The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-08-19
DEAD IN 4 MILL POND.
WAS 1T ACCIDENT, SUICIDE or MUIR
DER, WHICH?

Strange Case.
Thomas j. Curcton is Il respectable
and well known farmer who lives in
Grove township. nnc miles from the
city. on what is known rs the ''Old
Adams Mill" place. His house is sabout
$50 yards from Recdy River. where it is
yet damned for mill which has been
abandoned. Mrs. Cureton is daughter
of John Adams of this city. and, like
her husband. has number of relatives
living here, all people of the highest re-
spectability.
On Friday MIR. and Mrs. Curcton came
to the city, leaving the house and their
younger children in charge Of their
daughter Mary A. Cureton. known as
"Iam;a," . handsome girl Of eighteen
years. According to the testimony Of
one Of The children, girl Of ten years,
a young white man drove to the Cure
tons gate in a buggy about 10 O'Clock
in the mornin" and handed Mamie, who
went to him. ncte. The child over
heard him say something about. meeting
somebody lat the river ut one o'clock.'
The man, who had come from the dlrec-
tlon OF the city. then drove away.
Miss Cucton returned to the house,
dressed hcrselfin her best clothes and
distributed her other clothes and
trinkcts among the children, leaving
with thcma handsome gold ring that her
father had given her and putting on her
finer plain black gutta percha ring.
She then kissed them good-by. saying
she was going of to be married. and
LETT. They made some attempt to follow
or lctain her but were rcpulsed.
When Mr.. and Mrs. Curcton return
cd at night they were astonishcd and
distressed by finding their daughter gone,
and by the account they received from
tho children Of her departure. She had
no love affair that they knew Of, but
they were forced to believe that she had
run olrt be married. although they wcre
at loss to imagine who she had gone
with. \ messenger was sent to the
nearest preacher, butno information was
received and nothing more could DC
done until yesterday morning. Then
the direction in which the missing girl
was going when last seen was obtained
from the children and search was begun.
In Il path leading through cotton field
to the river Miss Curcton's tracks were
found. They were followed easily in
the soft ground to the brink Of the rlvcr
where a high and steep bank leads down
to the deepest part Of the mill pond, the
water being about ten feet deep there.
Down this bank there were distinct marks
,of tie .leels of her shoes where she had
slid from the top to the water: apparent
" standing straight with her feet close
t0ncther. The ncighbOrs were called,
and with poles and hooks made Tor the
occasion the pond was carefully dragged.
After Il long trying search, impcded
much by logs and bushes which accu-
mulatcd in the pond. the body was
found about 100 feet down the river
from the place on the bank dc: r-ibcd
above. 1t was brought to the surface
by pole which had caught in the
dress. The young lady had apparent
ly died peacefully and without pain.
There was 10 distortion Of the face
and the arms wcr crossed on the
breast as if arranged for burial. Every
thing about the body was Just rs Miss
Curcton had left her home for tho last
time.
Coroner McBcc was notified by w. NJ.
Lcndermcn, who had found the body,
and Immediately went to the scene Of
the tragedy. \ jury Of intelligent cit
izcns was summoned and the inquest
was begun. DR.. e. Tllpper Swandalc,
of this city, made a careful examination
of the body. lie found that death had
been caused by drowning and that there
had been no other injury OF any kind,
and his autopsy and evidence based OH
1t failed to give the least clue to the
mystery. The facts already given were
brought out by the testimony. The
closest examination Of the place where
Miss Curcton evidently went into the
water failed to discover any track but
hers or the least evidence Of a struggle.
Her father and mother testified that she
had at times during her life been in Il
condition of mind in which she did not
have the full use ni her faculties. al
though she had never been violent or
really insane. 1t would have been easy
enough to conclude from this that thcun-
fortunate girl han gone to the river while
suffering from Il slight attack oi insanity
and fallen in accidentally or pnrposcly
drowned herself. But the case was mystic
/ RIOTS AMI the Jury WAS pcrplcHcd by the
slurE @! the strange man from the city.
the note aud IL" conversation about t!!c
meeting at The river. told BY The child.
Close aud sharp examination failed t"
shake her evidence. The statement Ike
had iir>, made WAS s;lIck t. iii every de-
TIL :" ,a;rh':!., ~ 10 carry conviction
q! il, l:uil. The @r!ri->lrickcM parents
could I've Mu idea 9: vi" the !naH Wa
"v wI:.: va IL the no;'. w!::&h c'N"Id
not hc :ol,d anywhere. NJ mAn irl'l
''rcH i-rl:rUIariy attentive - M:>S Cure
ton. Hml Il w"t;I,! !aY, been almost jrn-
possible !ur irr. !,yii- Ill nome ;lni H.
, uurily =, >iu. did. II iuVr had ir.cuL>