The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-01-13
CRUELTY SLAIN
Methodist Minister Murdered 10
His Own Church
HE HAD NO ENEMIES
The Crime Discovered by a Man
VINO Sought Refuge in the Church
From a Cold Wind-The Dismem-
bered Body Found Partially
Burnt in the Church Stoves.

| 6gCUL III llc -StOs Oos
Detroit, Mich, Jan. 6.-The dis
mem bered body of the Rev. John j.,
Carmichael, Methodist minister,
was found today. partially consumed
near Columbus in the southwestera
part of st. Clair. County.
Investigation was begun at once
to clear away a temporary uncerta1A-
ty as to the identity OF the victim,
and to obtain clues regarding the
murder, and the motive for the
crime. Identification. of the dead
clergyman was soon effected by Or
vile Lindsay, who was sent through
the county for that purpose by Mrs.
Carmichael, who had been in great
distress since her husband failed to
return home as expected last even
ing. and who surmised that the min
lister was the victim as soon as sne
heard the report that some one had:
been murdered in the Columbus
church. . Is: sS:.s:
But clues of the murdereE-and his
motive were more difficult so OBJ
tain. There was a runor that
strange man had left a train at
Hickey let in the afternoon, aud
had been directed to the Columbus Z
church, and there were other ru-
morse indicating that two men were,.-
impIicate in the crime. The fact
that several coins were found in
The clothing Of the dead man and To-
The ashes in the stoves precluded
the theory of robbery and at the.
time Of his death it was not known
that the murdered minister had an
enemy IN the world.
The Rev. Carmichael had been IN
Michigan about ten years, and Tor
:wo years had been pastor of three
churches at Columbus, zAdair and :
China. With his wife end three
children, he resided at Aiair- Leav-
ing home yesterday morning he told
Mrs. Carmichael that he was going
20 Columbus to arrange for series
ST revival meetings there. He waved
ais hand afectionately to group
If children as he drove out Of the
village; of Adair and from that mo-
nent all trace of him is lost.
Myron Brown, who lives near the
scene of the tragedy, was the first
20 discover the crime today. While
le was waiting at the crossroads to
keep an appointment the cold wind
drove him to seek shelter in the
church. He was surprised to find
he church doors unlocked and upon
opening them, was terrified to see
:he church floor, the pews and even
.he Communion table /daubed with 3
alood and fragments Of bloody cloth.
ng scattered all around. Evidently
he clergyman, who was Sc years old
nd of athletic build, had made
eTrifc struggle for his life.
Without dnveatingsti mfwfobery
without Investigating further,
srcwn fed to his home where be hal
! key to the church. He returned
md locked the doors and hurried
% the village Of Hickey, from which
place he notified the sherif's Office
1t Port Huron.
The authorities on their arrival
1t the church found parts OF the dis
nembered body in the two stoves
located respectively at the front and
rear, and discovered apparently
new hatched, the handle of which
had been burned of. A dirk was
also found IN the church, and Il
is believed that the dirk served for
the murder, while the hatchet was
used to cut the body to pieces.
The minister's horse was found to-
lay tied to tree in the village OF
Pine River, the dead mans oVercoat
Being discovered, in the buggy. Pine
River is a small village near Thorn
ON, on the main line of the, Grand
Trunk Railroad, and fully twenty
miles from the scene Of the murder