The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-07-15
MURDFRESS LYNCHFD
AFTER FOUL DEED
Negro Woman L>nChed for
Killing Girl
ELLOREE SCENE OF
DOUBLE TRAGEDY
Negro Woman Murders Twelve Year
old Girl out OF Revenge for Fancied
Grievance. Admits Guilt and Mob
Strings her to Tree.


Grievance. Admits Guilt and Mob
Strings her to Tree.
Elloree, July 12.-One of the most
brutal crimes ever perpetrated in
Orangeburg county, committed mid
way between here and Vance late yes
terday afternoon in Il dense bay near
the Two Chop public road. was brought
to light this morning when the body
OF little Miss Essie Bell, II year-oid
daughter OF Mr.. and Mrs. Daniel Bell,
was discovered after an all night
seach, foully murdered and carefully
covered by the confessed murderess,
Rosa Richardson, negro woman,
about 35 years of age. A grim and
horrifying spectacle it witnessed today
In that community. The body Of lit
tie Essie with her head beaten into
pulp by lightwood knot lies pre-
pared for burial in the quiet home of
Daniel Bell, while 200 yards away near
the scene of the crime swinging to
tree the body of her murderess,
Rosa Richardson, riddled with bull
lets.
Guilt was established, the murderess
confessed and volley fired in short
time. Thirty negroes who gathered
have fired the volley If permitted, and
went to console the grief-stricken fam
lily. While the crime has cast a pail
all over the community and hundreds
Of people have gone to the scene, there
was no race feeling whatever evident.
The murdered girl yesterday after
noon went to Craze the family COW
in a field on the public road short
distance from the home, which was
hidden from view by a dense field Of
corn. Just in front Of this field on
the opposite side of the road is the
home Of Rosa Richardson, the negro
murdcress Daniel Bell was reading
his newspaper and the mother, Mrs.
Bell, was leaving with one Of her sons
to board the afternoon train at Vance
for Charleston. Mr.. Bell was absorbed
in reading and presumed that little
Essie had gone to the station with her
mother and would return with her
brother When the young man re-
turned home with his sister, Mr..
Bell inquired for Essic and the young
man told his father that she had gone
to Craze the COW when he saw her
last. Mr.. Bell Immediately gave the
alarm and searching parties were
secured.
Rosa Richardson was suspected OF
Turing the girl in the woods for crimi-
nal purposes and she with her sister
were held during the night by some
Of the seaching party. She told sew
eral disconnected stories which indi-
Gated her guilt.
a message reached Ellorce during
the night that the girl was missing
and the pcnitentiary bloodhounds wcr'
wired for but 1t was later learned
that they were out OF the city. The
suspects were rushed to the I1llorce
Sudiu houoS. lHC ioS"i 'cicpiioiiS
being out Of commission, connection
was established at st Matthews.
Sheriff Salley was notified at Colum
bia and was asked to have hounds
make cross country trip, but before
either reached here the body was dis
covered and a dash was made for the
town guard house. Rural Police. the
magistrate, the intcndent and several
citizens OF Elloree who did all they
could to protect the prisoner were
choked and thrown to The ground by
the crowd and held at bay bysixshoot
crS.
The victim was placed in n waiting
automobile and rushed to the scene
Of the crime. Tho woman was OK
amincd. Blood was on her clothing
and other evidences OF guilt was cs-
tablished. She confessed to the crime
without giving any reason for having
committed It. The posse had tracked
the little girl and the woman into the
bay, both tracks fitting the shoes,
and the woman was tracked to her
home returning after committing the
deed
There Is no reason assigned for the
deed except that the woman was