The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-07-14
LYNCH NEGRO WOMAN
FOR MURDER OF CHILD
ROSA RICHARDSON IS HANGED
AND SHOT AT ELLOREE.
Twelve Year.Old Girl is Murdered by
Negro Woman Who COnfesses to
Deed.
The State.

brutal crimes ever perpetrated in
Orangeburg county, committed mid
way between here and Vance late yes
terday afternoon in a dense bay near
the Two Chop public road, was
brought to light this morning when
the body of little Miss Essie Bell, 12-
year old daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Daniel Bell, was3discovered after an
all night search, foully murdered and
carefully covered by the confessed
murderess, Rosa Richardson, negro
woman about IS years of age. A grim
and horrifying spectacle it witnessed
today in that community. The body
OF little Essie with her head beaten
into pulp by lightwood knot lies
prepared for burial in the quiet home
Of Daniel Bell, while 200 yards away
rear the scene of the crime swinging
to tree is the body of ner murderess,
Rosa Richardson, riddled with bull
lets.
Guilt was established, the murderess
confessed and a yolley fired, in short
time Thirty negroes who gathered
near the scene of the crime would
have fired the volley if permitted, and
went to console the grie:-stricken fam
lily While the crime has cast a pail
all over the community and hundreds
of people have gone to t1e scene, there
was no race feeling whatever evident.
The murdered girl yesterday after
noon went to Craze the family COW
in field on the public road a short
distance from the home, which was
hidden from view by 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
murderess. Daniel Bell was reading
lis newspaper and the mother, Mrs.
Bell, was leaving with one OF her sons
to board the afternoon train at Vance
for Charleston. Mr.. Bel 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 return
ed home without his sister, Mr.. Bell
inquired for Essie 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
formed. The whole community was
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 searching party. She told sew
eral disconnected stories which indi-
Gated her guilt.
a message reached Elloree during
the night that the girl was missing
and the penitentiary bloodhounds were
wired for but it was later learned
that they wer out ofs the city. The
suspects were rushed to the Elloree
guard house. The local telephone
being out of commission, connection
was established at St. Matthews.
Sheriff Salley was notified and Colum-
ibia was asked to have hounds make
a cross country trip. but before either
reached here the body was discovered
and a dash was made for the town
guard house. Rural police, the mag
istrate, the intendant and several citi-
zens 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 b six shooters.
The victim was placed in waiting
automobile and rushed to the scene
os the crime. The woman was ex-
amined. Blood was on her clothing
and other a, ldences OF guilt was es-
tablished. She confessed to the crime
without giving any reason for having
committed it. The posse mad 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 a
bad character and had refused to work
for Mr.. Bell or whose place sne lived.
On several occasions, it is alleged