The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-09-06
Mrs. Geo, Packer AS.
Saulted and Murder
ed Near CldrktOn
/. THE PEOPLE
In the Vicinity OF Clarkton Greatly
Reused. and IL Negro Is Found He
Will be IAnched-Nrs. Fuckers
Throat Was Gut From Ear TO Ear
and Her Head Was Beat Into Jelly
She Was Dragged About Two
Hundred Yards From Her Home.

One or the most horrible crimes
ever committed in the State of Nortn
Carolina was enacted yesterday morn
ing near Clarkton. when Mrs. George
Packer, the young wife OF q highly
respected laborer. was dragged from,
her home by a human brute and had
her throat cut from ear to ear and
the back OF her head beaten into a
jelly. All the country In the vicinity
OF Ciarkton Is aroused, and In case the
negro Is identified there Is little doubt
about his being lynched, and he may
have already paid the penalty ere this
is read.
Clarkton, a small town on the Coast
Line. about 40 miles from this city.
Her husband left yesterday morning
and went to his work, leaving his
young wife, who was only - years
or age. at the house alone. Yesterday
about IL o'clock a young boy went to
the house to see Mrs. Packer about
some matter but found the house de-
serted. He went to Mr.. Packer. the
father of George Packer. and told him
the house was all open and that he
waited for a long time, but could find
no one. Mr.. Packer and tn. boy re-
turned TO the house to see what hal
become of Mrs. Packer.
When they entered the house they
found tray in the kitchen in which
was dough which Mrs. Packer had
div1
ceived no answer and then 1t was
that they went out into the yard TO
see If they could find any trace OF
her. Tracks were noticed in the yard
| leading in the direction of a corn field
| and these were followed. The tracks
| showed heel tracks in the ground
where the frightened woman had i'm
! printed her heels In her fruittes3
endeavor to stop the negro who was
dragging her of. Along with her
tracks were the heavy tracks of a
| man who had worn new shoes
| Upon reaching the corn field the
foot marks became palmer and the two
had not proceeded far when a most
horrible vision presented itself. Ly-
| ing between two corn rows with her
head bent forward and leaning. on her
| right arm, was Mrs. Packer. Her
| clothes had been torn to shreds. her
| throat cut from ear to ear and the
back Of her head beat into a jelly. The
| sight was one to make the blood run
cold Lying on the ground was a case
knife and a piece Of fence rail about
three feet I'm length. The knife was
covered with blood and the rail was
also bloody. The knife had been
L in
left side and drawn across her throat.
the cash extending nearly to the righ.
ear.
Quickly Mr.. Packer returned 10 town
and gave the alarm. 1t was but a
Few minutes before 500 was raised to
| charter a train and get blood hounds.
but IL was impossible to get an en-
glne and this idea had 10 be abandon
ed, although blood hounds were car
| ried there last night on the train from
Maxton- "A crowd quickly gathere i
and a search begun for the fend in
| carnate.
For some feet around where Mrs.
Packer was lying the ground was torn
UP, showing what q desperate strug-
gle the Poor woman had made TO free
herself The body had not been
moved last night. but was still in the
corn field waiting for the coroner 70
hold an inquest A body Of men en-
circled the spot where the body was
| lying to guard IT,
Dave Brown and Neil seIlars, two
negroes living at clarkton. were arrest
ed yesterday on suspicion Neither OF
these negroes were at work yesterday
morning. Sgllars tcId a very straigh,
story as TO where he was during the
morning but Brown made several state
ments which were very conflicting and
many think him the guilty party. He
and Sellars were at a lumber camp
near where Mrs. Packer lived yesterda,
morning. SeIlars contends that he les.
the camp at . O'Clock and that Brown
remained there. On account OF the
close proximity Of the camp and the
house IL IL not believed that a person
could have been at the camp and not
heard the screams Of Mrs Packer.
When Brown was arrested he was
washing his clothes and this looked
suspicious
A number of people went 10 Clarkton
last night from Maxron and many also
went from the vicinity Of Councils Sta
ton.
Il Mr. r. w. Ring. OF Kernersviile. was
In Ciarkton yesterday afternoon and
visited the scene OF the double crime.
He came 10 Wilmington last night and
gave full account OF the horrible
crime 10 representative Of The Mes
senger.