The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-12-07
spotted fawn, torn to pieces by the
dogs, through mistake.

dogs, through mistake.
Barker.--That's no sign. Parsor
Brady, you remember, cried one day
over his dead horse, and the next day
killed Jack Coulter for calling him
sold Snufiler." Tears are as great
humbug as smiles, and l wouldn',
trust either farther than l could throw
blacksmith's anvil. But tell me,
captain, what shall we do with Sill
more if we catch him this time? We
have ordered him off and he WON'T
so; we have whipped him till he has
no skin on his back, and yet he bud.
ges not. What are we to do?
Captain.--Hang him to limb OF
the magnolia in his own yard.
While the lynchers were on their
way, let us anticipate their goal, and
view the position of their enemy.
Immediately on the Southern bank
of Spring River, cmbowercd in the
shade of clump of grand magnolia S
the only speck of timber visible in
a large prairie--might be seen the
log cabin of Lewis Silmore. The
spot was surrounded by palings, en-
closing some half an acre or more, to
which the approach led through a
whitc.washed gate. Both above and
below, by the rich bottom along the
stream, bloomcd fields and gardens,
with other evidences of comparative
wealth, and, among the number, half
q dozen African slaves, who were
busily employed with the plough and
weeding-hoe.
The owner of the farm WIS Yam.
kee-at all events such was the
general belief. lie had emigrated
three years previously, was poor at
the period of his arrival, and acquir-
ed his property since by dishonest
practices. In fine, he was counter
fcitor, whose ingenuity and caution
were alike remarkable. that it was
impossible TO procure his conviction
in a court Of Justice: A striking ex-
ample may serve to illustrate his cx-
traorlinary cunning.
Silmore was arrested about year
before the date of the visit by the
lynchers soon to be described, and
brought to trial for passing spurious
money to the amount OF FIVE thousand
dollars. which he had given in pay
ment for a drove of slaves. The
proofs on the part Of the State we're
positive against him, and there seem.
ell no chance for his escape. But to
the astonishment of everybody, he in
trodnccd as witness Of his innocence
one of the most reputable men in the
coutry, who sworc "that some months
anterior, the prisoner at the bar had
stail owe; night at his house, and
that in the morning, when they both
walked out to the gate. Silmcre cx.
claimed, looking towards the public
road, Wonder some traveller has lost
his pocket book and running to the
place, picked it up, when it was found
to contain five thousand dollars in
bank bills the Same then produced in
Court. That the numbers wcrc ta-
ken down by witness, at prisoners
request, and an advertisement insert
ed i'll the Springfield newspaper, with
an accurate account of the finding"
This was conclusive. and the accused
accordingly received an acquittal. =
What a roSue's rusc was here!- what
fertility of invention to lose his
own counterfeit money, and then find
it in the presence Of a credible witness
so as to have proof for any contin-
gency. -.
The log cabin Of Silmcrc, on that
bright 4th of July before specified,
presented indubitable tokens of pre-
paration for some expected dan.
ger. The door was shut and fasten.
ed with strong wooden bars on the
inside. Several port holes, with
the black muzzles Of guns bristling
through their apcrturcs, might be
noticed in the walls as doors. With
in, the scene was worthy of q pain
ter. Intently watching towards the
South, through small crcvice left
between the logs, sat the counter
feiter "a slight, well favored, grey.
haired man, with restless, rolling,
and very bright black eyes, and
a disagreeablc puckercd expression
about the corners of the mouth. Close
beside him were his wife and elder
daughter, Eliza, both in tears. But
that creature of grace and beauty,
the sylphlike Mary, whose charms
formed the topic Of wonder and ad.
miration for the whole country
around, although not yet sixteen, ne
ther trcmbled nor wept but constant
ly examined the guns--saw that
there breeches were properly sup
ported on chairs and tables, and that
their deadly dark muzzies we're