Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-11-19
TIRE EDGEFlELD MURDERS.

ioIo ih"i 10 ahu AioFe moody nShts
than probably any other section in
America. 1t is claimed by some Of the
residents that there is not foot of
ground in the public square of Edge
! field Court House where man has not
fallen. Strange to say, these murders
and homicides have been confined al
most exclusively to the better class OF
whites who have fought among them
selves-two men would have a quarrel.
one would ask the other out on the
public square, when they would draw
their pistols and commence shooting
until one or both fell. In looking over
the official papers Of the Criminal
Court it was found that during the last
ten years | IL men had been indicted
for the same number Of murders in that
county, and many murders We're COM
mitted without any person being tried.
Up to within the past fifteen months
not many murders in Edge ield were
cold blooded or cowardly: they were
rather i'll the style of dlels, when each
man had a chance at the others life.
) nce the period mentioned, however,
Edgeheld has been the scene of several
of the most cold-blooded and revolt
ingly-brutal murders that have ever
been committed anywhere in civilized
country. Two of these cases are set
for trial at the next term of The Grim
inal Court, which meets in Edgetield.
The most important case is that of the
"Edgefield lynchers,' against whom
the grand jury has found true bill
for the murder of D. L. Culbrcth.
Sept. II, 1885. ThirK-one white men
took part in this murder, and half of
them are Of the bes; families in the
county. Ii the defendants come to
time the case will excite as much inter-
est in this Stat, as tll, trial of the an.
archists did in Chicago.
TO within few Years ago o. 7. Gull
breth was respected citizen of Edge
field, but for about two years previous
to his death he ill-trested his wife and
then separated from her. This caused
him to lose number of friends and
TALL from his social Standing. He Cir
culated reports abouth wife to the
effect that she was not virtuous. 1t is
sad that Mrs. Culhreh was so ILL
treated that she gave her husband
$4,000 to leave her, Which he did, but
only moved mile away AMI kept a
v giant watch over hei movements.
Culbreth's eldest son, who was II
years old, remained with, his mother.
who had several small children to sup
port. Some one was required to look
after the farm. and the services of W.
I'll. Hammond, a respectable Young
man OF II, and near relative of Mrs.
Culbreth. were engaged. Hammond
visited the Culbreth, place during
the day. looked after tie planta
ton and stock, and returned to his
h. about o'clock every night O.
L. Culbreth suspected that f4ammond
was having improper relations with
Mrs. Cuibreth, and, it is said. threaten
ed to kill him. The night of Sept. IL
Hammond remained little late at
Mrs. Culbreth's house, ono of the
younger children being sick. About 8
O'Clock the child tainted and the young
man took it in his arms and went out
into the yard SO that it might be in
fresh air. just as he went out the
door the inmates of the house heard q
shot, and upon rushing out iound
Hammond dead, with his heal: almost
shot Off, and few steps away were the
tracks OF his assassin, who had been
walking up and down waiting for his
victim. 49,
Culbreth Was suspected OF the muir
der, and Il warrant was sworn out for
his arrest. The officer found him at
his residence and brought him without
trouble to Edgefeld Court House the
afternoon Of the day following the kill
ing. 1t was agreed that Culbreth
should remain III charge Of the officers
until the following day, when his attor-
neys would go to Lexington and apply
for bail before the Circuit Judge.
During the afternoon mounted men as
scmbled about two miles from the town,
some OF them wearing masks aud others
uncovered. This band Of thirty odd men
rode INTO the town of Edgefield at g
O'Clock, when the streets were desert
ed. They proceeded to the law office.
where Culbreth was consulting with
his attorneys. 4 number of men dis
mounted and went into the Office with
drawn revolvers; two of them covered
the lawyers with their weapons, warn
ing them that to move would be death
In the meantime Culbreth had rushed
into the rear Office and barred the
door. The barrier was soon broken
down BY the lyncling party, ana with
out giving the unfortunate man an on
portunity to declare his innocence or
guilt they shot several balls int, his
body, one of which broke hi, arm.
Cnlbreth cried out that he was shot to
death, and begged that they would
shoot him no move. The mob paid no
attention to bis appeals, but dragged
him out into the street and over the
rough road for mile and a half out of
town.
When q mile and half from the
town Culbreth tainted. The mob fred
four more shots into his body and lcfr
him for dead. Some OF the citize rs.
hearing the firing, went out in that
direction and fonnd Culbrcth crawling
back toward the town. He was put III
vehicle and taken to the Jail, where
he received medical attention. lie
fingered through the night in the great
est agony. and died at five o'clock q. m.
Cnlbreth testified before diving that he
was innocent of the murder of young
Hammond, and he ga the names Of
the two men who shot him in the law