The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-07-16
NEGRO WOMAN LYNCHED.
ORANGEBCRG COUNTY SCENE OF
DOUBLE TRAGEDY.
Negro Woman Confesses to Crime,
and Summary Vengeance is
Dealt Out to Her.


yesterday 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, IL
years old, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Daniel Bell, was discovered after an
all-night search, foully murdered and
carefully covered by the confessed
murderess, Rosa Richardson, a negro
woman, about 35 years old. A grim
and horrifying spectacle is witness
ed today in that community. The body
Of little Miss Essie Bell, with her
head beaten into a pulp by light
wood knot, lies prepared for burial
in the quiet home of Daniel Bell,
while two hundred yards away, near
the scene Of the crime, swinging to
a tree, is the body of her alleged as
sassin, Rosa Richardson, riddled with
bullets.
Guilt was established, the woman
confessed, a volley fired, the unknown
silent, sober men mopped their brows
and dispersed. Thirty negroes who
gathered near the scene of the crime,
would have fired the volley if permit
ted, and went to console the grief
stricken family.
While the crime has cast pail ov-
er the community, and hundreds
of people have gone to the scene,
there was no race feeling whatever
evident.
Story Of the Murder.
The facts substantially told were
as follows: The murdered girl 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 oppo-
site side of the road is the house
where Rosa Richardson lived. Mr..
Daniel Bell was reading his news
paper 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
returned 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 sus.
pected of Turing the girl in the woods.
She, with her sister. was held during
the night by some of the searching
party. She told several disconnect-
ed stories, which led more strongly
to the belief in her guilt. A mes
sage reached Elloree late during the
night that the girl was missing, and
the penitentiary bloodhounds were
wired for, but it was later learned
that they were out of the city.
The suspected were rushed TO the
Elloree guard house.
Body Found.
The local telephone being out Of
commission, connection was estab-
lished at St. Matthews. Sheriff Sal
ley was notified and Columbia was
asked to have hounds make a cross
country trip, but before either reach
ed here the body was discovered, and
a dash was made for the town guard
house. Rural police, the magistrate
and the intendant and several citi-
zens of Elloree, who did all they
could to protect the prisoner, were
choked, thrown to the ground and
the crowd held at bay by six shoot
ers. The victim was placed in
waiting automobile, taken back to
the scene of the crime.
The woman was examined. Blood
was on her clothing and other evl-
dences of guilt was established. She
confessed to the crime, without CIV
ing any reason for having committed
it.
The posse had tracked the little
girl and the woman into the bay, both
tracks fitting the shoes. The woman
was tracked to her home, evidently
returning after committing the deed.
No Reason Assigned.
There is no reason assigned for the
deed, except that the woman was
bad character and had refused to
work for Mr.. Bell, on whose place
she lived. On several occasions it
is alleged that she grew dissatisfied
and sullen, and the theory is advanc-
ed that she lured the little girl into
the woods on the pretext of showing
her something, and murdered her to