The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-12-16
"A FAMILY KILLED in
TOWN OF TRENTON,

PECULIAR than were usually noted ir
his conduct. But this may mean moth.
ing. It is known his family life was
happy, though he had his share OF
trouble and worry, his wife having
been on to Baltimore within the year
for treatment. That he was hard pres.
sed for money or anything Of that sort
was not imagined, as on the contrary
he was supposed to be prosperous-and
that was his condition In truth SO far
as is now known.
A PEACEFUL SCENE.
Hardly 200 yards from where the
tragedy occurred there Is almost COM
pleted an ornate and attractive dwell
ing which Mr.. Hughes was building
and into which the family expected to
move In the next few days. The house
they were living in was merely their
temporary residence until this other
should be finished. The new house Is
directly In the rear Of his store, q
general merchandise establishment
such .as one sees in the average South
Carolina town OF this size. Here Mr.
Hughes did good trade among his
neighbors of this excellent, prosper.
Gus and progressive community.
Across the road-or street-from the
destroyed house lies fertile and
valuable stretch Of land belonging
either to him or to his wife. Two
doors from the burned house and just
across the street from the new dwell
ing Is the unusually handsome home
Of his brother, Mr.. Steven Hughes,
| one OF Jne best and most substantial
men not only In this section but In all
Edgefield county. The Hughes fami.
ly and that of Mrs. Hughes, the MIL
lers, embrace connection as substan.
tial, as respe cted and as refined as any
in the borders of South Carolina.
The sorrow and the horror which
this mystery has brought upon them
can not be told In cold, unfeeling type,
and the circumstances make the rela.
tiOn OF the facts sad and undeSired
duty.
Thursday afternoon, just as the
December sun was beginning to sink
in all its chill splendor, four caskets
were carried from the destroyed home
10 the little Baptist church where
these good people had worshipped God
In the purity Of mind and heart which
He gives to His elect. In this con.
gregation tue father had been con.
sistenJ and unassuming member while
the good works oflmother and daugh
ters will live after them. No better
woman was known to Trenton than she
who had trained up her girls 80 that
every ons in the village pourns their
death Friday the funeral will be held
there 10 this house where they had 80
constantly attended, and the four
bodies will be buried at Ebenezar
cemetery.
THE HOME WAS DESTROYED.
The ruius we're raked in hopes Of
finding the implement with which
the ladies were brainad, but nothing
resembling that which must have
been used was discovered except the
pea OF steelyard. Other thipgs,
such as watch and jswelry, were
found, although the house was as
II arly completely consumed with its
ctnse nts as 1t is possible to conc Give.
Ii arson was employed to conceal the
greater crime OF murder the guilty
party had reckoned we'll. The fire
evidently was started at the rear OF
the house and it had burned it's way
well towards the front before 1T was
seen. When the first arrival reached
the sec ne the entire roof was in
blaze and before the other townsmen
got there the house was practically
rdZCd.
With these meagre facts TO go on
and the improbabiliby Of anything ad.
ditiCnal ever being discovered, it
seems likely that the coroner's jury
can only decide that the family OF Mr..
Bcn b. Hughes came to their death
at the hands Of parties unknown. The
inquest has been adjourned until
Monday In the hopes of obtaining
further evidence, and both the coro-
ncr and the solicitor will exert them
selves to that end.
ALL WAS QUIET.
Il has been said above that Tren.
ton, peaceful village OF the Ridge,
was stunned. No other word per
haps will express the situation. The
horror shocked thesa people, shocked
them not beyond action IL there had
been aught they could do In punish
ment or vengeance, but In the alb
sence Of evidence upon which action
could be taken they were merely hOr.
riff I'd beyond ex preston a Sabbath
quiet, sorrowed stiffness, hung over
the place. Olt OF respect TO their
fellow merchant. the other business
men Of the town closed their stores
and all hands turned to help in any
way that was suggested. II was not
the work Of few minutes, but OF
hours, to search the ruins and to pre-
; pare the burned bodies for burial, and
all day long small crowd stood a.. und
The fateful spot. Not a curious or
excited crowd OF idle gosslps, or fren
zied irresponsibles, but men whU stood
by to assist when needed, and always
to wonder. There was no excite.
ment, no sign except the evidences OF
sadness. Tender women were there
TO do what only women should do for
the pure dead, and then 1t was that
strong men DO wed their heads In re.
spectful sorrow.
The village negroes hung around
the fl nee, talking with one another
in quiet, respectful tones and won.
dering, too. In and around the vii.
lPge tf Trenton-as Trenton men 4
character and sound judgment testi
tied--there are gooo, respectable and
orderly set OF darkies, among whom
no Vicious characters are to be found
ca If v,oo fhof mIito a~l oal,-o,