The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-08-08
gITD DEAD BODY
P4JhED IL TRUE:t
Jesse Murphy Suspected OF MuderIaS
Woman Who Was Last Seen III
His C0mpasy
The State

The State.
Jessie v. Williams, a negro woman
about 25 years of age, was found dead
in a trank at her home, 1904 Gadsden
street Yesterday afternoon about 2: 10
o'clock. Death had been caused, ac-
cording to "a statement of Coroner J.
A. Scott. by conclusion of the brain,
the head being crushed in just above
the LETT ear. Jesse Murphy, alias Jesse
Williams, a negro % years Of age.
who lived with her, is suspected Of
murder and Coroner Scott has offered
a reward of SIS for his apprehension.
The last seen Of the Williams wo-
man alive, was about , o'clock Mon
day afternoon, when she and Jesse
Murphy went into aer house, Her
three days absence and an odoT which
came from the house alarmed people
living in nearby houses and they call
ed Policeman Wessinger to inyasti-
gate
The officer made a thorough search,
and although ne was aware Of ter
riole oaor. he found nothing which in
dicated that woman's dead body
lay doubled up in the new trunk which
he saw in the bedroo, He did, how
ever, ind quantities of rotten water
melon rinds and sour food. In view
of this unsanitary condition, he in
formed Minnie Williams, who lived
next door, that he was going to notify
the health authorities and that they
would arrest Jessie Williams and take
ner to court.
Body is Discovered.
Minnie Williams sent word to this
effect to Palm Smith, who lives in
Waverley and who is an aunt Of the
dead woman. The aunt went to Gads-
den street to investigate and took Isa-
bel Boatwright with her. The Boat
wright woman found the body. The
trunk was not locked but the outer
clasps were fastened and when she
lifted the lid and tray she discovered
the body. She ran into the street and
called Policeman Dunlap, who verified
her statement and then notised head
quarters.
II is believed that the woman was
killed Monday night. The body is
in a state of decomposition. After the
body had been removed to an under
taking establishment, a preliminary
examination was made under the su-
pervision of the coroner Although a
bloody. ten inch hawk blade knife was
found in the trunk, it is not believed
that death was caused by stabbing.
The theory is that heavy blunt in
strumest was used to crush the Wo-
mans skull. The room in which the
body was found was in no unusual
disorder ana thare was nothing found
to indicate that a struggle had taken
place. Paid up Insurance policies to
the amont Of $125 were found amosg
the womans effects.
Jesse Murphy Suspect.
Jesse Murphy, the suspect, has been
living with the Williams woman for
two or three years IN 1913 he served
an eight months sentence on the
county chaingang for beating and cut
ting her. An unusual incident relative
to the accusation that Murphy killed
her is the fact that ne has been seen
in the city several times since Mon
day, although he had a hackman take
his trunk to railroad station Mon
day afternoon. At least three persons
saw Murphy here Wednesday morn
iGg.
The police department and the
coroner's Office have instigated far
reaching search for the suspected me-
gro, having sent telegraphic descrip-
tions to every city and town of impor
tance in the nearby States. Jesse
Murphy is % pears of age, S feet 9
inches tall and weighs $50 pounds; he
has a brown skin, clean shaven and
has. gold tooth in front; he is an
easy talker and is of pleasing appear
ance. Information regarding him
should be addressed to the chief Of
police, Columbia.