The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-07-03
CAUSE OF TRACE
. DY A MYSTERY
Officers Have No Clue.
Dogs Fail to Find
a Trail.

Columbia, S. c., June 2S.-SlA
bodies found in the smouldering en-
bers of a burned house this morning
gave in part the first intimation OF
what now appears to have been the
murder of John D. Jacobs, of Lexlng-
ton County, his wife and their chill
dren, ranging in age from Z3 to IL
years. The skulls of three were
crushed and blood was found under
their bodies.
The discovery of the tragedy was
made by a milk man who this morn
ing reported that the house had been
DESTROYED by fire and that the six in
mates had been turned to death. The
coroner's jury late to-day held an in
quest finding that the six victims had
come to their death at the hands OF
unknown men.
The dead are: John D. Jacobs,
aged 40; his wife, aged 40; Miss Ellie
Jacobs, aged %; Leslie Jacobs, aged
IS: Hugh Jacobs, aged IA, and Oren
Jacobs, aged 10.
Jacobs, a well-to-do farmer, lived
near Peak, in Lexington County. 1t
was known that he kept but little
money in the house and any motive
for the crime, as it now appears to be,
is lacking.
Dogs Find no Trail.
The sheriff of Lexington County
came to the scene as soon as he was
notified of the tragedy, but so far ne
has been unable to find clew to the
perpetrator. Dogs were unable to
find the trail and the officials are COM
pletely mystifed.
Four guns and an axe were found
in the ruins of the house, but their
identity has not yet been established, |,
and there is little information of val
ue to be gathered from the discovery.
At the coroner's inquest, which
brought out the first definite lnfor-
nation on many points, it was es-
tahlshed that the bodies of all the
lying in their beds, as if the supposed
murderer had found them asleep.
Shotgun by His Side.
The body of the oldest boy was
found lying in front of the fireplace,
with a shot gun beside it. One of the
barrels had been fired; the other con-
tanned loaded shell. A gun was also
found beside the charred body of the
father. Beside the body of one of the
other boys the axe was found.
Mrs. Jacobs was in her bed alone,
her skull crushed and her back and
shoulders lying in pool of blood.
The youngest boy was found face
downward, on a blood-soaked mat
tress.
The body of Miss Ellie Jacobs was
in another room, the skull horribly
crushed.
The tragedy was at first ascribed
to a stroke of lightning, which was
supposed to have stunned the six in
mates and set the house on fire, the
flames overtaking the unfortunates
before they recovered from their stu
nor. This theory was exploded, how
ever by the gruesome discoveries as
the bodies were taken from the half
burned house.
Tried to Arouse Family.
Little Mountain, June 2S.-Thls
morning at o'clock Mr.. John D.
Jacobs's house was discovered to be
on fire by Wade Boyd, negro, and
by Mr. ]. H. Fargle, near neighbor.
The house had not fallen in when first
discovered and efforts were made to
arouse the family by making a loud
alarm, but none of the family could
be aroused. When the fire cooled
down the charred bodies of the entire
family were found among the ashes.
First, it was thought the lightning
had done the deadly work, as an elec-
tric storm passed over about $50 Fri
day night. Upon further eXanlina-
ton considerable amount of blood
was found on the necks and backs Of
the unfortunates. Their skulls were
also crushed in, which gave conclu-
sive proof that the family was mur-
dered and the house burned to cover
the crime.