The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-02-06
TRYING TO FIND
BABY'S SLAYERS
Mystery So Far is Battling the Po-
lice of Spartanburg.
LAUNDRY MARK is ONLY CLUE
Little Body, Richly Clad, Found in
Mill Pond-Great Indignation
at Spartanburg.

at Spartanburg,
SPARTANBURG, Feb. 1.-Specu-
lation is rife as to the motive which
prompted the murder of. the pretty,
dimpled, elegantly dressed baby girl,
whose body was found in the race of
Whites mill pond, near the homes of
the, city's wealthiest residents, yes
terday. Seldom has a mystery piqued
the curiosity of Spartanburg as this
one has done; seldom has a crime
aroused such hot indignation as this.
Spurred on by public interest,
Sheriff White and the detectives of
the city police force are making an
exhaustive inquiry in an effort to as
certain the identity of the parents or
the ill-fated infant, believing that
when they have been discovered the
apprehension of the slayers will not
be far distant.
Juror Offers Reward.
M. ". Caldwell, member of, the
coroner's jury who Investigated the
case, has personally offered reward
of $25 for information which will
fasten the guilt for the child's death
where it belongs. 1t is not improb-
able that other rewards will be offer
ed.
Thus far only one tangible clue
has developed. A laundry mark has
been found on one of the baby's gar
ments. 1t is said to correspond with
the initials of young man and his
wife whom the police, it is reported,
are keeping under surveillance. The
officers decline to speak of the mat
ter.
Probably Two Months Old.
In the meanwhile physicians and
mid-wives are being questioned con-
corning babies born between two and
three months ago--for mothers who
have looked at the body of the drown
ed baby assert that she is not day
less than two months old.
The police assume that the baby's
mother was an accomplice to her
death, but are puzzled as to why the
parent should have waited until the
little girl was two months old before
suffering her To be put out of the
way. Ais contradiction, too,
ito n. AiversoA -.,, cruelty of the
W. Newell Smith, + Lu.:s oi w sne
3: "; Sparks, BoganA Avorkmsnshin [ s
y. "; .,;s ss:s;xe..sghsa. se.s Union vhe which are
richly hand-embroidereI =
It is probable that if the local in
quiries yield nothing definite, the Of
ficers will endeavor to pursue further
the theory that the baby was thrown
Saturday night out OF train on the
Southern Railway, as it was crossing
a bridge over thefcreek which forms
the mill pond. The fact that the ba-
by's body bears no bruises is pointed
to in controversion of this theory, but
it is suggested, on the other hand,
that the water was deep and the ba-
by heavily clad, and she might very
readily have escaped contusions.
Truth Ever Known?
That a .wretched story of human
weakness and passion, involving per-
sons of means and apparent refine
ment, lies behind the drowning of the
dainty little stranger, is generally
accepted. Whether the story will ev-
er be told is another matter.
The tiny unfortunate, with pink
cheeks, chubby arms and firm flesh,
attesting the embalmer's cunning,
lies in an undertaker's morgue. She
wears the same clothing which she
had, on when thrown into the creek,
but it has been newly laundered and
ironed. Many persons visited the
morgue today to get a glimpse of the
mite of humanity whose tragic death
has set a city agog.