The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1913-01-03
Aged Deafmute IS Killed by
Unknown Assailant.
The Dead Body of Mr.. E. d. Smoak,
Father of Mr.. Herbert Smoak, of
this City, was Found in His Work.
shop at Cedar Springs, on Last
Friday, Having Been Dead Several
Days-Reward Offered for Assail-
ant.
(Spartanburg Herald.)

(Spartanburg Herald.)
One of the foulest murders ever
committed in Spartanburg county,
with robbery as a motive for the
crime, was brought to light yester-
day morning when the dead body of
Erasmus d. Smoak, aged IA years,
deafmute, who lived alone. at his
home about one mile east of Cedar
Springs institute, was found in a
crouching position on the floor of
his workshop, a room adjoining his
dwelling. He had been shot in the
small of the back at close range with
a shotgun which was loaded with
bird shot. T
A broken shutter in one end of the
workshop and footprints under the
window proved almost conclusively
that the death shot was fired from
the outside of the window while Mr..
Smoak, who was cabinet maker,
was at work preparing plans for a
piece of furniture. The murderer
then climbed through the window and
proceeded to rifle the pockets of the
dead man, for his right hand pocket
in his trousers was found turned
wrong side out and a small leather
purse, in which he is known to have
carried small change, was missing.
An examination of the trunk was
made and the top was found open
and the contents ramsacked, but
whether any money was taken can
not be stated as it is not known
swhether he had any cash in the trunk
Eor not.
- Not Seen for Several DAYS.
Il AtJ.an early. Hour yesterday morn
ing, w. H. Rodgers, a brother-in-law
of the deceased, not having seen Mr..
Smoak for several days, went to Mr..
Smoak's house to inquire if he was
sick or from the nearest neighbors
if they had seen anything of Mr..
Smoak. To his surprise and horror,
he. found Mr.. Smoak dead on the
floor of his. workshop. DR.. N. F.
Walker was notified, and he inform
ed Sheriff White and the latter no
titled Coroner J. S. Turner and an in
vestigation was at once begun.
Answering the summons, Sheriff
White and Coroner Turner drove out
to Cedar Springs, and, accompanied
by DR.. Walker, Mr.. Rodgers and two
negro boys, Frank Lewis and Newton
Tate, went to the Smoak house.. The
back window was found open and all
the other windows and doors in the
house were found closed and fasten-
ed on the inside. The dead body of
Mr.. Smoak was about eight feet from
the open window, near the head of his
work bench, and was in a crouch
ing position, having fallen on his
hands and knees. Great quantities
of blood were on the floor under
the body.
Murdered at Night.
The theory is that Mr.. Smoak was
shot while sitting in a chair at his
work bench and at the time was en-
gagged in drawing plans for ward
robe for his son, for in his right
hand, between the index finger and
thumb, was a lead pencil, while on
the bench was small tri-square
Nearby was small lamp, the oil of
which had burned out, leading the
officers to believe that the crime was
committed during the night, though
the exact date of the murder is not
known as there is a difference of
opinion as to the last time Mr.. Smoak
was seen alive. Mr.. Rodgers, his
brother-in-law, stated he last saw
Mr. Smoak last Friday, December 2v,
Eihile Martha Black, a negro woman,
I'D Sheriff White she passed the
Smoak home last Tuesday and saw
Mr.. Smoak standing in the open win
dow through which he is supposed
to have been shot.
Dead Several Days.
That Mr.. Smoak had been dead
several days there can be little doubt,
for the body was cold and stiff and
the blood on the foor was in con-
gealed state. The body was in a per-
feet state of preservation. though
there is nothing remarkable about
this fact for the weather has been
cold and decomposition would not
have set in for days.
Bed Not Disturbed.
The bedroom of the cottage was
Continued on page 81