The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-09-28

pNe~NS
disturbed. She sent for her brother,
Stephen Kennedy, and married him
to the elder Miss Ellis. The younger
one she found a husband for in Mr..
Tom Jones. Neither of these girls
did she allow to have cent of the
money their mother had left them.
Not only did Becky deceive her
brother in this matrimonial venture,
but she induced him to pay a debt
of $3.50 that her husband owed to his
neighbor who held his note for that
sum. She cajoled Stephen into get
ting that note for her, promising to
give in return a valuable negro.
When Stephen paid the debt and
handed her the note, he demanded
the negro. Becky flew into violent
passion, cursed him for being fool,
and ordered him to leave her pres
ence or he would "awake in hell fire
much sooner than he wished
The hatred of Becky for her broth
er, Stephen, now became so intense
that she swore she would kill him,
and constantly carried a pair of pis-
tolls for the purpose Of blowing his
brains out.
The uneasiness of Stephen was
aroused to such a pitch that he was
afraid to work in his fields, or to be
seen upon the roads after sundown,
lest his sister or some of her hire
lings should waylay and shoot him.
This unsettled state of affairs lasted
from the autumn of 1906 to May :,
1907, when it terminated in bloody
tragedy. -.
Mr.. Frazier, citizen of high
standing at Edgefeld was an eye wit
ness to the transaction that termi-
mated the bloody career of the notori-
Gus Becky Cotton, as she is remem-
bered. rA~.
81 was standing" said he, ''in the
yard, some fifty or sixty PAGES from
the court house, talking with MIR. B.
White and other acquaintances, when
Mrs. Ellis, in her gig, drove close up
to the court house. She had made
too much noise in the country to
pass unnoticed, and eyes were there
fore all Immediately turned towards
her, and some parts of her old his
tory began to be ripped up. She
alighted from her gig, and as she
walked towards the door of the court
| house, she was met by MIR.
a likely young fellow, but not of the
purest sort, betwixt whom and her
self there was Immediately struck up
a close chat, and I much fear not on
| the best subject. God forgive me if
suspect the poor lady wrongfullys
but fear that some criminal appoint
! ment was the burden of their talk.
| But be- It what it will, it is with God
and the last day will tell all. She
had chatted, however, but a short
time with her spark, before her
brother, Stephen, came up with
| very dark brow, which was sorry
to see did not become jot more
placid by looking at his sister, on the
contrary, it grew more and more
stern and revengeful, like one look
ing at a mortal enemy. Presently he
began to tell us the story of his sis
ter's false and cruel treatment of
him, and as he went on he be-
came more and more outrageous
against her. At length his looks as
sumed a horribleness of expression
which confirmed me in an opinion
that had long ago taken, namely
that every man has two spirits, a
good one and a bad one, constantly
attending him. AS Stephen COM
menced to enumerate the cruel griev-
ances which his wicked sister had so
unjustly brought on him, his passions
rose by rapid strides to dreadful
pitch. At length, like one who had
surrendered himself to the evil spir~
it, he gnashingly exclaimed, Yes,
and by c. I'll kill her. At the
same moment he stopped down and
picked UP stone, and holding it
under his coat, he stepped towards
his sister. We were all struck with
horror and felt the utmost wish to
prevent the unnatural act. One
member of our company in par
ticular pleaded for his sister.
Mr.. Kennedy, you amt a-going to
murder your sister, sure At this
he wheeled about, and starting lit