Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-02-12

after March 1st, 1897, provided that it doe:
not prohibit as above, the continued ust
of all such conveyance in use prior tt
March, 1897.
Mr.. Carroll hopes that by, the passage
that the roads can be kept in good condi
ton, especially during the winter reasons
TRAGEDY AT BLACKsBURG.
Blacksburg is all agog with the creates
sensation that has yet occurred in all the
sensational history Of the town. This
time it is another bloody tragedy, and a
the bottom of it is desperate man, urged
to fiendish responsibility by the charm:
of dangerously handsome and fascinating
but guilty woman. More or less contra
dictory reports have been coming to York
vile about the matter for several day!
past but reporter Of THE ENQUIRET
has just returned from the scene Of the
sensational doings with all the obtainablt
facts. The story is somewhat lengthy.
While on their way home last Thursday
night, at about $40 O'Clock, Messrs. jim
and Ed Duff, two young clerks, stumbled
on the dead body of man lying on the
sid ewalk. They gave the alarm without
delay, and soon large number of people
gathered on the scene. The body wa:
that of stranger, and was still warm and
bleeding. Three pistol shots had beer
heard in the immediate vicinity not many
minutes before. 1t was evident that 8
murder had been committed ; but by
whom, what for, or the name of the vic
tim, remained powerful mystery until q
little later, Mr.. J. w. Thomson, of the
Merchants hotel, recognized the deceased
as man who had registered at his hostel
ry in the morning as 81. Fl. Williams,
Atlanta, Ga"
The residents of the immediate neigh
borhood are Mr.. G. NJ. Moore, just across
the street, and Mr.. Sumner, Mrs. Roberts,
Mr.. NJ. R. Reese and Mrs. E. D. Ander-
son, their houses next to each other in the
order named, on the same side of the
street and the houses Of Mrs. Anderson
and Mr. Reese separated by cross street.
The house of Mr.. Moore is just opposite
that of Mr.. Reese. There are several
other residences near by; but for the
purposes of the story the specific mention
of these is all that is necessary. The body
was lying opposite the residence of Mr..
Summer.
Within l5 minutes after the news
began to spread, nearly all the male in
babitants of the immediate neighborhood,
as well as quite a number of others from
different parts of the town, were on the
spot. The most noticeable absentees
among those who would have naturally
been expected to be present, were Mr..
Dan Luckie, who lived in the same house
with his sister, Mrs. Anderson, and Mr..
NJ. R. Reese. Mr.. Reese's house was
about 30 yards distant, and Mr.. Luckie's
perhaps 60 yards. Mr.. Reese was called,
and after short time, appeared on the
scene.
Naturally demoralized in the face of the
startlingly mysterious tragedy, the grow
ing crowd was sometime in collecting its
faculties. Presently, Mr.. Thomson sug-
gested that the body should be removed
to the council chamber. Somebody called
for plank as the best means Of carrying
out the suggestion. 1t was promptly de-
cided that this would not do, and Mr..
Reese thought of a cot that he had at the
Iron City hotel, some 200 yards distant.
He and several others went for the cot,
and on their return, Mr.. Reese lent his
assistance in carrying the body to the
council chamber. The circumstance is
thought to be of more or less significance
when taken in connection with the bal
ance ofthe case.
The body had been partially searched on
the spot where it had fallen, and the
search was continued at the council ctam-
ber. Quite number of articles were
found in the pockets. Among them was
found an envelope, postmarked Blacks
burg, and addressed Charles T. Williams,
Atlanta, Ga. In the envelope was let
ter in woman's handwriting, but with
out either signature or address and also
a copy of letter Of man to woman,
that was neither addressed or signed.
It was dated "A.-l-30-'96," standing
for Atlanta, January 30, 1896. There were
also in the pockets two notes, evidently
written in Blacksburg during the day OF
the murder; but neither addressed or
signed. They were in the same hand
writing as the letter just mentioned. There
was also in the pocket some free railroad
passes. Among them was one for Mrs.
f. Anderson to and from some point on
the Western and Atlantic railroad. On
several business cards, were the words
"Chas. T. Williams, agent w. and A.
railroad, Tunnel Hill, Ga" These things
all went to show that the initials ~. H."
on the hotel register were assumed. The
last article found was Smith & Wesson
hammerless revolver. 1t was in the right
hand inside vest pocket. 1t was loaded
all around, the condition of the chambers
and barrel indicated that it had not been
recently fired, and as the vest was tightly
buttoned at the time of the finding OF the
body, there seemed to be no probability
that there had been any attempt to draw
the weapon.
Previous to the removal Of the body to
the council chamber, the nature of the
wound that produced death had not been
discovered. There was blood on the
ground and on the mans head and neck.
The right side of the face was also bruised.
When the bearers were laying the body
down, they noticed that the head fell
Imply forward, and an examination by