The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1904-01-20
BOYS BODY FOUND
Where he Was Murdered Weeks
Ago by Strange Negro.
STILL NO TRACE OF TIE NEGRO.
Two Hunters Discover Badly De-
composed Remains as One
of Them, by Chance,
Jumps Ditch.
Jumps q Ditch.

The Columbia State Of Wednesday
says the body Of 16-year-old Stephen
Howell who so mysteriously disappear
ed after a 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. The corpse was lying face
down in ditch near a stream in a
thick, and dark and dismal piece of
wood far from any public highway on
the Suber place, three miles southeast
of the city. 1t was in this direction
the boy was last seen in company
with the negro in wagon belonging
to Philip EpStin, who had hired the
two to 60 out on this erEand, which
proved the last for the boy and the
beginning Of a tragic and grief-laden
chapter which is burned into the
mind If his poor old mother.
The 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 Killians Thursday for burial.
DISCOVERY BY MEREST CHANCE
The case would still be as deep and
perplexing a mystery today but for
chance which induced one CT the hun
tiers to jump across the little ditch
where the body was lying, this act re-
sulting in the discovery. The body
lay face downward, head up stream
and was in badly decomposed state.
The face was lying In about two inch
es of water, the overflow from a 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 afternoon Of the disappearance
when be reported to Mrs. Epstin that
Stephen had jumped off the wagon to
20 home on Assembly street, was
found leaning against a tree about
five steps of. There was not a trace
of blood on either the blade or the
handle; the blade was rusty and the
print left in the earth when 1T was
lifted showed that it had passed
through several rains as it stood there
these three weeks, mute witness un-
able to lie in it's terrible evidence OF
one of the most brutal, cruel and horri-
BILE murders this county has yet wit
messed. Its silent testimony Is corrob-
grated by brutal indentation In the
left side of the victims head. Blood
was even Tuesday oozing out of the
nose.
STILL NO TRACE OF NEGRO.
Not a 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 later, on Wednesday, and seek
to collect from Epstin at the latter's
store in the same street and almost
within hailing distance Of police head
quarters. Aud there is precious small
chance Of any valuable light being shed
on this end Of the mystery at the ln-
inquest Wednesday.
RAIN HAD oBL1TERATED TRACKS.
The find was promptly reported in
person by the hunters to the sheritf's
office, aud the sheriff led by the hunt.
ers and accompanied by Coroner Green
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
the news from Policeman Jones, who
| was Informed Of the find while on duty
at the union station. They found con
ditions as described above. The rains
had unfortunately obliterated all tell
tale tracks, aud it may never be known
whether the murder was committed
on the spot where the body was fount
or whether the death-blOW was deal
in the open and the murderer carried
his victims body at the risk of being
seen at any moment until he fOunC
this lonely spot. However, all this
important as it ought to be, may b'
of little consequence after all, as Their
is slim chance of the murderer being
run to Justice.