The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-09-28
BEAUTIFUL BETTY COTTON.
Name is Synonymous With Clandes'
tine and Revolving Vaccinations.

(Written for the News and Courier
by Mrs. S. MEG. Simkins and taken
from an old fle.)
''Old Edgefeld again. Another
murder in Edgefeld. Why, twas
but t'other day we had history suf-
ficient to freeze the blood with hor-
ror-the history of husband MUIR
>dering his wife! and now comes a
history ten times, if possible more
unnatural and horrible still-the his
tory of a wife numbering her. hus-
band; and all in old Edgefeld. Will
the Lord have mercy upon old Edge
field! For sure it must be pandemo-
mum, itself, a very District of Dev-
lis
The above quotation is taken from
an ancient pamphlet published in
1916, called The Devil in Petit
coats, or Gods Revenge Against Hus-
band Killing" The author was the
Rev. NJ. L. Weems, a sensational
writer and preacher of the last cen
tury, the history of whom was COM
piled in a most interesting article
published not long ago by the News
and Courier.
The resurrection of this almost
forgotten publication proves that
from time immemorial the moral con-
ditions of this section of the country
have not always been what they
should.
The first triple murderer in Edge
field, whose diabolical crimes es-
capped legal punishment, was the cele-
brated Becky Cotton. From chroni-
Gle and tradition we CLEAN that this
remarkable criminal was born about
the year 1850. At an early age
Becky, with two younger brothers,
was left by the death Of their moth
er, to be reared by a drunken father.
At the age of ten years Becky reign
ed supreme at home, she fought like
a tigress, subjugated her brothers,
cowed her father and made her
slaves tremble before her. Her will
grew more and more imperious, until
she tolerated opposition from none.
Gus Kennedy was proud of his daugh-
ter's unvanquished spirit and as he
had many business enterprises and
engaged in cattle raising which kept
him away from home, he contented
himself with laughing at the Little
She-Devil'' as he nicknamed his only
daughter. -.
AS Becky matured into woman
hood she developed wonderful beau
ty. Her form had all the grace and
voluptuousness of Spanish dancer.
Her eyes were dark and lustrous, her
features Grecian. Her clear brunette
skin glowed with the hue Of robust
health. Many lovers proffered their
hands and hearts to the beautiful
Miss Kennedy. Becky flirted desper-
ately with all. She held them in
her claws as does a cat when bother
ing mouse. Finally, while expert
encing a phantasmal affection for a
certain Erasmus Smith, who was
madly in love with her, she consent
ed to be united in wedlock. The
marriage was soon found to be a fa-
tai mistake. They fought like Kill
kenny cats. Poor Erasmus was nlaue
to bite the dust. His nerves were so
shattered that he became a physical
wreck. One night as he dozed in his
chair, by the dying embers, Becky
ran mattress needle through his
heart that stilled aching forever
more.
In the darkness and solitude of
the night she bore in her strong,
young arms the lifeless body down
through the leafy path that led to a
SlOOuy pOOl VI WdtC1, I'LL Ou01 AAASAA
flowed Beaver Dam Creek. With a
trace chain she attached a heavy
weight to the legs and threw the
body into the water, where it sank
down into the fathomless hole. never
to be seen again by mortal eye. A
November gale soon covered with
leaves her foot prints in the wooded
path, and pelting rain obscured the
last trace of the CHASTITY end of Eras-
mus Smith.
Scarcely a year elapsed after the
mysterious disappearance of Becky's
first husband, before she took unto
herself another spouse. Joshua Ter
ry was as madly in love with the
beautiful Becky as his predecessor
had been. Their honeymoon was,
however, of equally short duration.
Becky's abominable temper asserted
itself on every occasion and the un-
fortunate Josiah soon found that the