The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-12-14
AFAMIIY KILLED IN
TOWN OF TRENTON.

there are persons who can recall wha
Il h,y row say we're recent actions NOR
PECULIAR than were usually poted il
his conduct. But this may mean moth
! ing It Is known his family life va
happy, though be had bis share o
trouble ard worry, bis wife having
been on to Baltimore within the yea
for treatment. That be was hard pres
sed for money or anything OF that Sor
was not imagined, as on the contrar!
he was supposed to be prosperous-ant
that was bis condition In truth 50 "a
as is now known.
4 PEACEFUL SCENE.
Harllv 200 yards from where the
tragedy occurred there is almost com
pletec an ornate and attractive dwell
iog which Mr.. Hughes vas bu}ldin:
and into which the family expected tx
N ove in the next few days. The house
they were living in was merely theil
temporary residence until this othel
should be finished. The new house l:
directly in the rear Ct bis store, 8
general merchandise establishment
such as one sees in the average Soutr
CarOlina town OF this size. Here Mr.
Hughes did good trade among his
neighbors OF this excellent, prosper
GUS and progressive community
Across the road-or street-frem the
dest,oyed house lies q fertile anc
valuable stretch Of land belonging
either to him or to his wife. Two
doors from the burned house and just
across the streetszom the new dwell
ing is the unusually handsome home
Of his brother, Mr.. Steven Hughes,
one OF the best and most substantial
men not only in this section but IN al
Edgefeld county. The Hughes 1ani-
ly and that Of Mrs. Hughes, the Nil.
lers, embrace a connection as suos5an'
tial, as respected ard ss refined as any
in the borders Of South Carolina.
The sorrow and the horror which
this mystery has brought upon them
can not be told in cold, unfeeling type,
and the circumstances make the rela-
ton OF the facts sad and undesired
duty.
Thursday afternoon, just as the
December sun was beginning to sink
in all it's chill splendor, four caskets
were carried from the destroyed home
to the little Baptist church where
these good people had worShipped God
in the purity OF mind and heart which
He gives to His elect. In this con-
greeat;cn the father had been con-
sistenu and unassuming member while
the good works ofImother and daugh
ters will live after them. No better
woman was known to Trenton than she
who had trained up her girls so that
every one in the village pourDs their
death Friday the funeral will be held
there in this house Ehere they had so
constantly attended, and the four
bodies viii 'be buried at EbenezeI
cemetery.
TIE HONE WAS DESTROYED.
The ruius we're raked in hopes OF
fLding the implement With which
the ladies were brainsd, but nothing
resembling that which must have
been used vas discovered except the
rea OF a steelya.d. Other thirgs,
such as a watch and jewelry, "ere
found, although the house vas as
u arly completely consumed with It's
ccnten:s as 1t is possible to conceive.
II arson was employed to conceal the
greater crime Of murder the guilty
party had reckoned well. The ire
evidently was started at the rear OF
the house and it bad burned its way
we'll towards the front before it was
seen. When the first arrival reached
the scene the entire roof was In q
blaze and 5etore the otner townsmen
got there the house was practically
rszed.
With these meagre facts to 80 on
and the improbaoil!ty Of anything sd,
oitional ever being discovered, 1t
seems likeiy that the coroner's jury
can only decide that the family OF Ar,
Ben 3. Hughes came 70 their death
at the hands Of parties unknown. TIE
INQUEST has been adjourned until
Monday 10 the hopes Of obtaining
further evidence, and both the coro
ner and the solicitor will exert them
selves 70 that end.
ALL WAS QUIET.
It has been said above that T.e3
ton, peact ful village Of the Eidge
] was stunned. No other word per
haps will express the situation. TIE
horror shocked these people, shocked
them not beyond action il there hat
been aught they could do In punish
ment or vengeance, but in the sb
sence Of evidence upon which sctirl
could be taken they were merely her
riff ID beyond expression. A Sabbath
quiet, a sorrowed stiffness, hung eve
the place. Olt OF respect to Uhei
fellow merchant, the other business
men OF the town closed their st re
and all hanos turned TO help in an.
way that was suggested. Il was no
the work OF few minutes, but o
hours, to search the ruins snd to pre-
pare the burned bodies for burial, an
ali day long small crowd stood a-cun'
the tstetul spot, Not curious o
excited crowd Of idle gossips, or !ren
zied irresponsib,es, bus men who stoo
By to assist when needed, and alway
to wonder. There vas no excite
ment, no sign except the evidences Q
sadness. Tender women we're ther
to do what Cnly women should do 10
the pure dead, and then it was tina
strong men bowed their heads in re
spectful sorroW.
The village negroes hung asoun
the f nee, talking with one anothe
in quiet, respectful tones and Wor
deripg, too. In and around the vi
l*ge If Tlenton-ss Trenton men
character and sound Judgment test
ied--there are gooo, respectable az
: orderly set Of darkies, among whcI
no vicious characters are TO be tounC