The Herald And News

MORE OF THE JACOBS TRAGEDY.
The Record Printed Headlines on Monday Stating Certainty of Tragedy Being Murder.

Columbia Record, 30th.

The first reports of the tragedy that wiped out the Jacobs family—father, mother and four children, near Little Mountain in Lexington county, indicated that lightning had struck the home, rendered the occupants helpless and setting fire to the house, caused them to be burned in their beds.

Sheriff S. J. Miller of Lexington county began an investigation as soon as the report of the tragedy reached him. From what he and others found at the ruins of the home, he was led to the conclusion that the family had been murdered and the home fired with the hope of covering up the crime.

A telephone report from the sheriff's office at Lexington at noon today was to the effect that Sheriff Miller had so far been unable to detect a single clue that might put him on the track of the murderers and incendiaries.

Mr. Miller was engaged in a case at Pelion at noon and had not had opportunity to return to the scene of Friday morning's awful occurrence, but it was stated that he would continue his investigations.

Examination of the bodies showed that the skulls of three of the Jacobs had been crushed in. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs and Miss Jacobs were found on the spring mattresses of their beds indicating that they were murdered as they slept. One of the boys was found beside his mattress and the other in the dining room that adjoined the boy's room.

Reward for Slayer.
Record, 1st.

Governor Blease Tuesday afternoon issued a reward of $500 for the murderers of John D. Jacobs, Mrs. John D. Jacobs, Miss Ellie Jacobs, Leslie Jacobs, Hugh Jacobs and Oren Jacobs, who were killed and cremated some time Saturday morning. It will be remembered that the whole Jacobs family was exterminated. The heads of all but the father, John D. Jacobs, were crushed, supposedly causing death, and the latter was shot. The bodies were afterwards cremated in the dwelling which was burned to the ground. The tragedy occurred near Peaks, a small town across the Broad river in Lexington county, approximately 26 miles from Columbia.

The theory advanced is that the father, John D. Jacobs, who was supposed to be afflicted with suicidal mania, killed his family and then committed self-murder. It is thought that the exploded cartridge from the shotgun ignited the bed on which Jacobs was reclining when he committed suicide, causing the house to burn. But there are those who think that the family was murdered; so the chief executive decided to offer a reward for the apprehension of the perpetrator of the bloody deed.

Jacobs in Grip of Suicidal Mania.
The State, 1st.

Peak, June 30.—That John D. Jacobs, found dead with his wife and four children in their burned home near Peak early Saturday morning had been of unsound mind for two years is the statement made by Dr. H. G. Eleazor, a physician of Peak.

This revelation was made to the press today.

"John Jacobs has suffered from disorder of the brain for two years or more," said Dr. Eleazor today. "Fully two years ago he came to me for consultation. I found his condition such as to make the services of a specialist necessary and on my advice Mr. Jacobs went to a Columbia physician for treatment. This continued for some time, but for six months he had not visited the Columbia specialist.

"In 30 or 40 consultations Mr. Jacobs has mentioned suicide to me, saying many times, 'I would rather be dead than in the condition I am.' After each of these consultations I went to Mrs. Jacobs, told her of her husband's condition and urged her to watch him closely. She lived in mortal dread of her husband's taking his life and has told me that she never saw him leave her sight without fearing that she would have to call in the neighbors to make a search for him and for them to find him dead.

"His last consultation with me was not quite three weeks ago. I have seen him since then but not professionally. His most emphatic statement of the many he has made to me was uttered when he said: 'I don't mind dying, but I can't leave my family behind. This thing can't last much longer with me.'"

Dr. Eleazor and Mr. Jacobs were close personal friends in addition to the professional relationship between the two of physician and patient. The physician had been deeply concerned over his friend's condition and had many times discussed it with Mrs. Jacobs.

This entire community is still deeply shocked over the tragedy. The citizens of the countryside, with the burial of the ill-fated family done, can only speak of the terrible affair in whispers and wonder.

It has been learned that the life of Mr. Jacobs was not insured nor was there any insurance on his home and household effects.