The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-01
Correspondence of The Greenville
News.

Correspondence of The Greenville
News
SPARTANBURG, October 24.-The
case of the State VS.. David y. Sem and
Helena Boland, which has just result
ed in the conviction of the prisoners of
murder, is in its details one of the most
remarkable ever tried in South Carroll
| na.
Here are it's salient points: In April,
1880, Devid N. Sem, a young New
berry farmer of small means but great
physique, was welded to an attractive
Edgefield girl, Miss Melissa Ozella
Stevens, whose father lived about Is
miles from Senn's mother, but whose
sister, Mrs. Martin, lived near the
Sem place. For three years they lived
with +. H. Dominick, large cotton
planter. During this period a little
girl was born to them, and Mrs. Senn's
health became poor About this time
it was shown that he struck his wife
with stick as large as the constable's
staff while she lay in bed with her
young infant in her arms. The young
couple then moved to the place Of
Dave Senn's mother, living in little
cabin some distance from the "big
house." But Senn's mother and the
young wife could not agree; so after a
while Sem carried his wife and child
to her mothers home in Edgefield.
Some unpleasantness arising about the
management of the baby, Dave Sem
saddled his mule and galloped to his
mothers with the infant in his arms.
Just here the ''other woman" appears
on the scene. Dawes sister, Eta, had
married a Boland, who had a sister
called Helena. While his invalid wife
in Edgefeld is longing for her child,
Sem visits the place in Lexington,
where Helena Boland is living, and in
a short time she comes to visit Senn's
motherand remains there permanently.
Sem and Miss Boland are seen walking
along a path in the fields with arms en-
twined about each other;I an unexpect-
ed visitor early in tue morning recog-
nizes their voices together in small
sleeping apartment.
But after about a year of separation
Sem receives letter from Edgefeld,
and soon his mother and brother drive
over to the Stevens settlement, return
after this event, ana atou! twenty dfry--
before the death eff Mrs. Sem, she came
rushing to her sisters house in the
night with hair over her shoulders and
wearing only one shoe. Thence the
two sisters proceeded Immediately to
the office of Trial Justice Peterson. At
the hearing before the magistrate, only
thirteen days before her death, Mrs.
Sem stated in the presence of her hus-
band that he had threatened her, say
ing that if he heard any more about an
attempt TO poison her which she al
legged was made by his mother and He
lena Boland, he would "burst hell out
of her with an axe, for he could see her
dead in hell and rake the Goals Of fire
over her" Without denying this he
was put under peace bond.
Twelve days after this, on Saturday,
the 2lst August, 1886, Senn and his
wife, accompanied by Miss Boland and
Senn's invalid aunt, Mrs. Lake, left
Newberry, in a wagon drawn by a
young mule and balky, club-footed
mare. Their ostensible purpose was
| to visit relatives, searching for place
on which to live next year and afford
ing sickly Mrs. Sem change OF all
| for her health. The first objective point
was the place of John Sem, Dawes
cousin, in Spartanburg County. Sun:
day afternoon the two young women
were seen trudging along the rough
road behind the wagon, and sunset
caught them on the wrong route, but
only one and half miles from theil
destination. They got permission from
old Crow to camp near her house, a:
Mrs. Sem was feeling very badly anc
the team was exhausted, as though
camping out when shelter was neal
was good medicine for the sick woman
4 torch was given them; they Sindlec
a fire, got the necessary water and kinc
hearted Mrs. Crow went to sleep, little
dreaming of the scenes about to occur
near her. There poor Mrs. Ozella Senr
witnessed her last camp fire.
After midnight Mrs. Crow was ar
oused by a request from Sem to come
out quickly to the wagon, as his wife
| was dying. She hurried out and foun(
the old invalid and Miss Boland in th'
wagon with corpse. Sem remarked
that his wife had died in his arms jus
as Mrs. Crow approached. He the1
showed no emotion. Miss Bolan(
afterward said that she had closed th'
eyes and mouth during SENS absence
In searching for cloth with which t
bind up the dead woman's jaws, Mrs
Crow noticed SOME heated rocks whicl
had been placed against the limbs 0
the deceased to warm her. Alber
Hughes, young farmer living near
came out and found Sem in the darl
weeping. When daylight came Hugh
es hitched his team to the wagon an
the party proceeded to John Senn's
There the body was removed to tn
house, where several neighborly iadie
commenced preparing it for buria
Everybody noticed three blue mark:
two on one side and one on the othe
side of the deceased's neck, blac