Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-06-13
CHILD's MURDER ENDS SEARCH.
Body Of kidnapped Infant Found in Il
Well Oh Deserted Place,

HS' nav UCSu uIoW lieu LII u
we'll on an abandoned farm at least
four days ago, according to the find
| ings from all autopsy, when the band
of kfdnapers. who took him from his
| home Wednesday night OF last week,
feared capture.
Tonight scores of Springfield men
in automobiles were hurrying in pur-
suit OF the county sheriff's automo-
bile' in which seven persons suspect
ed of completely In the kidnapping and
murder were being sped to the State
prison at Jefferson City. Openly
these pursuers have declared their in
tention of taking summary vengeance
upon the perpetrators Of the crime
The body Of the 14-months-old
child was found shortly before noon
to-day by sheriff's posse which had
gone to haunted" house, long since
abandoned, in the Ozark mountains,
eight miles from here. In some way
| not explained the sheriff was told last
night that trace of the child could
be found on the farm. Straightway
ne left Springfield with deputies and
| the long search began before mid
| night.
At noon they thought of the Swell.
A deputy was lowered into the OPEN
AAS' "hAiC otHcIS HSlu ny ulS
| feet. And there was found the body
of "Buddie" Keet, wrapped in the
pink blanket which was upon his bed
the night he was stolen. A woman's
skirt, too, of black silk substance,
was wrapped around the body and
was the only evidence left by those
who threw the baby into the water.
). Holland Keet, the wealthy ia
tner, was given but one opportunity
TO ransom his son. Then the ele-
ments and possibly his friends COM
blned to defeat the rescue. Shortly
after the kidnapping, Mr.. Keet receiv-
ed an anonymous letter directing him
to proceed by automobile alone
through certain country district the
coming night When he observed a
lighted lantern by the roadside, the
letter directed, he was to drive on
for a mile, return and exchange six
thousand dollars for the child. 4
But that night tornado descended
upon the county, roads%were all but
sSs fstsss
started his Journey, followed by
friends in other automobiles, and,
though he drove until dawn, he did
not receive the signal
From day to day the search for
Lloyd grew more minute. The county
authorities bent every energy in this
effort to catch the kidnapers. Seven
persons were arrested, charged with
conspiracy to kidnap other persons,
but not one was definitely charged
with taking bud" Keet. To-day
Federal agents joined in the search,
though just why has not been
learned.
This city is aroused tonight as it
has not been for many years. AS
result, authorities were taking every
precaution to prevent violence, and
efforts were being made to calm the
crowds that gathered everywhere
along the streets, discussing nothing
other than the tragedy. No secret
was made Of the crowds feeling and
threats of lynching were heard
openly.
Mrs. Keet, the baby's mother, was
on the verge of a complete break
down tonight, physicians attending
her said. The father. too, was grief
stricken. Mr.. Keet repeatedly had
offered to pay any ransom sum de-
manded and promised at ono time
that he would not press the prosecu-
ton If the baby should be returned
to him. Consequently, the only rea-
son apparent to officers for the mur-
der of the baby was that searching
parties at one time had been 50 close
to the kidnapers that it became nee
essary for them to seek safety in
flight and had killed the little fellow.
Mob Furious, But Sane.
Springfield, Mo-, June 10.-A mob
or Springfield citizens, bent on avcng-
Ing the murder of 14-months old
Lloyd Keet. early to-day forced She
riff Webb to give up six suspects,
swung one Of them to tree for some
time In an unsuccessful attempt to
obtain confession, and later return
ed them to the sheriff's custody un-
harmed. according to the reports
reaching the sheriff's office here.
The mob, numbering As men. over
took the sheriff 40 miles northwest
of Springfield after they had pursued
the sheriff for more than 20 hours in
automobiles. The sheriff was en-
route to Jefferson City to place his
prisoners In the State prison for safe
keeping.
Sheriff Webb made a strong appeal
that the law be allowed tc take it's
course, but leaders of the mob in
sisted on possessing G. j. Piersol,
from whom they believed they might
eXtort a confession.
With rope around his neck, ac-
cording to reports, Piersol was led to
tree and given an opportunity to
confess. He denied his guilt, and
was swung np from the ground and
suspended until he was black in the
face. Then his captors lowered him
and offered him another chance for
his life. Piersol insisted, not only