The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-12-14
THE TRENTON HORROR.
No Clue to the perpetrator of the
Awful Deed---Sonae Grounds
for Belief that Hughes
Killed His Family and
Then Himself.

Killed His Family and
Then Himself.
Trenton, S. c., Dec. S.-This little
village, with its 800 inhabitants, has
been aroused today as never before
Derhaps in its history. When de.
Alex Day was awakened at 5 O'Clock
this morning by the roaring OF f!ames,
which he soon discovered orlginateo
from the house Of his neighbor M. q.
B. Hughes, his first thought was OF aid
ing his neighbor in his time OF trou-
bic. and then when others arrived up
ON she scene and the awful scenes
wh;ch ara now so we'll told IN the
daily papers, we're laid before the nor
ror-stricken gaze Of those assembled,
the first thought which pierced sne
henumbed senses of the villagers was
The idea that the horrible holocaust
vas the result of accident. Later,
when the charred bodies Of Mr.
Hughes. his wife and their two lovely
daughters, Emma and Eva, were torn
from the debris of their home, the
father with bullet hole through ms
head, and the mother and daugnsers
with their heads crushed open, snen
it was that the men OF Edgetield
County thought that 8 cowardly .hend
created this awful havoc, possibly to
commit outrage, calling to his a1d
the Ere demon to wipe out the marks
of his crime. For awhile the crowds
surged into the little village and every
effort was made to find q clue to the
dastardiy murderersand II such soiu-
tion had been true. and it had been
possible to find the 6end, there IS no
doubs what the outcome would have
been.
For a while, believing that no
other theory was possible, every e1ort
was made to find chue TO the murder,
er. Bloodhounds we're brought and
nut on the trail. that was thonght
suspicious, but no success resulted !;
tbe hounds failed to run down tan
Now since time has been given for
reflection, and people have been able to
consider ideas and facts that they cast
aside earlier in the day in the face OF
other theories, the horrible fact IS
gradually taking form in the minds OF
all that, awful as the idea may seem,
nothing remains to believe but that
Ben Hughes Drained his wife and
daughters. set his house on fire, and
then fred pistol bullet through his
own brain.
when the body of Mr.. Hughes was
found he was fully dressed, even to
having his gloves on, and this at
o'clock in the morning. His wife and
daughters we're lying In their beds IN
natural positions for sleeping. Ii an
assassin. making noise sufficient to
arouse the father to come 60 their as
sistance across the house, had attacked
the daughters, why was not the moth
or aroused also? The revolver found in
the dead hand of Hughes had one car
fridge fred, as shown by the indenta-
ton Of tie hammer, and the others
were exploded by heat The bullet
hole in his right temple was Just a
proper direction for sef-lntilcted
wound, and not an article had been
taken from the house.
Mr.. Hughes's watch, money and
store key were in his pocket, doing
away with the robbery theory. These
are the arguments used By those who
are now horror-stricken with their
own awful thoughts.
This afternoon all is again peaceful
and quiet in Trenton. If the men OF
Edee6eld had sufficient grounds to
believe that the Hughes family were
murdered BY a living hand, the men
of Edoefseld would now be securing
every road and swamp for miles
around. but as it is the crowds, which
have been perfectly quiet all day, have
and nothing Is iefs out
awful sorrow for the deeds OF mind
that must have been temporarily de-
ranged.
All day Trenton has been hushed:
All the stores have been closed and
the school has been adjourned. To-
snorrow the same paralysis OF business
and school duties will exist, for then
a great quadruple funeral will be held
and nearly every citizen in this section
will be among the moufners.
The slain family we're related to
nearly every family here, and besides
were beloved by all.
MT. 7uSpoS WdS Souo1oAy o0EPoSo~
to be in e eood circumstances. He was
lust completing a handsome new
house, and bis wife and daughters
were looking forward to moving in be.
fore Christmas. He had quite lot OF
cotton ou hand, and it is said that the
recent slump in prices had caused him
to worry, and although not frank
talker, he had been heard to express
some discouragemeut over his pros
poets. Re was a sufferer from heart
trouble, and complained of sleeplessness
Yesterday evening, and remarked to
a friend last night he wanted to go to
bed early, aud closed up his store at
s O'Clock and went home.
Mrs. Hughes had also been Ill a
great deal and Mr.. Hughes had spent
a large sum of money sending her to
different resorts for treatment. but
lately the wife's health had been bet
ter.
After considering all the foregoing
facts, which might be light upon
the theory of suicide, after Staying