The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-09-30
A GREAT SENSATION.


A CHARLESTON CITY OFFICIAL AR.
RESTED FOR INFANTIcIDE.
Charged With Numbering His Illegitimate
Child-A sioken1ng Tale Of Depravity
angeburg Man.
The News and Courier, of last
Wednesday published the following:
"a negro man walking over the tracks
of the East Shore Terminal Company.
near BENEFITS Mill, made a fearful
discovery yesterday afternoon. At
this point the tracks cross muddypond
ofwater which rises and falls with the
tide. The negro. as he crossed the
trestle, looked down into the water
beneath and the sight that met his
eyes was horrible one. A little pair
of white feet protruded from the slime
and mud. No other part of the body
was visible. Just the pair of baby feet
above the water told the story OF what
may prove to be a cruel child murder.
It was probably the sequel to the crime
of some man and woman, which NAV
be brought to light with the discovery
of the little body. People in the
neighborhood soon heard of the dis
covery and before 3 o'clock a motley
crowd had gathered around the trestle,
gazing into the pond and at the little
pair of feet. The police station was
notified and in turn the coroner was
summoned. Then men were sent into
the mud and slime to bring out the
body. It was thought at first that the
baby had been flung into the water by
some wretched, poverty stricken moth
er, but when the body was taken up
the case looked different. Around the
neck of the child was tied piece of
fishing cord, to which was attached a
heavy stone. These means of conceal
ment looked like it had been case of
child murder. The infant did not looz
to be more than a few days old. The
fish and crabs had eaten away part
of the face and the body had been in
the water for two or three days" A
special dispatch from Charleston to
the Greenville News, under date oi
Sept. 90, says as a result of the finding
of the body two white women and one
white man have been arrested, and
are now held on the charge of murder.
The man, who is named w. II. Eas-
terlin, is Electrician of the Metropoli-
tan Police Department of Charleston,
and went from Orangeburg several
years ago. The women are named
Steinmeyer, and belong to an old and
well-known family OF the CITY, Eas-
terlin has been connected with the po.
lice department for some years. He
is married and has two children and
his vile is just now very ill. The
Steinmeyer women are we'll connected
in the city and State. They are moth
er and daughter and the latter is ac-
cused of being the mother of the child.
The case has created profound sem
sation in the city.
THE CoRoNER's INQUEST.
At the Coroner's inquest Mrs. Stein
meyer, the mother of Easterlin's para
mour, testified that she lives on East
Bay together with her two daughters.
About three weeks ago her Oldest
daughter, Rose, had moved from the
house, telling her mother that she
was going to the Island. She had not
believed that her daughter had gone
TO the Island. but for some time she
had not known her whereabouts.
When she finally discovered her, she
was living in the house on the corner
of Vernon and Concord streets, and
she then made it habit to 60 to her
daughter at night to lend her assis-
tance, and tend her in her confine-
ment. She did not 60 to the house in
the day time. On Monday morn
ing about 2 o'clock the child
was born. 1t was a hearty girl,
strong and lusty and cried with
such vigor that the neighbors might
have heard it. She stayed until
morning with her dauhter and then
went home to attend to her own du.
ties, first locking the doors of the
house where her daughter was and
taking the keys with her. She went
back once during the day and then on
Monday night went to spend the night.
On that night, Monday, Easterlin
came to the house and carried the
child away. She was present when he
took the Child. 1t was wrapped in
cloths and put into a small basket.
The mother of the child gave her con-
sent to the taking away Of. the child,
but only after Easterlin had given her
his solemn promise that he would
have it properly cared for. Easterlin
said he would send it up the road to
colored woman and that he would pay
for its support and care. The mothers
last words to Easterlin as he carried
the child away were "For Gods sake
don't hurt a hair of its head" That
was the last she had seen of the child.
Mrs. Steinmeyer stated that she had
known Easterlin for some time and
had always regarded him as friend
of her family. She had never accused
him of being responsible for her
daughters condition because the mat
ter was too delicate for her to speak OF
to him, but she knew he was the man.
She did not know of her daughters
condition until the eighth or ninth
month and she had then told her she
must leave the house.
By agreement of counsel the de-
fense was allowed to cross exomlne
the witness. On cross-examination
Mrs. Steinmeyer stated that her daugh.
ter and Easterlin and herself were all
fearful that the neighbors would hear
the child's cries and thew did not want