The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-07-17
WHITE CHILD MURDERED;
NEGRO WOMAN LYNCHED
Orangeburg County the Scene of Dou.
bic Tragedy-Woman Confesses
Crime-Slayer of Miss Essie
Bell Taken from Elloree
Jail BY Citizens and
Lynched.


brutal crimes ever perpetrated in
Orangeburg county, committed mid
way between here and Vance late yes
terday afternoon in 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
allnight 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 a 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 tree,
is the body of her alleged assassin,
Rosa Richardson, riddled with bullets.
Guilt was established, the woman
confessed, voley fired, the unknown
and dispersed. Thirty negroes, wh,,
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 over
the entire 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 field on
the public road 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 house where Rosa
Richardson lived. Mr.. 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 pre-
sumed 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 imme-
| ha nj
parties were formed. The whole COM
munity was secured. Rosa Richard
son was suspected of Turing the girl
in the woods. She, with her sister,
was held during the night by some
of the searching party. She told sew
eral disconnected stories, which led
more strongly to belief in her guilt.
A message reached Elloree late dur
ing the night that the girl was miss
ing, and the penitentiary bloodhounds
were wired for, but it was later learn
ed that they were out of the city.
The suspected were rushed to the
Elloree guard house.
Body Discovered.
| AiS ioSai ISiSpIlOHe Delng out OF
commission, connection was establish
ed at st. Matthews. Sheriff Salley
was notified and Columbia was asked
to have hounds make a cross-country
trip, but before either reached here
the body was discovered, and dash
was made for the town guard house.
Rural police, the magistrate and the
intendant and several citizens of Ello-
rec, who did all they could to protect
the prisoner, were choked, thrown to
the ground and the crowd held at bay
by six-shooters. The victim was plac-
ed in waiting automobile, taken
back to the scene Of the crime.
The woman was examined. Blood
was on her clothing and other evil
dences of guilt was established. She
confessed to the crime, without giving
any reason for having committed it.
The posses 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 a
bad character and had refused to
work for Mr.. Bell, on whose plac,
she lived. On several occasions it is
alleged that she grew dissatisfied and
sullen and the theory is advanced that
she lured the little girl into the woods
on the pretext of showing here some