The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-07-27
FAMILY BUTCHERED.
OIsIME OF SEVOLTING HORIsOR
IN NORTH CAROLIN
Husband, Wife and little Boy Muir.
dered by Negroes While
They Slept.

A dispatch from Barber Junction,
near Salisbury, N. o., says: Ole OF
the most horrible tragedies in the
history Of this county was commit
ted near this station Saturday morn
ing between tho hours of 1 and 2
O'clock.
An unknown person or porsons
entered the house OF Mr.. Ike Lyer.
ly, a we'll known farmer, while It's
occupants were asleep, killing Mr..
LYerly, his wife and little son John
nie, and wounding their infant baby,
Alice. The two parents and two
children were sleeping in the front
room on the first floor, there being
Shree elder daughters sleeping up
stairs, who we're uumolested, and
who we're awakened by the smoke
and flames below, the crimal having
set fire to the house.
The three elder girls descended
thc stairs to awake their father and
mott or On reaching the lower
room most horrible and appalling
scene, their father, mother and the
children, still In their be dis, all eay
the youngest, in cold death, their
hea6s being crushed and faces badly
disngurod.
Through courageous and heroic
efforts the elder daughters, Mary and
Addie, ages 18 aud 16, respectively,
mapaged TO carry tho dead bodies
irl 10 the house and e1tirguisbed the
DANES, WhereupCn they Iau to their
nearest peighbor, MI. w. p. Barber,
and told tie awful story Of the
tragedy.
The dead are: Isaac Lyerly Ga
thet,) aged SO years; his wife, Au.
Husta, 43 years, aud their little son,
Johnnie, years Of age
Friends promptly dispatched the
news to the sheriff at Salisbury. TIE
sheriff started at once to the scene
ot the killing with blood hounds and
q posse Of armed men. Bloodhounds
we're also sent from Winston Salem
to assist in apprchendirg the crilui
nails.
The wounded daughter, Little AL
ice, Is seven years OF age. Isaac Ly
erly WAS found on the llyor in The
front bed room, lying u,i.prone on
his right side with blow on the
right side Of the hoad, laceratiug the
ear and breaking the skull in several
pieces. A portion Of his ear was
found.
Johnnie Lyerley was found on the
floor and BADLY burned about the
lover extremities and an incisad
wound about the scalp, penetrating
the brain, the substance Of the skull
being crushed on The side.
Mrs. Lyerly was found lying on
her right side In the bed with her
right foot resting on the floor, with
the left hand from the bed, az If
about to arise therefrom, her left ear
bcirg cut in two and the skull In the
Vicinity Of the ear crushed, and about
one inch back from the root Of the
hair from the vortex an inclsed
wound two inches long penetrating
the brain, PROBABLY made With an
axe.
Thee negro men and negro wo
nan named George Erwin, Jack Dill.
linRham and Mitchell Graham and
his wife, upon whom BROAD suspicion
IS cast, have been arrested and lodged
IN the county jail at Salisbury, pend
my Investigation.
Mitcrcll Graham iB stated to have
made supoe agreement with Mr. Lyerly
N tho iall &s regards piecl tf land.
Graham, falling TO conform to some
condition, was ousted sud had 10 give
up all lis interest. 1t was only O.
few days ago that this negro, IS Is
stated, made the remark thai, MIR.
Lycrly has cut his wheat, hut Wculo
never live to enjoy any benefit there
from "
Later the murdarcrs confessed. The
little girl Is also dead at last reports.