The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-11-30
FOR G,c ledger
BEWARE OF THE VILLAINS

WE. IDIISN -on tac ilH OF Sf'lY iaSN,
couple Of villains eume tHa this ncght~r-
hood, one calling himself William Patterson
the ether John Cunningham and said they
we're fsoiR Laederialc County. Alabama.-
Thcy represented themselves to be men, who
had driven horses into this State for sale,
and that they had sold out, in Sumpter Dis
trict. on a short credit.
They said they had been recommended ia
come into this scttlcmeNs, For the purpose
of going 10 school till Fall, when they
would collect their money, and 60 for an
other drove. Thsv obtained boarding near
the school and coInmencrd theh stsdics.-
But in n short time, Patterson hcc:g1lc so
wonderfully cnamored in love of respecta-
Bile, but innocent and inexperienced young
woman OF eighteen, who resided close by,
that his studies at school were soon laid
aside, and others more pleasing were substi-
tu;ed in their stead.
- He addressed her. and his addresses We're
1alily seeeised, s6 1,,ieff SO, That on The
: ershs-, ,kns,..,ssr e~.stsaSsalkss
llesseseFs' Twas sckiy 'spr6tehaed, as tho
SEQUEL will show, for he had Ece% sxrrried
only about three weeks, when ke sEf Cum
ninghnm began TO make preparation TO start
TO Tennessee, rs they said, for another drove
ofhorses, and in , weeks afterwards they did
start In the nSaR tiRTe, Patserscn was
busay engaged in purchasing property on
credit, some Of which he sold, the morning
he len, at n reduced price, for cash and took
the Balance with him. In one instance, he
succeeded in invcigEng, an honest man out
of money ers~ast, wnSer the prctencc that,
with it, he would purchase fine horse for
him in Tennessee. Ia saRScqpcnsc cf Gun .
ningham stating that kc did n,t Ha.cnd to
return, this unsusprcting nsap SCH; his son
along to assist Patterson in driving &c.
The young man went with them to Marion
North Carolina, and near That place. Patter-
son bargaincd with Mr. Carson for some
mules, and left him to stay there til spe-
"iiicd time, which was The Monday follow
mg, being shc Grst day of corrt at Marion.
The young man stayed several days after
the time appointed, but Patterson did not
return, and he had 20 come home almost
pcnnilcss.
a short time after their departure. some
disclosures of n private nature, but too in
decent to be published, made by Patterson's
wife, with regard 10 the conduct OF both
G. nningham ard Patterson, soon gave the
ncighbors to understand that neither ofthcm
ever intended TO return. The crditors i'm.
mcdiatcly took out attachments, and an of
ticor wns sent in pursuit Of them, who fol-
lowed them into the State of Tennessee TO
IaPland tell gate Oh Tho French Broad river
but there he took sick and returned
Lest they change their names, and thus
evadc detection, description Of them will
now be given by which they may be known
hereafter.
Patterson rS u man between 80 and 35
years ofagc neatly o feet high, "f rather
sallow complexion, with black hair black
eye brows, and black beard, and has scar
in the forehead over the right eye, and an
other on the head, which is hidden by the
hair. lie is square shouldered and fiat bress.
ted, and weighs about 10 pounds. When
first addressed, he is rather slow of speech,
bat when engaged in conversation on fa-
milinr subject he speaks fluently enough
He has somewhat Of cracked voice, and a
downcast look when first spoken to. lie
signs his own name thus Williampattcrson
and other names in a similar manner. Gun
ningham Is not quito 80 tall as Patterson. a
about as or 80 years of age, and weighs
about l65 pounds or tbereabouts, rou6a bo-
died, and has swinging walk. The hair
OF his head is remarkably curly, and natural-
Iy faT, almost approaching sandy color,
whiskers the same, but, when here, he dyed
both black. Both Of them could read, write
and cipher littie, but wosld be termed H.
literate men. There = nothing in the per-
sonal appearance Of eiaher Of them, to excite
or Ia pseAace-disgust.
We are aware that the publication Of this
article will make no amends for what Is past
but il may be the means of preventing them
from perpetrating the same or similar trans