The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1896-09-30

ard Sin-The Accused Formerly An Or.
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 amuddypond
of water 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. \ little pair
of white feet protruded from the slime
and mud. No otiier pat Of the body
was visible. Just the pair OF baby feet
above the water told the story Of what
may prove to bea cruel child murder
It was probably the sequel to the crime
of some man and woman. which may
be brought to light with the discovery
of the little body. People in the
ne'ghborhocd soon heard OF the dis
covery and before ; o'clock motley
crowd had gathered around the trestle,
gazing into toe pond and at the little
pair of feet. The police station was
notified and IL turn the coroner was
summoned. Then men were sent into
the mud and slime to bring out the
body. It w.s 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
necn of the child was tied piece of
fishing CD, to which was attached a
heavy stone.-~These means OF conceal
ment looked like II had been case Of
child murder. The iniact did not loo :
to be more than few days oIG. The
fish and crabs had eaten away part
of the face and the body had been iu
the water for two or three days" 4
special dispatch from Charleston ld
the Greenville News. under dat3 o.
Sept. %, says as result OF the finding
of the body two white women and one
white man have been arrested, and
are now held OF 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 O:angeburg several
years ago. The women are named
Steinmeyer, and belong to an old aud
weil-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 aud
his vile is just now very i'll. Toe
Steinmeyer women are well 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 SEN
sation in the city.
THE CoRoNER'S INQUEST.
at the Coroner's inquest Mrs. Stein.
meyer, the mother of Easterlins 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 <,sh
was going to the Island. She had not
believed that her daughtef,had gone
TO the Island. but for some time she
had not known her whereabouts.
When she hnally discovered her, she
was living in the house on the corner
of Vernon ami Concord streets, and
she then made it q habit to 60 to her
daughter atnight to lend her assis,
lance, and tend her in her contine
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 wentto spend the night.
On that night, Monday, Easterlin
came to the house and carried the
child away. She was present when he
took the ci:iId. It was wrapped in
cloths and put into q 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 q
colored woman and that he would pay
forits support and care. The mother
last words TO Easterlin as he carried
the child away were For Gods sake
don't hurt hair of its head" That
was the last she had seen Of the child.
Mrs. Steinmeyer stated that she bad
known Easte. lin 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 daughter 5
condition uutil the eighth or ninth
month and she had then told her she
must leave the house.
By agreement OF counsel the de
Tense was allowed TO cross exomlne
the witness. On cross examination
Mrs. Steinmeyer stated that her daugh.
ter and Easterlin aud herself were all
fearful that the neighbors would hear
the child's cries and they did not want
it known that the child had b b>en born.
To quiet the infant the mother bad
given it few drops of paregoric.
Easterlln wanted ten drops given, but
she would not permit this The pare,
goric she had had for some time along
with other medicines. She stated that
she had never before seen the stone
there exhibited Or the cloth with
which it wss tied, bat that the baby
was wrapped properly with cloths
when it was taken from the house.
She did not know if the net in her
daughters room was tied with fishing
cord. She didn't know where the
basket came from in which the child
was taken away. It had to be cut to