The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-07-01
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY
ENACTED AT PEAK
d. JACOBS, WIFE AND CHILDREN
CAUSE A MYSTERY.
Skulls of Charred Bodies Found i'm
SmOuldering Ruins Crushed
In.

Peak, June 29.-The death OF John
D. Jacobs, his wife and four children,
disclosed when their home was dis
covered in flames early Saturday
morning, is mystery that will never
be solved. A day of calm investiga-
tion following the discovery of the
awful tragedy has shown only that
human hands and not a lightning bolt
or chance tongue of fame 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 pile OF
ashes and debris represent today
what was Friday evening the substan-
tial home of a prosperous planter.
The charred remains of family Of
six were this afternoon buried in a
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 9TH
er developments, as conclusive proof
that they were murdered and did not
meet death from the flames that hurn-
ed the house. The fire that burned
the house destroyed any evidence 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 numer-
Gus residents of the community weo
declare that the storm that passed
over this section between 9 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 $50 and
o'clock. Persons first on the scene
found the front of the house consum-
ed 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.
No Motive Known.
Other suppositions are hardly less
battling. John D. Jacobs was highly
respected and prosperous farmer. His
dealings with all men had been hon
orable and none of his closest friends
can furnish even 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 inconsideraDle sum Of money in
the house. The jewelry known to have
been there has been found Ia the
ruins and identified b whole.
The body of Miss Ellie Jacobs was
found in the ruins of what has been
her room. 1t rested on the charred
remnants of her bed. Mr.. 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, 18, and Hugh Jacobs,
Is, 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
a window or door. Parts of four guns
and an axe, all believed to have been
the property of members of the
Jacobs household, were found in the
ruins. The wood work al had been
burned, only the iron and steel re-
naming intact. The axe was a. new
one and had not, it is said, been
gro nd. In one gun was found two
shells. One, it is believed, had oeen
fired while the other was discharged