The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-01-08
. STI1I1II. y 3 NSOIVED
The Mysterious Disappearance Of a
Boy from Columbia.
STRANGE NEGRO sRHH AGAIN,
WIDESPREAD Interest," Caused by tie
Disappearance ofgIthe Lad
Who Went to Get Holly .s
r, Sometfne ao -
Sometime AZ

Is Tie Stase says the mystery sur.
rounding the disappearance 3ofiyorng
Stephen Howell, of Assembly street,
Columbia has not been cleared. The
police are unable to lead others to
conclude, as they, have DONE that it
is a commonplace matter. In spite
of their diSdainfu. and somewhat Inn
patient solution that the boy had
simply run away, the disappearance
of the lad has excited much Interest,
and wild rumors which get sstarted
in some strange manner-are given a
ready ear. 81
No disappearance case has ever ex-
cited more general interest here.
And this is due not the prominence
the principal, but to the out of the
ordinary features Of the case. Co
lumt'. is too large, too busy and too
cosmopolitan city for an ordinary
incident Of the kind to attract gen
eral attention for any length Of time.
Il Is seldom that the interest keeps to
the point where false rumors gain any
general currency. But this feature is
developing In this case now.
For each of the last three days the
report has been running that the body
of the boy had been found in tine
woods with his head split with the
axe which has been missing. This
report starts up fresh almost as quick
ly as 1t is denied in print. The State
received several phone calls Friday to
know IL the report was true. There
is not even one fact on which to base
such q rumor; nor yet such a fact to
support that other report which
gained currency Friday afternoon to
the effect that the head and not the
body-had been found.
A MYSTERIOUS NEGRO.
Next to the remarkable fact that
nobody has been able to identify, find
or name the mysterious negro who
went to the country with the boy
although this negro from all accounts
was not only vagrant but was ap-
parently in good circumstances and
must have had acquaintances here -
is the positive and confident way, in
which Mr.. Ben Johnson tells of seeing
the boy in front Of J. NJ. Green's store
in Main street Saturday afternoon.
This was five days after the boys
family had been looking for him, but
on the day before the story Of the dis
appearance was published In The
State. That publica tion was the firsu
Information Mr.. JohnseIs had thai
che boy was missing. AIf. J6hnson,
~ bsi fds.s al store on up pg.r Il; ain
street, says that he cannot be mis-
taken, that he Is sure and copfidentin
his own mind that lie saw Stephen
Howell, who had worked for johnson
six weeks. He saw the boy fiom the
opposite sidewalk, bu5 got a good look
at him, saw his face we'll and was In
the act Of ga isinhfS his hand to salute
Howell when the hoy turned nis face
and looked down is Cap waa pulled
well down over his eyes, as he gener-
ally wore it. =
After reading the newspaper-uc,
count Of the disappearance Mr.. John
son remembered that Howell wore a
black overcoat, a pair of gray trous-
ers and a cap, but being a careful
man johnson first repeated this to a
friend and the TWO went to the
mother and asked her to describe the
clothing the boy wore 1he morning
he left home. The description
blocked out independently tailed in
the smallest detail, and afterward
other other details were recalled.
The supposition that Mr.. johnson
was mistaken seems unre .sonable, and
yet the theory that the 10y had been
wandering about the st 'eets so long
and escaped the notice of everybody
else when he was being looked for
seems impossible to accept even if 1t
is granted that the boy was not
strong minded, which intimatior
from The police his mother indignant
ly denies.
TOO TIAID TO RUN AWAY.
In view Of the widespread interests
which the case has elicited and the
OnnSanuart RI o,anl fnr H., g., - =, -