The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-06
THE VICTIM OF A FIESD.
4 YcunG Lady Murdered in Broad Day
light--Her Black Murderer Seen Flying
from the Scene of his Ghastly
Work.
iColunlbia Register, 2nd.

Columbia Ieglster, ma.
Mr.. John +. Lomas reached this city
last evening about S:l5 and immediate
" sought out Sheriff Rowan, to whom
he gave information Of 4 horrible
murder in RichIand County during the
afternoon. lie Was seen by Register
representative, and be told the follow
ing story:
The victim was Miss Florence Horns
by, the youngest daughter OF Mr.. q.
Wesley Hornsby, who lives about seven
miles north OF the city, near Crane
Creek and about mile from the
Wiunsboro road. Miss Hornsby was
about IL years of age of medium height
and well proportloned for a girl of her
age. Shortly before ) o'clock Miss
Hornsbv left her elder sister in the
house and went to q spring about two
hundred yards from the house for some
| purpose or other. She was absent for
longer time than was necessary for her
to perform her task, but the occurrence
was not seriously thought Of.
About $50 a colored boy was sent to
j field to obtain some corn, and passing
close to the spring he made 4 fearful
discovery. The dead body OF Miss
HorAsby lay face upwards Oh the grass
q few yards from the spring with the
throat cut from ear to ear.
The boy, terror-stricken, fled to the
house, where he told what he had seen.
The alarm was quickly sounded and
the neirhborhood aroused. On investi-
CATION il WAS found that the boys story
was true. The body Of the girl was
found lying Oil its back, with a horrible
cash in the throat. The clothing was
disarranged, and there was evidence
that nameless crime had been at
| tempted.
Tie girl had made fearful struggle
for her life aud Eer honor, for the con-
dition of the grass gave mute evidence
of that. \ paddle, such as Is always
found at spring in the country, was
living few feet from her, stained with
| her blood. The struggle had lasted
several minutes at least, and her assail-
ant, finding the girl could lot be over
come bv brute force, and experimenting
a serious result should her cries be
heard. ended her life in the manner
| described.
\ cump of brush prevented any one
| from seeing the murder, and Ler cries,
| if such were uttered, We're too faint to
he heard. The murderer evidently
failed to accomplish his purpose; he
disappeared without leavingsa possible
clue for the officers of the law to Work
on. Mr. Lomas lives about 800 yards
from where the murder occurred, and
he had several hands at work III d cot
ton field less than that distance from
the spring. These hands heard some
one running through the woods ada
cent to the spring, heard him trip and
| fail, and heard a rail break as be
climbed fence.
The colored boy who discovered the
murder says that hesaw burly negro
| in the road a short distance from the
spring few moments previous to the
hour the girl started Oh her errand.
Instant search was made for the 1iend,
| but no trace Of him could be found, and
after fully an hour had been spent, Mr..
Lomas came to this city to notify
| Sheriff Rowan and the Coroner, tor
| the body had been left in the field.
There was great excitement in the
vicinity of the murder, and search for
the villain was maintained until late
hour. Sheriff Rowan notified the Coro-
ner and he will take the case in hand
early this morning, but he has, at pres
| ent, but little hope Of success.
Miss Hornsby was bright, lntelil-
gent young lady, and Of good personal
| appearance. She was greatly liked by
all who knew her, and her sad death IS
| q rroot hlou to her friends
AN IMPORTANT WITNESS ARRESTED.
COLUMBIA, November, 2.-Nothing
| important has occurred relating to the
mysterious murder of Florence Horns
by the pretty fifteen-year-old girl,
eight miles from this city, last even
| ING. The Coroner has been on the
ground all day, and the Sheriff has
taken charge Of the case, but there is
no evidence so far that will throw any
light on it. Tonight "Dute" Hagood,
Il negro IS years old, was arrested. He
was the man who first gave the alarm.
and who discovered the dead body of
the girl. Several attempts were made
to lynch the negro, but he was brought
safely to Columbia and lodged in Jail.
From an examination Of the ground
it seems that Miss Hornsby had walked
down to the spring, when she was as
saulted and thrown down. There was
terrible struggle. at this place, and
the girl she succeeded in breaking
away and started to run toward her
home, only o01 yards distant. Her as
sailant followed, and, overtaking her
when she had gone but fifty yards,
caught her by the hair, pulled her
head back, and gave one deadly stab
in the neck. She died in Il few min
utes. 1t is asserted now that the boy
arrested is either the guilty one, or
knows who he is. He was working
near by, and must have seen what oc-
Cured. He gave away knife that he
had last night. The people in the
neighborhood are terribly excited, and
hal there not been grave doubts of
Hagood's guilt, and had he not been
hurried away, he would have certain
| W. hnn,, 1vDrhp1