The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-13
MURDERED
IN HER HOME
WOMAN FOUND DYING
DYING
FOUND
IN A TENEMENT HOUSE IN COLUM-
BIA s. c.

stab Wound I'm Her Head and Her
Body Beaten With n BroOmstick.
Evidences of the Crime ON Every
Hand-Thc WOman's Identity I'm
knoVvn-TvyO Men Seen Leaving
the House Few Hours Before
She Was FOund-A Furniture Re-
ceipt May Furnish n Possible Clue.
Columbia, S. c., Aug. 12.-
A white woman, apparently be-
tween % and 80 years of age, of
rather coarse appearance and weigh
ing perhaps 1875 pounds, was discovered
in a dying condition in a three-room
cottage on Plain street. between Pu-
laski and Huger, yesterday aft
ernoon, with a stab wound in
the top of her head and her body black
and blue from blows supposed to have
been dealt with a broom handle found
in the room. There is no clue to the
identity of the woman or of the per-
son or persons inflicting the wounds.
The woman died shortly after being
discovered.
Several bloody cloths were found be-
hind the screen in the fireplace, an
other bloody cloth was found on a
sofa in front of the screen, and still
another in a closet. A bloody sheet
from which attempts had apparently
been made to wash out blood stains,
was found wadded in a ball under the
sofa, and the sofa was set and blood
stained. In a washstand drawer in an
adjoining room was found a womans
undergarment soaked in blood. In the
fireplace was found two pieces of a
broomstick with which the woman had
evidently been beaten.
The Woman Unknown.
The only evidence of the woman's
identity were a number of receipts
found in bureau drawer from a fur
niture firm, bearing the name of Maud
Allen.
A note addressed to man in Brook
land was found on the bureau. 1t was
evidently written yesterday morning
by the murdered woman, though the
signature was torn away. 1t request
ed him to call at the house this after
noon or tonight"
Two unknown white men were seen
TO leave the house late in the after
noon. one coming out of the front door
and the other from the rear. One of
these was seen to go back into the
house, but remained only a minute CT
two.
After an all night investigation the
police were unable to find out any
thing concerning the woman's identity
Police Have Little to Work On.
The police and the county sheriff are
completely mystified over the murder
of the woman. According to the testi-
mony of the real estate agency and
M. H. Witt, the owner of the house,
the woman had given her name as
Maud Allen She said she was from
Wilmington, n. c., and had been away
from home only five months.
The police have very little to work
upon and Chief Daley said to-day that
it is one of the most difficult cases
he has ever had. About a month ago
man visited one of the real estate
agencies and made inquiries as TO the
house where the woman was found,
which is owned by NJ. H. Witt, who
lives across the river. The agent
thought it best to ask for the rent in
advance, and two weeks installment
was paid, the receipt being made out
in the name of Maud Allen. At the
end of two weeks the man again re-
turned, and paid another two weeks
rent. Inc next instrument was Que
Aug. 8, and the agent intended collect
ing it to-day.
Man Would Come From Hamlet.
While Mr.. Witt was passing the
house a day or two ago the woman
stopped him, and on learning that he
was the owner. said that she would
pay her next instalment on the rent
in few days The man who rented
the house. she said, was sick in Ham
let, N. c., but would be able to come
down in a few days and settle the ac-
count Mr.. Witt did not ask the name
of the man, but promised to hold off
on the rent and SO instructed the
agent The woman also told him that
she had left her home in Wilmington
about five months ago, and was tired
of the life she was leading. She made
no complaint of i'll treatment, however,
and seemed to have perfect confidence
in the man in Hamlet. The coroner
will not hold an inquest until some
information is obtained.