spared to unrayel it.
=. S.--Since the above was put in type war
rants have boon sworn out against Richardson
and Copeland, based on contradictory state
ments made by them and other suspicious cir
cumstances. The evidence so fnr is mere sus-
picion and not at oil conducive of guilt Efforts
are still on foot 10 make further discoveries.
The Proceedings Of tho Legisla-
lure. - -urrlmo