The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1897-01-14

saddest and most frigAtlul trag-
edles that ever blighted u South
Carolina home or darkened pago
in the criminal history of this
State. 1t is tho record of another
mountain CRIME, narrowing IN ev-
ery detail
Shortly after midnight Wednes-
day morning the residence Of the
Rev. M. l.. jones. near Field, was
burned to the ground Al q his eldest
daughter and son were cromated
in the conflngration. The only tan
gible evidence left that they onco
existed was thoir charred, almost
formless bones, which were raked
from the Goals.
Tuesday night MIR. Jones left
home about sundown to spend the
night with his sick son-in. law and
neighbor, n MIR. Loopor, who lived
a short distance away Just out of
sight Of his residence.
He left in his house his eide Il
daughter, beautiful young
woman. II years old, and son
Gilbert, about grown. They
retired, it is presumed, according
to their custom, oarley in the night,
never imagining it would be thier
eternal sleep.
Shortly after midnight j. Foster
Smith, Il "eighbor who lives il,
sight of the Jonos place, and who
happnod to be awake at the timo,
saw Mr.. Jones house ablazc.
Slipping on his clothes he hur-
ried out to the rescue and went by
for Butler Jones, a son of tho Rov
MIR. Jones, aroused him and the
two ran to the scene.
When they got there Il horrible
sight met thoir view. The tlndor-
box like building was all ablaze
and tho flames were licking tho
swaying walls III mad fury. The
fire was beyond all control and
impossible Of approach and al
ready the roof was falling in.
Through tho shattered window
tho brothor and friend could c,.tch
occasioal glimpses of the already
and almost unrecog-
nizable bodies of tho brother and
sister, One. awful, iresounding
crash followed and no moro was
seen Of tho loved ones until their
blackenod bones were dragged from
the hot Goals and ashes. Mr.. Jones
was aroused and notified but only
in time to see the wreck. His en-
tire home, including corn cribbs
and smoke house, was raZad to-
the ground by tho fire,
Tho sac. affair bears doubly
heavy upon the venerable mans
heart, from tho fact that only a.
year ago he lost his beloved wife
and another daughter by death.
-Four children now survive.
"Wednesday what bones could
be found were gathered in one
heap and the coronor's inquest was
held over these, the old gentleman
sitting over the sccie, hla head
bowed in indescribabIo grief, and
tho tears flowing freely from his
blood shot eyes.
There was no other man in that
section or IN Pickcr county, moro
sincerely and widely reyerod and
beloved than the Rev. Mr.. Jones.
lie had boon a preacher for twen-
ty year and was prominent man.
For the last fifteen years he had
been pastor Of the Trinity Baptist
church of that nejghborhood,
which all tho people there attend
ed on account of his kindly, gentle
disposition ard pure, Christian
character
Recently the good people of
that section had been greatly an
noyod by an increase of drunk lln ess.
among a certain set, on account of
a marked increase in illicit distill-
ing, and Gentinont began to crys-
talllzo against tho lawlessness.
This began sovoral months ago.
Between six and sevon months
ago MIR. Trotter, ono of Mr.. JONES'
ne'ghbors, supposed to have led
tho revenue oflicArs to somo stills
which were destroyed, ran amuok
OF tho moonshlners and barely es
cape W tn bis life, corn stalks and
other inhammable material woro
piled upon his house and nrod.
lilo uwokc, and running out tho re-
treating gang fired upon him and
wounded him. Tho fire was eXtin-
gulshod without considerable dam
ago and two If tho gang are NV
awaiting trial in tho Pickens Jail.
This did not stop tho evil, and
the Rcv. Mr. Jones began to proaoh
against tho growing spirit Of law
lessnosa, by his request, n short
tlmc ago, his son, Elbert, led Rev.
enuo Officer Dunlap and a force of
deputies to somo stills Hear tho
home, and all are convinced that
tho momshinors fred the house
in rovonGc to burn tho son.
Major Dnnlap knew Miss Jones
ana no f>oron,>D)1,x 1