The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-12-16
IA FAMIl.Y Y KILLED i'm
TOWN OF TRENTON

cullarit1es like other men and now
that he is dead, mysteriously dead
there are persons who can recall what
th"y now say were recent actions more
peculiar than were usually noted in
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 wear
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 vas building
and into which the family expected to
n I'VE 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 the 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 respected 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 1ela.
tlon 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
TO 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 the father had been con.
sistent 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 SO That
every ons in the village .rourns their
death Friday the funeral will be held
there In this house where they had so
constantly attended, and the four
bodies will be buried at Ebeneza ar
cemetery.
THE HOME WAS DESTROYED.
The ruius we're raked in hopes Of
irding the implement with which
the ladies were 6rain7d, but nothing
resembling that which must have
been used was discovered except the
pea Of q steelyard. Other thipgs,
such as q watch and jswelry, we're
found, although the house was as
arly completely consr med with It's
c, ,nten.s as 1t is possible to conc Give.
Ii arson was employed to conceal the
greater crime Of murder the guilty
party had reckoned well. The ire
evidently was started at the rear OF
the house and 1T had burned It's way
well towards the front before 1T was
seen. When the first arrival reached
the SCI he the entire roof was in q
b,aZe and before the other tOWnsmen
got there the house was practically
raZod.
With these meagre facts TO go on
and the improbabiliby ofanythlng ad.
dtional ever being discovered, it
seems likely that the corcner's jury
can only decide that the family OF Mr..
Bln Is. 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 cor0-
ner and the solicitor will exert them
selves to that end.
ALL WAS QUIET.
1t 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 these people, shocked
them not beyond action II 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 ed beyond ex x2ression A Sabbath
quiet, a 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 re'p In any
way that was suggested. It was not
the work OF a few minutes, but of
hours, to search the ruins and TO pre-
pare tie burned bodies for burial, and
all day long small crowd stood az. und
uhe fateful spot. Not a curious or
excited crowd OF idle gosslps, or fren
zled irresponsibles, but men who 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
10 do what only women should do for
the pure dead, and then 1t was that
strong men DO we'd their heads in re-.
spectful sorrow.
The village negroes hung around
the fence, talking with one another
in quiet, respectful tones and won.
dcriig, too. In and around the vii.