Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-18
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE p1sPATcH.i

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE pIsPATcH.i
GAFFNEY CITY, SC, April 17.-Samuel
Jeferies, an aged, retired farmer, and one
of the wealthiest men in this State, was
arrested at his home here tonight, charged
with numbering DIR. Alexander White %
years ago. The revelation is most SEN
sational one, and nearly all the prominent
people in the State are deeply interested
in it..
The story dates back to the end of the Re-
bellion. AT that time Jefferies killed a
neighbor named Shelton Sparks. Jeffer1es
on account OF his riches did not go
to the war, but hired a substitute.
Sparks was the conscript officer, and
compel JEFF cries to 60 into the army.
He refused to do so and went to the woods
and hid away from the conscript officer.
Bloodhounds were put on his track, and by
some mishap he never was apprehended.
Enraged at the conduct of the conscript Off
Ger, JEFF cries soon sought difficulty with
him and killed his official pursuer.
IN TRoUBLoUs TIMES.
About the close of the war, when every
of Jeferies for this murder was held.
Everybody was interested in the
case and great indignation was e1-
pressed. Men of means who condemned
the murder attempted to have justice
meted out fairly. One of these was DR..
Alexander White, an influential physician.
He denounced the murder, and worked
until he had obtained some damaging testi-
mony against Jefferies.
This was soon made known to Jefferies
and his friends. How to suppress this
damaging evidence and save Jeferies' life
was the question. Various schemes
were Matched to no effect. At last it
was determined to forever silence
the tongue of DR.. White by death. The plot
was conceived and consummated rapidly.
One dark night in August, 1865, while rock
ing his motherless child to sleep in his
country home DR.. White was killed. The
snot was fired through the door.
DABBLED IN BLOOD.
Shortly afterward the prattling child,
seeing the blood of his father, sat down and
dabbled in it. Covered with the gore
of his father, the child fell aslee
and there beside its parent rested peacefully
until the deed was discovered. The murder
ers OF DR.. White were unknown, although
suspicion pointed to Jeferies and several
others. However, none of them were ar
rested.
Soon afterward the trial of Jefferies for
the Staying of Sparks was held. 1t resulted
In an acquittal, despite the fact that JEFF
ferries was unanimously condemne by
the people. Since then he has pros
pered, and is to-day a very rich man.
His character has never been goo and time
and again he has been accused of murder
ing DR.. White. He and his associates kept
their secret well. People who knew Jefferies
declared publicly that he rarely ever slept
and frequently saw apparitions of his vic
tim.
When DR.. White was m ordered Jefferies
and a man named Medlin were intimate as
sociates. 1t was believed that MedIin had
either been hired by Je ferries to kill the
doctor or that he was an bettor in the deed.
DEATHBED STATEMENT.
Medlin had to leave the State and went to
Texas. There he died some years ago. While
on his deathbed he made statement exon
Grating himself and declaring that Jetferies
had murdered DR.. White. This confession
was kept secret by the Medlin family. Not
long ago Medlin's son told the tale related
by his father.
This started anew the old sensation. The |
prattling child who had dabbled uncon-
sciously in his parents life blood is now a |
man. He has secured much testimony and |
has wound the coil tightly around his |
fathers murderer. He is penniless but has |
been aided by friends in obtaining testi- |
mony, and the case has been successfully |
worked up. When Jefferies was arrested |
at his home in Gaffney City he was sick, |
and is now guarded by deputy sheriffs in
his room.