The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1913-07-02
Whole Family of Six Slain
at Home in the Dutch
Fork.

The discovery of six bodies in half
burned farm house two miles from
Peak discloses what seems to have
been wholesale murder committed late
Friday night or early Saturday morn
ing. The family of John D. Jacobs, a
we'll known farmer, has been wiped
out. The husband, wife and four chill
dren lost their lives. The dead are:
John D. Jacobs, 49,, Mrs. John D.
Jacobs, 40; Miss Ellen Jacobs, 22;
Leslie Jacobs. 1S; Hugh Jacobs, 15;
Grin Jacobs, -.
At 4:3O O'Clock Saturday morning
neighbors saw the Jacobs, home, in
the Dutch Fork section of Lexington
county, in flames and hurrying to the
scene found the home burning but no
evidence of the family. When the
fire had spent itself the six charred
bodies were found in the ashes and
debris.
Examination of the bodies disclosed
that the skulls of three were crushed
and in moving the bodies blood was
found under and upon the murdered
persons. Mr.. and Mrs. Jacobs, Miss
Jacobs and the youngest son were
found on the spring mattresses of their
beds, indicating that they were mur.
dered as they slept and that the house
was subsequently fred One Of the
boys was found beside his mattress
and the other in the dining room which
adjoins the boys room.
Four guns and an axe were found in
the house. One Of the, ,gunsjhad shells
in both barrels. One she'll had been
fired while the other was loaded.
Magistrate Frick held an inquest at
noon. A jury, of which w. M. Wilson
of Peak was foreman, could reach no
conclusion other than that: "The
deceased came to their death at the
hands of parties unknown to this jury"
Sheriff Miller Of Lexington county
was early on the scene and with the
assistance of bloodhounds brought
with him from the county seat exerted
exhausting but unavailaing efforts to
secure clue to identity of the muir
derer. Sheriff Blease came from New
berry to assist in the investigation.
No tracks were found and there is
nothing thus far to guide the officers
in their search.
A theory at first entertained by
many that the family might have been
burned to death when the house they
occupied was destroyed is dismissed
by the statements Of numerous resi-
dents of the community, who declare
that the storm that passed over this
section between 9 and 10 O'Clock was
over at 10 O'Clock. Severe lightning
accompanied this storm, but no light
ming was seen by neighbors after 10
o'clock. The fire was discovered be-
tween $3.50 and O'Clock. Persons first
on the scene found the front of the
house consumed but the rear still
burning. The house was burning rap
idly 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 ENoWN.
Other supposi.ions 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 in
considerable Srp of roopo1- =, Tho