The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-12-14
House Burned to the
Ground Over Their
Dead Bodies.
A MYSTERIOUS HORROR.
Father, Mother and Two
Young Girls Killed and the
Dwelling Set Afire
BY Unknown
Parties.

LI36e OGS VI lCS OSSC AGSHA ~bO oS''
respected families had been massacred.
and their home burned to the ground,
with perhaps no human being left
who can tell the tale. In the ruins
were the char-ed bodies Ct father,
mother snd TWO youthful daughters
the women killed in their placid
sleep and the husband and father shot
through the head. The victims OF
this horror are:
Ben. B. Hughes, merchant and
farmer, aged 42 years.
Mrs. 3 3. Hughes, f:rmer,y Miss
Eva Miller, about 40 years Ct age.
Miss Emily Hughes, aged Is.
Miss Hattie Hughes, aged Is.
TRENTON WAS sEoCKED.
Trenton was shocked and soTrowed
and Mortified when the residents learn
ed the terrible truth. It was shortly
after 5 O'Clock that the house was dis
covered to be on FIRE, the first psrson
to reach the scene being MI. A. 4. S.
Day, who lives next 6oor. The house
was then almost consumed, the FIRE
being too far advarced for any one to
enter the building. The first thought
Of those who reached there was That
the Hughes family had escaped, as
nothing was seen Of them at the win
dows OF doors. It was only after the
neighbors began to inquire Of each
other that they realized the horror. It
was then too late, far 100 late, even to
make an attempt to get out the VIC.
tins. Even then it was supposed
that the family had been sin ply IN
able to escape after the IRE started
perhaps su7ocated by the smoke or
burned to death in their beds. It was
not until the neighporS had waited
for the flames to subSide and it was
possible to 20 into what had been the
house that they knew murder htd
been committed-mur6er in a most
horrib manner.
TEE BODIES FOUND.
The house was small, one story,
frame dwelling. TIE young women
we're slee ping in one bed in room on
the left as one entered, while Mr.. ard
MIS-. Hughes occupied the front room
on the right, across a arasrow hall from
their daughters. There were no other
members Of the family and 10 one else
staying In the house. The body of
Mrs. hughes was so badly burned that
it cannot be said for certain how she
vas killed, but there is little or no
reason to doubt that she was murder
ed before the FIRE reached her, since OF
all four persols she was fartbeSt away
from the point where the h:e appear
emily started. The wind was b Owing
acres the house from the Icom cccu
pied by the girls, their bed was In the
far corner and hence their bodies were
not so badly charreo. It could be plain
IL seen that their heads had been
crushed in with some heavy, blunt In
strument, such as hammer, for the
bloody matted hair told the tale all
tco certainly. The innocent girls lay
side by side, their positions showing
that they had rot even made ssrug'
gle for their lives. The strange thing
is that it was possible to kill one after
the other, without arousing the second
one, who must have survived her Sis
ter only for the time it t2ck to raise
the weapon for another blow. Tas
bodies Of these two Sere Still resting
on the springs Of the btd, the iEfam
mable part OF which had burned away
Mrs. Hughes body was also just whes'
the bed had stood in her rctm, art
it seemed that her head might haV'
bsen,un6er the pillow.
THE CRIME A MYSTERY.
It is difficult to accept the theor.
that the husband and father exterml
mated his family, but the facts WHICH
lead to this theory are by no mean
such as can be lghJly disregarded. b
was fully clothed, not hastily dresse'
as one su0dedly awakened from souns
sleep to face a peril or as one rouse'
to defend that most dear. He had no
met his death in the flames nor IN To
Kramer in which deata came to hi
wife ao6 daughters. Mr.. Hughes va
shot through the right side OF tn
head, the ball ranging upward an
coming out through the top OF th
skull. Either be shot himself or he va
shot by some intruder against whom
he had prepared himself to defend hi
castle, since a pistol was found by tG
outstretched right hand with on
chamber exploded by conclusion an
the Others exploded afterwards by tn
FIRE. TIE absence Of any motive fo
murder aud arson makes it seem "
reasonable to suppose that the hon
was invaded. Nj. Hughes and famii
sd always been On tie best OF tern
with every one in the community 40
there is no one who is known to ha7
had ggudge against him. He vas nc
3 conspicuously popular nan, but DC
unpopular, regarded as e safe, conseI
yatire business man and a close trade
and never known to be inclined
speculation. There was no reason
Relieve that the robbery OF his hous
wo1l6 prove profitable especially, az
II robbery is the clue the roooe7
hardly a resident Of that section. y
the other hand 20 one who knew b
Enghas would suspect hin OF tel
6ency towards suicide, much lsss u
more horrible crime involving DIS 1a7
q Nod IA