The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-01-22
BDf KS BODY FOUND
Where he Was Murdered Weeks
Ago by Strange Negro.
sTIIL NO TRACE OF THE NEGRO.


Two Hunters Discover Badly De-
si9bmposed Remains as Ono
of Them, by Chance,
Jumps Ditch.
The Columbia State of Wednesday
says:the body Of 1G-year-Old Stephen
Howell who SO mysteriously disappear
Ell after trip into the country in
company with strange negro after
Christmas holly and who was believed
to have been murdered by this negro,
was found Tuesday jan IL, by two
hunters. Tho corpse was lying face
down In a ditch near stream In a
thick, and dark and dismal piece Of
wood far from any public highway on
the Snber place, three miles southeast
of the city. 1t was4inIthis direction
the toy was last seen in&company
with4the negro in a wagon belonging
to Phillip Epstin, who had hired the
two tb go out On this errand, which
proved the last for the boy and the
beginning Uf a tragic and grief-laden
chapter which is burned into the
mind If his poor old mother.
Th5 body lies in Van Metres NOR
que awaiting an inquest which will
be held by the coroner Wednesday.
1t will be carried to his former home
at Killlians Thursday for burial.
DISCOVERY by NIEREST CHANCE
Pile case would still be as deep and
perplexing a mystery today but for
chance which induced one CT the hu l.
terSiGO jump . across the lit lie ditch
where the lmdy was lying, tfis act re-
sultipg in the -Scovery. 'ihe body
lay face down ward, head iip strea Il
andtWas in a badly decompo Led state.
The face wis lying in about two inc l.
eS OF water, the overflow from near
by small branch, and clot of leaves
had been washed up against the side
OF the face. The axe, which the ne
gro failed to return with the wagon On
the aftern BON of the disappearan,,e
when4he reported to Mrs Epstin th; 4
Stephen ha ! jumped OF the wagon 10
go home )n Assembly street, WIS
found leaning against a tree about
ivesteps Off There was not a trace
of blood OF either the blade or tile
handle; the blade was rusty and the
print left il the earth when it WIS
lifted showed that it had passt d
through scN eral rains as it Stood the e
these three weeks, ii mute witness un-
able to lie il its terrible evidence If
oneof the rioSt brutal, cruel and horli-
bic murders this county has yet wi >
messed. Its silent testimony is corro)
GRATED by brutal indcntation in tile
left side OF the victims head. Blood
was even Tuesday oozing out of the.
lpQse.l
FL 1lsot,,rRAOBs OF, NEGRO. ~,
Net cts trace has been found by
either The county or city officers Of
either the person or the name Of the
mysterious negro, whose cool villainy
allowed him not only TO return almost
through the quarters OF the police
within perhaps an hour after he had
slain young Howell and turn in the
team and go back to his employer
twice that same Afternoon after few
cents due him, but to return again
two days laJer, on Wednesday, and seek
TO collect from Ep>tin at the latter's
store in the same street aud almost
within hailing distance of police head
quarters. And there is precious small
chance Of any valuable light being shed
on this end uf tile mystery at the H.
inquest Wednesday.
RAIN HAD OBLITERATED TRACKS.
The lind was promptly reported n
person by the hunters to the sheritl"s
office, and the sheriff led by the hurt.
and i.I I,,, v, ~
and his deputy, Bob Baughman, hur
ried to the scene. The sheriff was the
first officer to reach the scene and he
was soon afterward followed by the
boys father, John Howell, who was
accompanied by his eldest son, Charlie.
The relatives had been informed from
police headquarters, which received
tile news from Policeman Jones, who
was Informed Of the tind while on duUy
at the union station. They found con-
ditionS as described above. The rains
had unfortunately obliterated all tell
tale tracks, and it may never be known
whether the murder was committed
on the spot Where the body was found
or whether the death blow was dealt
in the open and the murderer carried
his victims body at the risk OF being
seen at any rnDmcnt until he found
this lonely spot. However, all this,
important us 1t ought to be, may sc
OF little consequence after ALL as there
is slim chance of the murderer being
run to justice.
MOTHERS HEART PICTURED MURDER.
/, Mrs. Howell saw IL reporter at her
nIme In Assembly street Il st night,
but was unable 10 talk only in DIS
connected way, sob inter cning IL
most between every word - she sat
in rocking chair in a cold ad dimiy
lighted roo n with some ten men and
women Sym pathizers gather d around
trying to comfort her, Tho rythn ic
motions Of the chair punctl lting le
expressions of her mothers ,;Iief.
People kept coming to me eve "
day." she sobbed, Ito tell me tn 1T
Stephen must be we'll and all rig II
and tnat The negro could not ha We
murdered him IN the circumstance S,
but my mo Jher'S heart covld not s.
ten to them in belief. knew that my
poor boy h;d been cruelty murdered.
knew that there il no accounting for
what kind Of an awful crime neg 70
will commit. And how IL has Ill