Smyrna times., 1869-01-13

| STOP Thief "-Considerable evcitomon+
was created in this town on Thursday night
last over the arrest of negro man for n snn.
poSsed attempt at lncendiarsm. About haif
past eleven 0 clock, as the members of the Ma
sonl' fraternity were leaving their lodge room
(Odd Fellows HalD they espied light in the
shop OF Scout Il Mannering. Suspectinc some
thlng was wrong, they proceeded to the sbon
ana commenced investigating, when n negro
ieaped from one of the windows Immcdiete-
" ne was pounced upon by the members of the
ancient order Our Representative in the Leg
STATURE pig with the Importance of events,
was the first to "nab' him, but soon fonnd
himself unequal to his selfimposed task~the
!Garkey was jumping him around in rather a
nreIy manner. Two or three other members
vi the craft came promptly to his assistance
VINO, after being dragged around AMONG tbe
wagons, pOws wheelbarrows, &c. for Soma
tlme' with the rest of the ancient, free and ac-
ccepted Order In pursuit to prevent the darkev
lloln capturing them-except our Rep who was
setting IN cart catching his wind-thev all pot
behind him and pushed him across the street
10 the antero Of the Hail. He again made
a break and succeeded in reaching the street
put was caught by powerful Mason who threw
MIN 10 the ground 1t was then decided that
each Free Mason present should wrestle with
MN until they had cut his wind sufficiently to
make nm tractable. After sixteen falls the
uarkey caved in" and allowed himself to he
Jieu' I In the mean time one of the craft was
otSpntchFu f % TO arouse the proprietors to sense
OF the danger they had escaped and another nnt
In pursuit OF officer Stayton. The proprietors
soon arrived, expecting to find their shons On
hre also the officer, who expectad 70 cantnra |
ihui 1er r. The parties who had been sent for
them IN listed on having their "rassIe" on re-
turning, but the darkey was docile enough. it |
was thought ~ ~
The Ancient Order, after bringing the COM
pas anu the square to bear on the case, and |
tIleMlng II IN the ancient light 1869, concluded
they would give the darkey an impartial trial.
Notwithstanding u 1t was after midnight. So
theV proceeded to the Office of Squire Mari.
mt4eI, (Who Is one OF the craft and had taken his
hllg with the rest) where hearing was
hau' witnesses were duly examined-everv
T Tmeuoer present testlfying against the darkey. l.
4 1,.H, ne prisoner, who said his name was John
ulOps' wa was committed to Jail to appear at
court Inc report that he was found guilty of
aTSoh' p-llttng, ETC., is not correct.
After the hearing, which closed about in the |,
morning, the officer took him to his residence
1--WE have no lock-up) where, in company with
One OF the proprletOrs, he was guarded till
aoout o clock. The officer then went to feed
ms horse, to take an early start for Dover
lie had scarcely left his room when he saw the
larkey, with his hands as free as his legs, max
nS Soou cime uoWn the schOOlhOuse lane. and
ne proprietor in close pursuit. When near
ne end of the lane the proprietormade a prab
0r the darkey. but missed his hold and tell
Plcklng himself up, with his hat, watch, etc
he turned hOmeward, amused at the whoie
j, transaction, and singing This world is ali
ieetlng show, whilst Gibbs, owing to tha
iarkneSS, had plunged nearly waist deep in the
water in the old brick kiln, on the other side !!
u the fence, which he was wading through. l
lnglIng IN afioat, I'm ahoat" Mr.. Stay,
on dldn' t go to Dover.
As this affair has created considerable mis-. s
apprehension, we have been explicit. Many per- c
onS were terribly frightened. Some ON Snntb Z
t. thought a fire had broken out on Meth .
dlSt ST., where the officer lives, the neonle
hought murder had been committed whilst
. the nelghGOrhOOd of the Hall it was thouGht '
nat the whole town had engaged in a street d
ght;, The truth of the matter seems to be that G
he darkey, having no place to stay, crawlcJ I
no tne shop and started little fire to keen 7
lmSelt warm, which led to his discovery. liz .
SAID to be thief, but the only evidence the
laSonS have OF the fact is that he stole the
'pe they tied him with. The idea of n ne. G
ro, who had crawled into wheelwripbt sbon m
ut OF the cold, being tried for arson at mid, d
lght is ludicrOus affair, and no one eniovs m
now more than the Masons themselves. S
ABOUT their transactions in capturing tho Il
.pOrted my "'0 si'en DIS d.