The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-08-26
THE CRIME
For Which Cato and Reed Were
Burned to Death.
AN ENTIRE FAMILY MURDERED

And Their Bodies Burned in their
Former Home. Which Was
Set on Fire by the HUI
man Devils.
The Hodges murder, for which the
two negroes, Cato and Reed, were
burned near Statesboro, Ga. on Tues
day OF last week, was one OF the most
brutal that has ever been comr itted
any where. An entire family, con-
sistlng Of the husband, wife and three
children, were cru lily murdered In
cold blood and their former home set
on fire and burned to the ground. The
devilish hends threw the bodies of
their innocent victims in the burning
building and thus attempted to hide
their crime by cremeating the bodies.
There was no happier family in all
the section around Statesboro than
Henry Hodges, a well-to-do farmer,
and his wife and three children. He
was Industrious and economical and
had managed to accumulate some.
thing for rainy day. His accumula-
tions, following small deposit he had
made In one Of the banks, began to be
talked about and soon reports Of
boarded money were told. 1t was
even said that Hodges had pot of
gold hidden In his front yard. With
the coming OF the dawn on Friday,
July 20 the whole community was
shocked by the story of the crime.
Shortly after midnight neighbors dis
covered the home of Mr.. Hodges, in
flames. The. home is just six miles
from Statesboro. Rapidly neighbors
and friends gathered to render assis-
tance. Instead Of home just afire
they found the house almost destroy
ed. Members Of the family were no.
where to be seen.
SCENE OF HORROR.
Closer investigation, as daylight
opened the way, showed q horrible
scene. Mr.. Hodges was found with
his skull crushed in as though from
the blow of an axe.
Mrs. Hodges head and body had
been beaten with some blunt instru-
ment.
The body Of little girl was horrib-
ly mangled
The two other children's bodies did
not show any signs Of violence, and it
Is supposed they were victims of the
flames and not the murderous blows
of their assailants.
On pieces Of timber In the yard
were found many blood stains and
bloody finger prints.
sTRUGaLE WITH AssAILANTs. ~ f5s5
Itdeveloped THAR Hodges went to a.
neighbours about 8 O'Clock the same
night to bring his little child back,
who had been spending the day.
1t Is believed he was met at the
gate by the assaiiants and murdered
there and that his body was dragged
into the house. There were many in
dications Of struggle at the gate and
blood stains we're found On the gate
post.
A lamp was found sitting on the
gate post. a horse and buggy was
alkO found, hitched to tree ia the
back yard. The body of Mrs. Hodges
was found near the fireplace. The
body Of the oldest child was discover
ed on the front porch.
All the bodies were dressed, indicat.
ing that the crime was committed
early in the night before the family
had retired.
BLOODHOUNDS ON TRAIL.
AS soon as the crime was made
known, a large posse was formed and
bloodhounds put on the trail.
AS reported at the trial, the blood
hounds followed the trail during the
day to a picnic, at which several hun.
dred negroes we're assembled. With
out warming the dogs pounced on two
negroes. The officers ran to the dogs
and in attempting to arrest the two
negroes they were Immediately sur
rounded by the crowd. The crowd
sought to prevent the arrest of the
two men and the officers drew their
guns.
Within u short time thirteen me-
grces we're placed under arrest and
carried to the Statesboro jail.
Prior to the arrest Of the thirteen,
Paul Reid and his wife and VIII Cate,
other negroes, were placed in jail. In
a confession made later by the wife OF
Paul Reid she declared her hus.
band and VIII Cato committed the
murder.
NEGRO WOMAN CONFESSEs
The woman told narrowing tale
OF the crime. She was anxious, she
said, to make clean breast of the
whole matter and would have done SO
before, when she heard of the murder
being planned, but she was afraid,
she said, that her husband would kill
her. The woman said that her hus.
band viii Cato were impressed that
MIR. Hodges had about $500 In money
and had planned to kill him and rob
the house the Saturday night before.
They went to the house, called Mr..
Hodges out, but their courage failed
them and as an excuse asked for some
spirits OF turpentine.
They were still resolved to try the
murder again. the woman stated.
She heard them plotting during the
week. She said her husband and WIN
Cato left the house together on the
night of the murder and she thinks
there were two or three others with
them, but did not know who, as they
never came into the house where she
was. They were gone about an hour
and half. When they returned, her
husband said he had committed an
awful crime, and was in trouble about