The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-11-14
HORROR UPON HORROR
Murder, Attempted Rape and Another
Murder Perpetrated by a Fiend
at Mcintosh

account of the horrible crime this
/ morning from Deputy Sheriff W. p
Welch. who serves that section for
both Marion AMI .\lachua counties as
deputy. Mr. Welch and DR.. 7. Burgin
came 10 the city this morning from
Mcintosh
After the killing of Mr.. Burgess
was discovered about 1890 p. m,
neighbors being attracted to the scene
/ by the reports Of the gun. il was an
hour and a half before the grand
daughters body was found in the
thicket 100 yards from their home.
The old mans body was found in the
public road a quarter Of a mile from
the house and it is thought he was
going for help. either knowing or su.-
pecting that his granddaughter had
! been killed. The family lived in the
old Central school house, which they
had purchased and the little tract Of
land that they farmed, together with
the old mans pension made for them a
very comfortable home.
The evidence developed the fact that
the girl was killed first as her body
was cold when found As she and the
old man were both seen on the porch
at 10 o'clock. she must have been kill
ed sometime between that time and
the discovery Of the old mans body.
The people there think the negro kill
ed the old man 10 hide the crime,
fearing he knew Of 1t.
The neighbors say that Mary Stew
ems was from IS 10 % years of age.
She was a strong. vigorous girl and
made a brave fight for her life and
honor. Her body was found in a lit
tie palmetto thicket beneath a small
oak tree. The body was almost nude
and twisted in fearful shape from the
horrible death struggle with the black
brute Her hat was forty feet from
where the body was found and part
of her outer clothing was gone and
Iup TO this- morning had not been dis
covered. The clothes she wore were
torn into ribbons and saturated with
blood The head was almost severed
from the body. there were at least ten
stabs in the breast and two ribs were
laid bare by the great slashes Of the
knife and in the small Of the back
and side the body was cut open to the
hollow. She had dragged herself
twelve feet from where she was cut
to pieces before death came to relieve
her sufferngs.
DIR. Clark Walkup. who examined the
I
pIished his purpose on the body. but
the other persons who saw the body
think he did. The ground was torn up
for quite a distance about the death
scene and the struggles of the poor
girl must have been fearful
In the house Deputy Welch found
the murdered mans gun, with which
the murderer shot Burgess. One bar
rel had been discharged and the other
contained a she'll the shot and wads
corresponding to those in the old
mans face. The gun was hidden be-
hind the bed.
The house had been ransacked and
most of the clothing and all OF the
better garments of the dead girl were
taken, which gives weight TO the be-
lief that a negro girl assisted in the
crime. The neighbOrs did not and
sufficient clothing to bury the girl In.
On the body Of the murdered man
800 was found in a small pocketbook.
Sewed inside his underclotheS He
had another pocketbook, which was
found near the body. its contents hav-
ing been removed. and it is thought it
had contained a large sum of money.
Priest. or preacher" Niles, big
chunky negro boy. 10 or 90 years of
age, boarded the train at Evinston, a
short distance above the scene OF the
tragedy, as it passed at o'clock. on
the off side. He paid cash fare and
carried a single barrel shotgun Be
fore the train reached Gainesville
Deputy Welch found sufficient evil
dence to Justify his arrest and wired
the sheriff's office al Gainesville TO
look for the man. Deputy Pinkoson
met the train and came near being too
late. as his man was walking off when
the conductor pointed him out to the
officer. When arrested Niles said his
name was something else but he was
placed in Jail. In the meantime. Sher-
in Ramsey of Alachua county. with a
deputy and bIoodhounds had gone to
Mcintosh in a car to take up the trail.
Mr.. Welch searched the house Of
John Archer. with whom Niles lived,
half a mile from the Burgess place.
finding the bloody and torn clothe. of
Niles and a large pocket knife COW
cred with blood.
Arriving at Mcintosh. Sheriff Ram
sey arrested a negro girl by the name
of Harrison. and a boy by the name
of Sam Washington as suspects.
! Washington was hauling lumber to
Mr.. Woods place. which took him pa Il
the scene of the old mans death He
said Niles got on his wagon and rode
a short distance but got off before
they reached the place where the kill
ing took place, and that he was Joined
by the Harrison girl. This statement
varied and was conflicting, though
! The Harrison girl told the neighbors
that Miss Mary gave her lot of her
best clothes several days ago It is
! thought by some that the Harrison
girl enticed Miss Stevens to the
place where she was killed. The ne
gro girl lived within sight Of the Bur
CESS place and Washington lives in
Evinston These two were taken 10
Gainesville by Sheriff Ramsey.
Sheriff Galloway and Judge Bell,
who went to Mcintosh yesterday to
! hold the inquest, returned again this
morning in Judge Bells car TO look
further into the case. The funeral of
the two victims will be held this aft
ernoon and the bodies will be laid 10
rest in the little family burial ground
fright on the farm.
\ brother Of Mary Stevens came
down this afternoon from Waycross.
Ga, where he has been in the hospital.
10 attend the funeral Of his sister and
grandfather
nDEN AVN NTCUIT