The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-11-01

Mysterious Murder Of James COIdilS
Near Appleton, S. c.

Found Dying in the Road Near His
Home With His Skull and Collar
Bone Fractured-The Coroner's Jury
Failed to Fix the Crime-Eo Cause
For the Murder Known and no Clue
to the Perpetrators DR.. Colding's
Investigations.
DR.. G. II. Col ding returned yesterday
from Appleton, S. c., on the Port Royal
railroad, where he attended the funeral
of his brother, the late James c. Coldiug.
All the evidence in connection with Mr.
Colding's death indicate that he was muir
dorcd, He was found in the road about
three-quarters of mile from his house
between and 8 o'clock Friday night in
a dying condition. He was removed to
his sister-in-law's house, about mile
distant, where he died shortly after his
arrival.
1t was at first supposed that he had
been thrown from his horse and that his
death was caused by the injuries received
from the fall, but closer investigation of
the wounds showed that it was impossible
for them to have been made in this man
ner, and there was no other conclusion
than that he had been foully dealt with
KILLED WITH a CLUB.
DR. Colding said he was very 10th to
believe that his brother had been muir
dered, but there appeared to be no other
conclusion possible. DR.. Belliuger, a well
known physician who examined the
wounds, gave it as his opin-
ion before the coroner's jury,
that the wounds had been
made with some heavy blunt instrument,
and he said it was impossible for them to
have been received i'll fall There were
two wounds one a fracture of the skull
behind the left ear about the size and
shape of a silver dollar, and the other a
similar wound upon the left side of the
collar bone, apparently made by the same
instrument.
The place where MIR, Colding was found
is a clear sandy road, with no rocks or
stumps or other distractions upon which
he might have fallen that would
have produced such wounds. The
jury found u verdict that his death
had been caused by violent means, by I'M
known parties, and that it was murder
NO CLEw TO THE MURDERERs.
There was absolutely no clew to the
murderers. Mr.. Colding left his brother
in-law's house, where he lived, about
O'Clock to go to small gathering about
two miles distant, whore he expected to
meet his son, whom he had not seen in
some time. He was found not very long
afterwards in the condition described, it
is supposed about fifteen minutes after
the attack. The motive was evidently
not robbery as nothing had been taken
from his person. 1t was not known that
he had any enemies or that there
was any one who had any
reason to desire his removal
In fact, Mr.. Colding was very popular
with his neighbors, and they were gen
orally at loss to ascrioe any motive for
the foul murder which had been COM
mitted. The only conclusion they could
arrive at was that he had been mistaken
for some one else for whom the assailants
were lying in wait, and that he was muir
dered before they discovered their mis-
take.
There were no signs of a struggle where
the body was found. He was either
struck from his horse with an AK handle
or other long weapon, or he was decoyed
from his horse and struck after alighting
on the ground.
The funeral occurred Sunday from Con-
cord church.
The deceased left three children, a mar
ried daughter, Mrs. Allen Minis of
SCreven county, grown son, Charles B.
COlding, conductor on the Savannah,
Florida and Western railway, and p
year-old boy.