Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1887 — THE SOUTHERN STATES. [ARTICLE]

THE SOUTHERN STATES.

Neab Greenwood, Ya., the first-class coach and two sleepers of an express train w ere thrown from the track. The baggagemaster was beheaded, and a dozen passengers were badly wounded. A telegram from Macon (Ga.) says: Nine persons in one household were murdered some time between midnight on Fridav and daybreak this morning, at the house of Mr. R. T. Woolf oik, ,on the Culloden road, about twelve and a half miles from Macon. The victims are R. T. Woolfolk, his wife, Mrs. Mattie, Emma Woolfolk, Richard F., Susan* Pearl, Annie, Rosebud, Charles Howard, Mattie Woolfolk, and Mrs. T. West, a visitor at the Woolfolk house. According to the Coroner’s jury, the deed was done by Thomas G. Woolfolk, the oldest son of Mr. R. T. Woolfolk bv his first wife, and who is about 27 years old. Before tbe jury rendered its verdict Woolfolk was sent to the jail in Macon to prevent his being lynched, which doubtless would have been his fate hod he been present when the verdict was announced. The testimony developed tho fact that in the front room slept Thomas Woolfolk in one bed, and in another bed two half-brothers, Richard, aged 20, and Charlie, aged 5. In a room back of it slept Captain Woolfolk and wife and Mattie, aged 18 months. In a room opposite this slept Mrs. West, aged 84; Rosebud, aged 7 ; Pearl, aged 17: and Annie, aged 10. When the bodies were discovered six were in one room and three in another. All had been killed with an ax, and there were evidences of a struggle. The motive of the murderer was to gain possession of his father's property. Every one of the victims was fearfully beaten about the head. One of the girls (Pearl) was murdered in the hallway, and was probably the last to fall. Woollolk gave the alarm himself, and his bloody underclothing fixed the crime upon him, although he declared his innocence. A later dispatch from Macon says: The most remarkable funeral on record occurred here when the nine victims of the bloody hand of Thomas G. Woolfolk were buried. The funeral took place in the presence of about 3,000 people, many of whom followed the procession of five persons from the scene of the tragedy, thirteen miles from Macon. The procession started from Woolfolk’s home at 0 o’clock, reaching Macon at 2, followed by thirty carriages and buggies, none of which contained a person by the name of Woolfolk, the entire family in that section having been wiped out of existence by the son Thomas. The Rev. S. R. Branham took a position among the nine coffins and began the services. These were brought to an abrupt termination by the arrival of Mrs. Edwards, own sister of the murderer, who was in Athens at the time of the crime and arrived in Macon while the cortege was filing into the cemetery. She was almost frantic with griof, and her cries brought tears to the eyes of all. It was such a scene that the minister said he could say no more and withdrew. A Fort Worth (Texas) dispatch reports that— A number of men and boys were collected on the public square in lhat city ou Saturday night, engaged in firing anvils and discharging fireworks in honor of the victory won in the State by the anti-prohibitionists. A keg of powder had been secured for the occasion and one of the boys was Beated thereon, when some one from the other side of the square fired a rocket which struck the keg of powder, causing a terrific explosion. James Lazenby, 17 years old, was blown several feet into the air; he was burned on every part of his bodv, and expired Sunday morning. Wave Hatcholl, aged 0 years, was burned nearly as bad as Lazenby ; he died in the afternoon. Gus Hatchell, aged 11 years, was stripped of nis clothing from his hips down ; he cannot recover. Two other boys, Sam Johnson and William Saskaberry, Were terribly but not, necessarily fatally burned.