The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-11-24
A new Tale Of Horror From UnfOrtu.
nate Edgefleld.
Especial to tho News and Courier.j

Especial to the News and Courier.l
EDaEF1ELD, November 18.-The old
county Of Edgefield seems somehow to
be under dark and bloody ban. While
thirty-one Of its citizens arc in Jail
awaiting trial for the murder Of Gull
breath-while the double murder in
volved in that case is still under inves-
tigation-the Courthouse is appalled, this
morning ut the news Of atriple tragedy,
in which the blood Of three Of the best
citizens is spilled ard an old man and
his two IONS hurried off into eternity by
the hand Of the assassin. At noon
to-day q white man, named Corley,
and a negro, named Charles Brooks,
galloped into the town with the news Of
this most horrible crime. The victims
are Edward PRESLEY, a white man, who
is over eighty years of age, and his two
sons Charles and Edward. aged about
twenty-six and thirty years respect
lively. The murderer is Robert Jones,
also white, who married the grand.
daughter Of PRESLEY and who lives on
the farm with them. The scene Of the
tragedy is about eight miles west IF the
Courthouse.
The representative Of the News and
Courier, upon hearing Of the occurrence.
at once set out to investigate it and
gathered the following details of the
horrible affair : Jones, the murderer, it
appears, came here from Georgia several
years ago and married Mr.. Presslcy's
granddaughter. The Pressleys rent some
laud in the neighborhood, a portion of
which was occupied by Jones, who. how
ever, paid no rent for it. On Tuesday
evening Charles Presley went to Jones'
house and told him that he would have
to vacatc the land as he and his brother
could not afford to pay the rent
for him. To-day about II O'Clock Jones
entered the field where old PRESLEY
and his sons Charles and Edward were
ploughing. A colored man who lives
near the cence Of the murder
states that he saw Jones 20 up to
Charles Presslcy and, without any
words. raise a double barrelled gun to his
shoulder and empty the contents of both
barrels into the body of his victim. He
then turned and walked off in the direc-
ton Of the woods. Edward PRESLEY,
the brother Of the murdered man, put
ting down his plough, started to pursue
the murderer Of his brother. Jones
waited until he came up and. then taxi
ing u knife, stabbed him in tho right
side and ripped the knife entirely
across the chest, killing him almost in
stantly. In the meantime old Presley
was in the field trying to hold his sons
plough horse which had been frightened
at the sound Of the firing. Jones DELHI
erately reloaded his gun, approached
the old man and shot him dead. He
then went home, mounted his horse and
rode off. John Presley, the only re-
manning son, was in the house at the time
and came u after hearing the firing,
only to find his father and his two
brothers Lying dead in the field. A mes
senger was dispatched to the Courthouse
to get out a warrant. The Pressley's
have the reputation Of being respectable
quiet and orderly people, the eldest son,
John, having served through the war
with bravery. Jones came here about
six years ago from Georgia and settled
in the county. His sisters are married
here. one Of them being the wife Of Mr..
Parkman, one Of the defendants in the
Culbreath case.
There is the strangest sequel to this
horrible affair, however. About Q
O'Clock this afternoon a short, thick-set
inap, alfred in an ordinary homespun
suit, entered the village, carrying on his
shoulder q double barrelled shotgun.
lie went to the postof8ce, left his gun
with . man in there, and then slowly
and deliberately walked on to the Jail,
which is situated mex to the .ourt-
house, and which has a front yard.
rallied in by an ordinary iron railing.
That's JONES'" said some one, and as
the news Of the murder had been known
for some time a crowd speedily followed
Jones. He applied to the negro turn
key, who opened the gate, and entered
the place and gave himself up. He was
followed into the jail by q miscellane-
crowd. but no one made any. at
tempt to injure him.
Upon entering tho iail he remarked to
some Of the prisoners who knew him
that he had killed three of the best men
in the county, but that he was obliged
to do it. At this point his relative inter-
posed and advised him to say nothing
more, and he obeyed the Injunction.
The murder il very freely discussed on
the street. Some men speak Of it with
depreciation. and fully reslize that . fresh
horror, coming 30 fast upon the heels Of
the Hammond ulbreath horror, is q
staggering blow TO the good name and
prosperity OF the county, but IS q gen.
eral thing the matter is talked Of quite
coolly and as . matter Of not more than
ordinary interest.
The tragedy, 1t is true, is one that
might happen in any community. but
the people Of Edgefield, who have an in.
tercst in the patriotic old country, can't
help but feel that this Z heavy blow.
The inquest will be held to- morrow.