Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1905-04-05
A MOST HORRIBLE AFFAIR
Young Man Kills Woman and Ends
His Own Life.
A Conway special to Fridays Colum-
bia State gives an account of a most
horrible occurrence, as follows:

bia State gives an account of a most
horrible occurrence, as follows:
One Of the most awful and sicken-
ening tragedies which has ever occur
red within the borders Of the county
took place Thursday morning about Z
o'clock at Homewood station on the
Coast line Railway. AS soon as the
news reached this place your cores
pondent secured horse and buggy
and went out to the scene-a peaceful
looking. one-room board cabin, sur
rounded by small clearing, planted
in English peas and strawberries, in
the midst OF the pine woods. In the
yard, almost in the spot where he fell,
lay F. O.. Sessions. commonly known as
"Buddie" Sessions, dead. with a bull
let through his brail by his own hand,
and on table within the cabin was
stretched the PROSTATE form Of Belle
Sessions, young girl IS or 20 years OF
age, wounded in five places by the hand
Of the dead man lying outside. She
and her mother Betsy Sessions lived
together alone in the cabin, which was
on the land Of Mr.. George Bray, for
whom they worked as day laborel's.
From all that can be gathered, Ses-
sions had been prosecuting this woman
with his attentions for some time past,
having on several occasions threaten
ed to- kill her if she would not marry
him although she was the mother 15He
two pillegitimates children, the youngest
of whom is said to be his child. 1t
seems that there was another man IN
the case. ow.living in Florida or Geor-
gia, who was the favored lover, and
who had sent on tickets for her and
her mother to come and join him; they
were to have gone Wednesday, anG had
their trunks hauled into this place, but
were unable to leave on account OF
some mistake or irregularity OF the
tickets. The atestimo ony of the mother
satsthe, coroner's inquest, was that she
did not know where they were golng
nor who was furnishing the transpor-
tation,- but that her only idea was to
get away somewhere in order that the
life of her child might be spared. Inc
knowledge Of the threats made by the
I deceased were, more or less. matter
OF common information. and there are
some rumors to the effect that they
had even been called to the attention
of the officials. who. however. had not
taken any action, thii ing that the
women were unnece: rily alarmed
over mere idle words.
AS neither mother nor daughter nave
ever been lawfully married. their
house bore a very unsavory reputation
in the community and no one would
have regretted their departure had they
gotten away.
Just before the hour Of the tragedy,
the mother went to the home OF Mr.
Bray to borrow a pitchfork for her
days work, and after she left the
house Sessions, who must have been
concealed in the woods, waiting just
such an opportunity. went up to the
cabin. entered. crught the girl with his
left hand while he pulled his revolver
38 calibre. and emptied every chamber
into her body at arms length. After
releasing her she staggered few steps
and fell in the yard where she was
found. with her two small children cry
ing over her, by those who first ar
rived upon the scene. He then delib-
erately unbreached his pistol, reloaded
all the. chambers, and. placing the muz.
zle, lust behind his right temple. fired
the shot which penetrated the brain.
coming out on the other side of the
head lust above the left ear. The Wo-
man was wounded in both arms. they
being broken between the elbow ann M
shoulder. once just below the lert
breast and twice just below the right
breast. She was attended by DR.. Hoke
Burroughs, the coroner. and DR.. Jo-
seph; s Dusenbury, both Of Conway
and was still alive at o'clock, though
there is no chance whatever OF her re-
covery.