The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1906-05-30
Wednesday, May 80, 1906.
MRS. T. A. wilson
ASSASSINATED.
SHOT AS SIZE LAY IN BED
WITH HER YOUNG BABE.
Supposed Assassian and an Accom-
pIice Now in Augusta JaiI--Mr. VIII
son Can Identify the Negro He
Ordered Off.

Ordered Off.
Mrs. E. S. Wilson, wife Of a we'll
known farmer, living about - miles
from Aiken, was shot through a
broken pain OF glass last Wednesday
morning about O'clock, as she lay
asleep in bed with her young babe,
and so fatally wounded that she dice
some hours afterwards.
Mr.. Wilson md two Of his children
were asleep in an adjoining room.
When the shot was fred Mrs. Wilson
jumped from her bed and screamed
1 have been shot. Somebody has kill
ed me-" and ran into her husband'ss
room, where she fell. She afterward
became conscious, and stated that she
had no idea who shot her; that she
was asleep at the time. Later she
lapsed into sem-conscicusness and
fingered until last night, when she
died.
Early in the night Mr.. Wilson had
seen strange negro lettering around
his premises. Having asked the man
his business and received no satisfac-
tory answer, he drove him off the
place. 1t is believed that this negro
was Bill Lumford,. and that he re-
turned.
Excitement and Indignation ran rife
on Beech Island. AS soon as the sad
story was heard from Mr.. Wilson's
lips every effort was made by friends
and neighbors to accomplish the cap
ture of the guilty party.
The trail was warm, and it led, ap-
parently, to Bill Lumford. The tracks
of man who wore rubber-heeled
shoes were followed without break
from the Wilson place to the Carolina
side of the Hamburg bridge. Detec-
tive Howard, following other clues,
had Lu1nford arrested. The prisoners
shoes were taken from him, and De-
tective Howard personally went across
the river to see whether or not they
fit the tracks. So far as could be as
certained in the road, they did. The
imprint of the rubber heels was damn
ing circumstantial evidence. To make
assurance doubly sure, the shoes were
given to Mr.. P. B. Page, friend of
Mr.. Wilson's, who first brought the
news of the tragedy to Augusta, and
Mr.. Page will fit them to the still
clearer impressions made in the loose
ground on the Wilson place. Up to a
a late hour last night Mr.. Page had
not reported the result of this expert
ment.
Other minor but important points
converge to the same center.
Responsible parties are reported to
have seen two negroes whose descrip-
ton corresponds to that of the pris-
oners, crossing the Hamburg bridge
in the gray dawn of the morning their
clothing covered with dust.
1t is said that Mr.. Wilson would be
able to identify the negro whom he
ordered off his place.
1t is the theory of those acquainted
with the circumstances that the bullet
was intended for Mr.. Wilson by some
one bent on robbery. 1t is believed
that the scream of the unfortunate
woman frightened the man off.
MI. Wilson was SO stunned and so
engrossed by his wife's condition that
he was unable to make any search for
some time afterward.
And now Bill Lumford, colored, lies
in the Richmond county Jail, with cir
curnstantial evidence pointing g to him
as the murderer. Tom Williams, an
other negro, is locked up under snspi-
cion, as an acco1nplice in the crime.
The case was worked up by Detective
Howard OF the Augusta city police.
The only clue found about the house
were footprints made by shoes with
rubber heels, one having a hole in it.
The shoes corresponding were found
on the feet of Bill Lumford, when he
was arrested.
It is said that these negroes are from
Spartanburg.
LATER.
Aiken, May 24.-Sheriff Raburn has