The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-09-28
VERY SAD CASE.

VERY SAD CASE.
Mystery Surrounding Death of Girl
Not Cleared Up.
Hendersonville, the celebrated
North Carolina summer resort town,
has a first-class sensation on hand.
All was excitement Sunday when it
became known that the dead body Of
Miss Myrtle Hawkins, the 17-year-old
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. W. H.
Hawkins, had been found floating in
Lake Osceola, about three miles
from Hendersonvfle, on the road to
Kanuga.
The girl had been absent from
her home since Thursday morning,
week ago and a quiet, though deter
mined search had failed to locate her
or gain even the slightest clue. Her
mysterious disappearance had not be-
come generally known however, and
when word reached town that her
dead body had been found a mad
rush was made for Lake Osceola.
The scene at the lake was one call
culated to touch the hardest Of
hearts. Seven little boys throwing
rocks in the water were greatly
frightened when a dark object was
seen slowly rising to the surface and
when one of the number summon
ed up courage enough to investigate,
he sfrank in establishments that the
object Of his gaze was human body
and the face that he peered into was
that Of Myrtle Hawkins, one OF the
best known and most popular girls
Of the younger set in Hendersonville.
The knowledge of his gruesome
find was impaired to his comrades
and they beat hasty retreat to the
nearest house to give the alarm. A
telephone message to town informed
the parents Of the dead girl and the
coroner, and in short while the ex-.
cited people were swarming at Lake
Osceola. All was silent as the body
was pulled into the bank and many
an eye was damp when the water
soaked clothing was recognized as the
same dainty little dress that she had
worn number of times on the
streets of the town, and (which she
wore when last seen at II o'clock
Thursday morning.
The stiffness was intensified as the
beautiful head of hair, always dress
ed in the latest style, now hanging
loose and tangled, came into sight,,
and only heaving breathing could be
heard as the pretty face, now drawn
and muscles tight, was turned to-
wards the staring friends and her
identity established beyond a doubt.
The body was tenderly lifted from
it's watery grave and placed on the
soft green turf to await the 1nvesti-
CATION Of the coroner.
The young girl was last seen alive
Thursday morning, September Z, and
on Sunday morning following, her
body, badly decomposed, almost be-
yond recognition, was found In Osces
ola lake. stWo miles from town. The
body was Identified Sunday afterncon
by brother Of the dead girl, and the (
only means of Identification were
several gold pins and the clothing.
The coroner's jury in bringing in 81
verdict decided that the cause OF her
death was unknown"
It now appears that the death OF
the young girl was the result OF GRIM
inal malpractice and the body must
have been concealed in the woods
near the lake until Sunday morning
where it was taken by some unknown
parties. Last Thursday week Miss
Hawkins was seen by several parties
in the company Of a young man
whose name is withheld.
The unfortunate girl left home
Thursday carrying with her long
cloak. When the body was found,
badly decom posed, it was wrapped u
this long coat. The post-mortem ex-
animation developed the evidences OF
a criminal operation but no other
marks were found on the body. Death
may have resulted from the shock
or from the anaesthetic.
The perpetrators possibly did not
intend murder, but when, the worst
happened they hid the body OF the
poor girl untih a more convenient
time when it was placed in the lake
in the hope that the community
would cell it suicide. It is an awful
double crime and the people OF the
county are determined to ind the
man or men who are responsible.
It is now firmly established that
Miss Myrtle Hawkins was murdered
and in all probability more than one
person had something to do Win the
crime. It is laid at the door OF a.
young merchant of Herdersonvllle
and prominent physician OF the
same place, and their arrest Is only
a matter Of time. It is :. strange
story and from all appearances
shockingly sad and peculiarly afro
cfous.
The real story however is one OF
peculiar grief. The girl died as the
result of criminal operation and
the body was hidden away for three
days and then carried to the lake and
placed in the position in which It
was found. Her little pocket book
clock was found right at the edge OF
the water and it was stopped at
$3.50. This is an incident going to-
show that the body was taken to the
lake Saturday night.
The sad fate of this young girl Is
ought to be a warning to all young
women as we'll as young men, and 1t
is to be hoped that the parties who
are responsible for her death will be
caught and made to suffer for their
dastardly crime. Miss Hawkins was