The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-07-18
INQUEST into JACOBS
TRAGEDY REOPENED
JURORS AND OFFICERS DELVE
FOB FACTS.
II. G.. EIeazer Tells of DisOrdered
Mental Condition of the Head OF
Unfortunate Family.

Lexington county and half dozen OF
fcers spent six hours today in at
tempting to determine the cause OF
the tragedy which wiped out the fam
lily of John D. Jacobs and left the
bodies of six persons to be found IN
the ruins of their home, four miles
from this place, on the morning OF
June %. The inquest held the day OF
the discovery of the tragedy, which
resulted in verdict confessing the
inability of the jury to fix the blame
for the deed, was reopened at the
Jacobs plantation today, and notWltn-
standing the hours from II o'clock TO
$50 we're occupied with few inter
missions in the taking of testimony
the work was not completed, and the
Jury will reasemble at $50 o'clock
this morning to hear further testi-
mony and again attempt to return
verdict throwing light on the affair,
Although Is witnesses took the
stand today and were thoroughly
questioned, the testimony brought out
little additional facts. The majority
of the witnesses had been examined
at the previous inquiry and TO-DAY
could only add a few statements over
looked in the excitement of the first
inouest. Of the new witnesses, lew
were able to shed additional light on
the subject of inquiry. DR.. H. IT,
Eleazer told of his treatment of the
late John D. Jacobs for nervous con-
dition and Of the mental condition
that made him speak Of taking his
life. DR.. Eleazer's testimony, while
given in more detail, was practically
the same statement contained in an
interview published in The State
July I.
W. H. Brown, the veterinary sur
geon who passed near the burning
home and saw the flames, testified for
the first time, and others were placed
on the stand who did not appear at
the first inquest.
Officers Are Present.
The inquest was begun today with
13 of the original IA jurors present,
and with the summoning of an addl-
tional juryman the panel was COM
pIeted. Magistrate J. H. Frick OF
Chaplin conducted the inquiry and
George Bell Zimmerman, solicitor OF
the eleventh judicial circuit, and Sim
J. Miller, sheriff of Lexington county,
were present for the State, Jack M.
Powers, a we'll known detective, who
has been conducting an investigation
of the case, was on hand and assisted
the other officers. W. M. Wilson of
Peak acted as foreman of the jury.
About 4 o'clock on the morning OF
June 28 the home of John D. Jacobs,
about four miles from Peak, was dis
covered in flames. The first arrivals
found the house partially destroyed
and falling in, and those on the scene
only a little later found nothing but
the ruins where substantial home
had s.ood. The coming of daylight
and the ensuing search showed the
bodies of the six occupants in the
ashes.
Wade Boyd, a negro, and Sarah
Boyd, his wife, were the first wit
n.:sses at the inquest today. They
lived ebout geo yeards from the
Jacobs's home and were awakened by
the roaring Of the flames, Their testi-
nony was practically that Of the first
inquest.
Albert Hawkins Harry Eargle and
J. C. Counts were early arrivals at
the scene. They could add little to
what had a::eadv been said.
Mr.. Counts was questioned as to
Mr.. Jacobs mental condition, The
witness had seen and talked with him
ss Jacobs plowed in his field about
sunset On the evening before the
tragedy. He saw nothing wrong with
him mentally. Mr.. Counts had known
Mr.. jacobs for 20 years and had
never heard him say anything about
wanting to take the life of himself
and family, but Jacobs did say when
he had the "spelIs" of the head or
Indigestion he felt like he would be
willing to lie down and die, but when
these spells" passed off he would not
die for anything, the witness testified.
He made no complaint on the after
noon Of the last conversation.
DR.. J. C. Halfacre told of seeing