The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-01-27
JACOB CLOY COMES BACK.
Father Of JnO. ClOy Returns After an
Absence of 81 Years.
Aiken Journal and Review

Absence Of 81 Years.
Aiken Journal and Review.
About a mile from Deervana and
about II miles from Aiken Is the old
Posey homestead. At one time, long
ago, this was the seat Of one of the
most prosperous limitations in this
section. Frank Posey, the owner, was
true type of the rich Southern plan
ter of the ante-bellum days, owing
many slaves and living in manner
almost princely in style. Today this
old homestead is owned by those of
another name and the old place is no
longer the scene of affluent ease but
the old house is tumbling down and
the lands no longer yield their plenty
at the hands of their black tillers.
The story of the decline of the Posey
family and the decay of this country
seat is story of greed and murder.
The great farmer had son. Martin
Posey, who married a young wife, in
l849, and for while lived happily on
the place given him by his father.
The young wife was an heiress
sharing large property with her Sis
ter who was unmarried.
Finally the demon of greed entered
the heart of the young man and he
began to think how he' could obtain
possession of the property of both his
wife and her sister. And then the
thought of murder and the mans
soul was sold for its price. Martin
Posey, it is said, tried in many ways
TO put his wife out of tine way without
numbering her In cold blood. She es-
capped several traps set for her and he
at last decided to settle the matter
once and for all. He told her one
night that the dairy was open and she
had better attend to securing the
milk. The unsuspecting woman
went to the dairy and husband
followed. There awaiting her was a
burly negro who, obeying his masters
previous instructions, beat the young
woman down with q club. Then, on
her knees, the poor wife saw her lord
and master standiug in the darkness
making signs to the blacker faced,
but no blacker villain, urging him to
finish his work. 1t is said that the
POOR victim begged her husbsnd not to
kill her, but Posey continued to urge
the negro, who beat her to the ground.
Then the body was dragged into the
bushes and hastily buried. For ten
days after the body was searched for
and finally discovered in its dishonered
grave. Then the finger. of suspicion
finally pointed to the husband, who
ia the meantime had committed MUIR
der to cover the first; he had sent
word to the negro who knew of his
guilt, and under a promise to give
him q large sum of money to leave
the country, had lured him to the
swamp and had there shot him and
buried his body in the swamp. Mar
tin Posey, whose plan was to marry
his wife's sister, and thereby gain the
whole inheritance, was convicted and
hanged before his plans could be fully
matured and today his lonely grave,
near his home, is shuned by the ne
groes of the community, who believe
that the devil and Posey hold high
carnival there every night. !
Now, all this tale of horror would
no doubt have been forgotten as it has
been for nearly go years if it had not
been for the arrival of an old gentle
man at Graniteville on the night of
last Monday week. On that night an
old man Of 83 years of age boarded the
train for Charleston. which left Au-
gust at 1.l5 D M, and told conductor
Wooten that he was the father of
Judge Jno. r. Cloy, of Graniteville,
and wanted to 60 There. The con-
ductor told the old man that Judge
Cloy's father had been dead for over
forty years, but the venerable passen-
ger was so insistent and was 30 anx-
ious to reach his sons home that
when the train reached Graniteville
the conductor told the station agent to
see that the old gentleman reached the
home of Judge Cloy.
The agent escorted the old man to
the home of Judge Cloy and there his
indentity was established and 1t was
proven beyond doubt that the
ancient stranger was Jacob Wesley
Cloy, the father of the honorable
Squire of Graniteville.
When Jacob Cloy left his family
and home his son was only n days
old. He held the position of overseer
on the estate of Frank Posey and was
the staunch friend of the son, Martin
Posey. When the young wife was
missed Cloy joined with the others In
the search for the body and was one of
the party who found it. AS said
before suspicion pointed to the hus-
band of the murdered woman as the
guilty party and the evidence of ia
cob Cloy was considered strong point
in the case of the prosecution. Finally
the day of the trial came and the court
room was crowded. Every one was
waiting to hear what Jacob Cloy had
to say but when his name was called
he did not answer. He was searched
for at his home, but although the prls-
oner was hanged it was not the evil
dence of his friend Cloy which sent
him to the gallows.
At first it was whispered that anoth-
er murdec was committed in order to
cover the others but after while q
great many people became convinced
that Cloy had left rather than testify
against his friend. Now, after fifty
four years this idea is confirmed, but
still not one word will the venerable
Jacob Cloy utter in relation to the
murder. If he knows anything at all
about it he keeps it to himself and
rightly or wrongly, he is still true to
the friend of his youth. When asked
why he left his home and deserted his
young wife ond infant son, he replies,
"that is too long past to talk about
now." Although SO years of age Mr..
Cloy is quite active and is remarkably
brig int and quick in thought. He. has
travelled over the greater part of the
United States and Canada and has
several times owned considerable mon
ey. He has heen engaged in the live
atnoE h1ainass and his ventures in This