The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-07-02
VEIL OF FIRE AND BLOOD
HANGS OVER VICTIMS.
FNineral Services Attended by The
Largest Crowd Seen at Such Cere-
mOny i'm That Section.

Peak, June 29.-The death of John
ID. Jacobs his wife and four children,
disclosed when their hCme was dis
covered in flames early Saturday
morning is a mystery that will never
be solved. A day of calm investiga-
ton following the discovery Of the
awful tragedy has shown only that
human hands and not a lightning bolt
or n chance tongue Of flames resulted
in the sudden death of six persons as
they slept in their home in the rich
Dutch Fork section of Lexington
county. five miles from Peak.
only two chimneys and a pile Of
ashes and debris represent today
what was Friday evening the sub
stantial home of prosperous planter.
The charred remains Of family Of
six were this afternoon buried in q
single grave at the family burying
ground on the Jacobs plantation. The
bodies, horribly burned, show only
that the skulls of three were crushed.
This is regarded in the light of
other developments, as conclusive
proof that they were murdered and
did not meet death from the flames
that burned the house. The fire that
burned the house destroyed any evil
dence Of the murder.
A theory at first entertained by
many that the family might have
been burned to death when the house
they occupied was destroyed is dis
missed by the statements of numar-
Gus residents of the community, VINO
declare that the storm that passed
over this section between and 10
o'clock was over at 10 o'clock. Sc
we're lightning accompanied this
storm, but no lightning was seen by
neighbOrs after 10 o'clock. The fire
was discovered between 800 and 4
O'Clock. Persons first on the scene
found the front of the house con-
sumed but the rear still burning The
house was burning rapidly then and
could not say early arrivals, have
been burning since the early evening,
as would have been the case if the
origin had been lightning.
Other suppostions are hardly less
battling. John ID. Jacobs was a highly
respected and prosperous farmer. His
dealings with all men had been hon
Orable and none of his closest friends
can furnish even a remote motive for
this horrible crime. Neither he nor
any members of his family were
known to have an enemy. Robbery
would not have attracted vandals, for
there could not have been more than
an inconsiderable sum of money in
have been there has been found in the
ruins and identified in whole.
The body of Miss Ellen Jacobs was
found in the ruins Of what had been
hr room. 1t rested on the charred
remnants of her bed. Mrs. Jacobs
body was found in a similar position
in her room. The bodies of John D.
Jacobs and Orin Jacobs, the youngest
OF three sons were together on the
springs Of their bed The bodies Of
Leslie Jacobs, IS, and Hugh Jacobs
10, could not be distinguished. These
were almost consumed and those who
viewed the bodies have not been able
to say which was separated from the
bodies Of father and brothers. One
was found in the dining room adjoin-
ing the room in which the father and
two boys were found. Mr.. Jacobs and
his three sons occupied the room
connected with the dining room by
window or door Parts Of four guns
and an axe, all believed to have been
tn property of members of the
Jacobs household, were found in the
ruins. The wood work ali had been
burned, only the iron and steel re-
naming intact. The axe was z new
one and had not, it is said, been
ground. In one gun was found two
shells. One, it is believed, had been
fired while the other was discharged
by the heat. This belief is based ON
the discovery that an indention is
found on one shell where it had vi
denty been struck by the hammer,
while the other bore no such inn
print.
The funeral services for the family
was conducted this afternoon at the
former home of Walter Jacobs, a few
hundred years from the home of his
late brother. Walter Jacobs several
years ago moved to Newberry and
since he vacated ii this house has not
been occupied. The funeral and in
terment attracted a great crowd from