The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-12-03
Rsouiusnt Citizen Of lrunson Found Dead
Just Outsils Tosn.
Was KILLED BY A NEGRO
eGary Harris, . Young White "o-
man, Says She Saw Richard VIII
llams. . Negro Man, Strike Mr. J.
II. Langford from Behind With .
r Heavy stick. Causing Death.

Heavy STICK, causing DeN'e De''1i
The tragic death Of Mt. J. f..
Eangford, prominent resident OF
Brnnson, whose body was found
TUESDAY night just outside the nm
MA OF that town, has created consla-
arable excitement in that section or
ehe State. It developed that Mr..
xangford had been brutally murder-
ed. by a negro man by the name OF
Richard Williams, who has been ar
J rested and sent to Columbia for safe
Keeping in the penitentiary
Mr.. Langford left his home ABOUT
@ o'clock in the morning to. go 20
his saw mill, about three mlies
away, stating his intention to return
as usual, at dinner. His absence
from home until after dark alarmed
his wife, who sent in search OF aim
and learned that he had not been at
the mill during the: entire day and
nothing could be learned or ms
zhereabouts or of his horse ana
Auggy. A search was, at once lnstl-,
rated for the missing man by his
friends.
AFTER some time the searchers
vere rewarded with success. In
copse OF thickly wooded land skift-
sne the broad road and at point
not more than fifty yards from them
o,d. aho,t one-half mile from the
Gown the horse and buggy were
found; the horse securely hitcheo
60 a tree, still harnessed to the bug
iey. About thirty feet away Lang
ford lay dead. He was lying on MS
hack on his buggy robe, which had
: apparently been CAREFUL spread upon
( che ground. There were no signs OF
1 violence or blood upon the body and
che theory OF suicide was suggest
cd.
There were certain appearances,
however. which reputed the suicide
snuegestion, and closer examination
revealed a bruise en- the back part OF
che head near the ear. Extreme
rigor mcrtis tand other, appt: t'an't : 5
andicated that death had ocs 'r:ra
S nbout nine o'clock III t." m":ains'
a short time after he had lett MS
home. $50.
:ss7I: News Of the: find was tnr e''iate!v
cant into the town and the resident
\. ,na g,strate and large number. OF
citizens hastened TO the scene. Alter 's"
careful examination OF the corpse
ehe; premises and surroundings, the
hoiy was borne to the home, which
he had ..a.s in such Da:u I hesith
only a few hours before:
After the consolidation Of certain
Facts and indications, suspicion point
ed to a negro man, whose nome
IA several miles distant, but VINO. mas
been working in the Immediate VI
c,nitv. of the town Of Brunson the
ereater part of the year. He was wa s
found and arrested and contradictory
answers to questions propounde1
exren sthened the belief Of all In
nis guilt.
Near where the body was founu
there lives a white man who was
a farmer tenant Of Langford. His
family consists Of himself and four
darebters-the eldest about 20 and
che youngest about eight year OF
age. The eldest daughter was ar
rested, and after slight hesitation
admitted that she was present when
deceased came to his death, and
that death was the result OF blow
delivered by the negro under ar
rest. that he stole stealthily up be-
hind Langford and dealt the olow
with a stick; that after the bloH de-
ceased did not move nor speak.
The crowd of men by this time
was rapidly increasing. the negro
was dexterously slipped from the
crowd, carried beyond the county
and lodged in the Barnwell jail: he
Is about 80 years Of age and or aver
age intelligence. The young white
woman, Mary Harris, was placed IN
che Hampton county Jail. The de-
ceased was about so years OF age.
He was a brother Of former County
Treasurer Langford and leaves a
chi;dless widow and many relatives