The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-10-24
DIsAPPEARANCEor ANE6He
Did He Become the Food Of vnitures,
or Did the River Refuse to Give Up
Its Desd? ~

There is an old saying "that murder vii
out" Man may for while succeed IN con
conceal it from himself, and hence In the
course Of time some unguarned oixcumstan nee
linked with guilty conscience, layEbare the
murderers secret to the public gaze. Lady
could not wash the blood from thepe little
hands' and Banquo's ghost would NOT down
at the bedding oflady McBeth'sroyal eonsort
The Nneighborhood OF Watts, eight milet
,re 10 circumference last week. The rumol
went abroad that Tom Bolen, an itineran,
cotton picker had been foully murdered. The
neighb bors assembled Ypgether and empan
nelled an Informal jury bl inquest To obtair
the facts.
BENET SLOAN AND SLOAN GRAY SENT TO JAIL
The evidence was such that there was nc
division Of sentiment, and Bennett McCul
Tough and Sloan Gray were sent to Jail
commitment warrant. The hour of trial was
Fixed for two O'Clock last Saturday. The fol-
lowing note to Mr.. Cox will throw light or
the affair: ~
NO DOUBT MURDER HAS BEEN COMMITTED
Watts, Oct 90, 1900.
Mr.. r. E. Cox, Dear Sir: II you have
not already subpoenaed Anna Grays boy
that they call "Big Son. do so a.
once. Every effort wilIibe made to keep him
away from Court. This boy. from all l car
learn, was with the other boys the day It !,
claimed the negro was murdered, and hal
told some one all the circumstances: From
the objection that the suspected parties have
Inanifssted to his being questioned eithe1
publicly or privately, don't think there is 8
particle OF doubt but that "Blg Son" could tel
all about 1t. Anna Gray, "Big Sons mother
also knows more than she told or CHOOSES
tell. In fact, she said SO.
II you decide TO act on this suggestion yor
Will have to send out for "Big SON. other
wise, you can't get him. for his mother ant
kinsiolk will not let him come voluntarily.
don't think there is any doubt but that 6
murder has been committed and 1t ought L
be Investigated closely. remain,
Yours truly, John McNeill.
THE TRIAL IN THE COURT HoUsE-THE TEs
TIMoNY BOILED DOWN.
AT the appointed time Mr.. Cox. the pris
oners, the. witnesses, and multitude o
spectators filled the eeourt room. There wa
great interest -sssons spectators from towr
Fourteen witnesses were examined. Th,
testimony, boiled down, among other things
showed that fhe dead negro and the prison eri
were pickingcotton In q field together; tha
was the last seen OF the dead man; IN proc
ground was torn up as II death struggle hat
taken place; tSree gun-shots were heard In TIT
direction OF he place; the prisoners wer
em be SeEGa sirSsse had
place: they of In an nnfrequsni5ed ussn5e a an,
secluded N :. the time II ~ vas ,sss suppose,
lance tbafN = .Sbeing; buzzards circlet
The air8nd - e the trees the body wa
e thought to bs:.G the water Little River wa
seired, aud drag nets with hooks were draw
in deep water in search for the body oil Ion
Holen nobody seemed to doubt that muI
der had been committed, and feeling agains
:, The prisoners ran high the magistrate ha'
5 proof OF almost everything except the pre-
duction OF witness who had seen the dea
body.
PRISONERS 90 FREE.
t' While there was q mass Of testimony, MI
Cox said, without evidence that somebod
had seen the dead body. he would dismiss III
prisoners.
THE DEAD ALIvE-GREAT CONNECTION.
At this point Mr.. Graydon said that for te
cents he would show the dead man, alive an
in good health. Numbers OF excited spectt
tors responded, as with one voice, that the
would give the ten cents. The dead man
then walked into court, dressed into his bes
Sunday clothes. being very proud TO report
person that he had Deither been SHOT no
thrown into deep holes In Little River.
The effect of his appearance upon the aud
ence WAS electrical, and II seemed for iittl
while that the police would have to be calle
To preserve proper decorum In the presenc
OF the court.