The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-04-15
MURDER MYSTERY

One day last week, two negro women
and negro man were fishing on Calhoun
Creek near Links Bridge when one Of the
negro women came on the dead body Of a
human being. She was 80 frightened that
she didn't go near the body, but ran to tell
the others what she had seen. On inspec-
ton the body was identified to be the body
OF Georgia Smith, bright mulatto woman
who had been missing from the commun-
ity since February first.
The Coroner was summoned, and as he
was sick, the Magistrate here, NJ. E. Hol-
lingsworth, went down to hold the inquest.
On arriving there, great numbers of ne
groes and several white men had assem-
bled about the body and and a jury of
inquisition was empanelled.
The husband Of the deceased, George
Smith, had been near the body several
times, bnt had gone herne weeping and
wailing. Sheriff Lyon went to his home
and brought him back to the scene Of the
tragedy.
/ The body was badly < composed
and the flesh on the right leg had been eat
en- off almost entirely. ...
Several witnesses were examined and
they all testified that though they had
lived near, George Smiths home, he had
said nothing to them Of her disappearance
The Magistrate was informed that one
George Thomas was.a frequent visitor at
George Smiths house, and Thomas was
examined. He said he only knew Georgia
Smith as member Of the same church
she had joined same church he was mem
Der Of. After being closely questioned on
this score, he admitted he had gone there
for cradle he had loaned the Smiths
many months ago; but this was after
Georgia Smith disappeared. He had just
the slightest acquaintance with her. =.
When George Smith was brought In to
testify, he stated that he and George
Thomas were sitting on mound back Of
his house, talking, the evening his wife
disappeared; that George Thomas had
eaten dinner at his house that day, and
that while he and George were talking
back of house his wife disappeared and he
had not seen her since. . .r
There was a niece Of the murdered wo-
man living In the house at the time she
disappeared. She had been sent to Nc
Cormick, and as 1t was thought she might
be q material witness, the inquisition was
adjourned to reccnvene at Abbeville Sat-
urday. The niece a girl Of IA years, Twas
present and she corroborated, George
Smiths statement that George Thomas
was at the Smith homes the day kof
the disappearance Of her aunt, and gave
some other valuable evidence.
A change Of heart had come over George
Thomas during recess, and he told an en-
tirely different tale as to the main facts.
He said he had taken dinner at George
Smiths home on the day OF the disappear
ance of Georgia Smith. That he and
George Smith were back of the house talk
ing, and George accused him Of intimacy
with his wife. Then he admitted that he
had been around too much, but he wouldn't
repeat the offense. He said that he start
ed home and was joined by Georgia Smith.
They met near Links Bridge and were
talking, when George Smith came up. He
said George came up ctrsing and asked
him II he didn't have wife Of his own.
(This is probably not the words Of his tes-
timony, but 1t is his statement, either on
or off the stand). He said he didn't wait
to argue the matter with George Smith,
nor did he let him gethear him. He states
that when he left George Smith he was
cursing and abusing his wife. This place
where the husband came upon them was
about 200 yards from where the body was
found.
The dead woman was found lying on
her back, both hands clinched, and head
thrown back. Her throat had been cut
from little to the left Of the centre in
front to behind her ear on the right side.
Her shoes were lying together, about five
or six feet from the body and her sweater
within about two feet Of her shoes.
George Smith claimed when she left the
house, she had taken pistol and razor
with her. Neither pistol or razor was
found near the body. Though she had
been dead and exposed to the weather for
over two months, and though part Of the
lower extremity of her body was de-
stroyed, her skin about her face and neck
was unbroken, except for the wound in the
neck. She could have been easily recog-
nized by anyone who knew her.
George Smith Is in jail, as result Of the
verdict Of the coroner's jury. Someone, 1t
seems has committed foul murder, and
the authorities are trying to get the facts.