The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-11-16
rvidentin the Mysterious Death
OF aPreacher Who
DIED I'm THE WOODS. !.
Near Crhls's Crosslng Just OF Augusta
Ga. Family Refuses 10 Acsert Body s
Of Rev. A. b. Roiahn After II
Had Been Identified By
Porty.one People.

The Augusta Herald says the rdys-
terry surrounding the death Of Rev. Al.
E. Rojshn is being cleared, and IL de.
veloped Thursdsy that there is an ug-
ly shadow In the back ground that
will probably never take d definite
form.
It was noticed, as the supposed
tramp, who died In the woods noa.
Oraig's Crossing, on the Sunday sitter.
noon Of October 28, lay at undertake
ing ostsblishmentof MIR. r. E. Elliott,
that there was an ugly bruise upon
his nose, aud that two of his front
teeth were out.
At the time, the marks being upon
the body of supposed insignificant
tramp, no srspioions wera aroused.
However chain of evidence develop.
ed since to tue sffsot that the man
had been severely beaten, and the
mystery of bis being In tho woods has
been solved.
Were 1t not for an unusual happen.
ing, the death Of R,v. A. e. Rojahn,
an apostolic minister, would have been
forever an uDsolved problem DO the
general public, and most especially to
his fcok at Langley, who waited In
vain for bis coming.
After being identified by forty-one
members Of the apostolic faith, who
conducted the funeral aervice st the
undertaking establlshment last Sun.
day afternoon, tho body was sent to
DAllaston, Pa all expenses necessary
having been telegraphed by brother
of the dead preacher. Recently Mr.. b.
E Elliott was mystlaed by the re.
oeipt Of the following telegram from
d .llaston, Pa:
This is not the body of A. 70. Ro.
ahn, advise disposition. Produce body
or return money.
(9igned) FRANK RoJAHN.n
Rsv., J. FL. Benson uf Langley, IS.
O, was in the oity Thuraday norn.
ing and stated that he was unable 20
explain the strange circumstances.
Forty people have Identified him,n
declared Mr.. Benson. He was u close
friend OF mine, and can pSoduce
many people who saw the body and
,}rho knew iii to be Raw. A. u Roj shn,
.sst llestoun, Pa. have sstters ii,
written him numboYs OF times at Dali.
lastown, many Of the letters being
forwarded to him ab other places.n
Mr.. Benson took from hia pocket
the key to the mystery surrounding
the death of the hum ole minister, who
distributed his money among the poor
and never took up o collection. A poH.
tion of the letter Ia 40 follows;
MY head feels 8 little sore today,
but sm glad that eau say that I
was knocked down for the truth and
for Jesus sake. told the man when
he hit me the first lick back of the
head that was willing to die fox Je'
sus. A negro tried to take him away"
The letter was written from B ok"
ingham, N. O., and bore the date of
September %, one month from the
time he was found dead In the woods
Mr.. Benson is sure that the severe
taating caused insanitv, and that the
man wandered In the woods until he.
died. The letter further stated thai
he was knocked down because ,ha> de-
clarsd that swearing was OF the dec'l,
Mr.. Benson stated that the unfor-
tunate minister assisted him in o re-
vival at Langley last April, and made
hosts Of friends, 80 many that he was
invited to return. He was probably
on his way, when he became involved
In the difficulty.
A pathetic circumstance incident to
the death occurred when he was dying
in the lonely wood, some kindhearted
person thinking him tramp offered
him q CUP Of coffse, for whioh he Off
cred In payment his last nickel. r
1t is not known why his family re-
fuaed his body.