The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-06-17
ALMOST SOLVED
Unravslips an Awful North Carolina
Brutal Murder Mystery.
RUMOR OF CONFESSION

Reported that q Negro Tells of the
Tragedy and duplicates a White
Man-The Murder of Mrs. Hill One
of the Most Brutal Ever Perpe-
trated.
The mystery surrounding the bru-
tai and mysterious murder of Mrs.
Ida Hill, atsJamestown, N c., is said
to be on the eve of solution. 1t will
be remembered that Mrs. Hill, whose
family is both prominent and veal
thy, was found dead in a room at
her mothers house about two weeks
ago with a stocking stuffed down her
throat and another tied around hel
neck. 1t is -umored that confession
has been secured from a suspected
negro and that in this confession a
white man is implicated. A dispatch
from High Point, N c., which Is near
the scene Of the awful tragedy says:
Never before in the history of this
section have the people been so stir
red. In the quiet Of her mothers
home, a wcrn, heart-weary woman,
caused by the loss Of her husband,
was attacked by brutal: fiends, stran-
gled bound and left hanging to her
bed. Only short distance away in
nearby bedrooms were the children
and relatives who slept on in igno-
rance of the awful tragedy. Her
aged mother is prostrated and the
other members of the family are
broken hearted, while the entire COM
munity shares their grief and whis-
pers wonderingly at the audacity, as
well as brutality Of the crime.
"The story of the tragedy is one of
awfuIness. The elegant Ragsdale
house, sitting back in It's grove Of ce-
dars and ma,gnolias, is the place Of in
terest. The room on the second
floor facing the front, will ever be a
|sorrow-br1nging spot. Sometime du-
ring the early morning hours two
brutes, probably one black and one
white-skinned. but both black at
heart, climbed up the rose arbor owe,
the front porch and entered the open
window Of the room occupied by, Mrs.
Ida Hill. They were seeking money.
Mrs. Hill had recently returned from
a journey and 1t is reported that she
was to leave7S gain shortly and thes.
black-hearted fellows presumed she
had money in her room.
Mrs. Hill was light sleeper and
possibly was awakened when the bur-
rg,lars entered her room, for passer-
by on the road saw light in her
room at midnight. At any rate 1t
appears that she was aroused and
quickly they choked her. One Of her
stockings was forced down her throat
and the other tied tightly about her
neck. Mrs. Hill was large woman,
but she was not we'll and the two men
possibly did not intend murder, but
rather proposed to keep her quieted.
Then they took her from the bed and
with straps from her suit case they
lIbound her. One strap about her
waist was tightly buckled to the low.
er rail of the bed at the foot and her
hands were forced beneath this strap.
The other strap was Fastened in a
moose about her throat and tied to the
TOP rail of the bell ard ska WAS left
while they proceeded to loot the
house.
One of them must have struck the
woman, for one eye was blackened
and bruised and the eyeball blood
shot. The men were evidently de-
termined that Mrs Hill should not
make any outcry and thus arouse the
house. They possibly did not realize
what they had dune and probably
did not know that in sitting the
aroused woman's cries they had
choked her to death. The attending
physician says that she was evidently
dead before being strapped to the
bed. Passing downstairs to the din
ing room, the men gathered up the
family silver and tied it in two
bundles. but after all their efforts
we're evidently frightened and made
their escape.
When the awful deed was dis
covered the body was still warm and
lay along the side Of the bed bound
but there were no signs of strug-
gle. Evidently there was no strug-
,sle. for with the exception Of the
bruised eye there is no wound on the
body. Clad in her night dress and 1t
drawn smootly to her feet, those whC
found the body we're impressed that
the murder must have been commit
ted end the BODY then placed on the
floor. It is an awful story and the
people of jamestown are still tremb'
ling with the excitement. Neigh
bors are wondering where the sorrow
will fall next time Not only James
town but this entire section is deep
" interested and the people of the
county are moved as never before
Mrs. Hill was a woman Of charming
personality, beloved and with wide
circle of intimate friends. The
Ragsdales are easily among the very