The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-02-10
DOINGS IN COLUMBIA
BOLD BURGLARY AT THE COLUMBIA HOTEL
Tho Lnbcr Bil,-The Codc-aEcre Officers
STRAY Items.
,rRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBIA, February s.

CULUNElA, rCul
BOLD BURGLAIIEs.
The sensation of to-day in Columbia has been
the burglaries committed at the Columbia Ho-
tel early this morning. The excitement it oc-
casioned among the quiet citizens of this burg
was, when the difference in population is con-
sidered, as great as that among the citizens Of
Charleston during the second visit Of the Sa-
vannah Base Ball Club last summer.
On Sunday afternoon last, q young man OF
medium height, thick set, with forld complex
ion, q light noustache and gOatce, arrived from
Charleston by the South Carolina tram, @ anu
rpristered himself ut the Columbia hotel rs
G.. w. Martin, Mobile. He was assigned
room. He wandered about Yesterday, having
very little to say to any one, and attracting no
attention whatever.
ROOMS ENTERED.
Early this morning several parties who on
retiring the night before had locked tnelr
doors, found. on rising, that they were open.
A short glance around the room revealed the
fi,ct that articles of clothing were either mis-
sing or in q very ";lmblcd about condition;
Afcw of these found money and articles ol
jewclry missing; and among them were Captain
J. II. jerks and Mr. William Super-tiit for
mer losing q gold watch and chain ana one
hundred dollars, and the latter also gold
watch and chain and twenty-five dollars, which
had been abstracted from their clolhlnG.
other parties lost few articles OF clothing
For q short time after these discoveries there
was considerable excitement in the hotel, and
efforts were made - obtain some clue 10 lhe
burglar, which were At first futile.
SUSPICION.
Last night Martin paid his bill and onnonnc-
cd his intention of leaving by the Augusta
train this morning. A short time before
O'Clock, he went into the breakfast room anu
ate breakfast in hurry. and a few nlnlncnlS
after denied that he had eaten it. Previous TO
coming down into the lobby, he was seen lilrk,
ing about on the floor above his room, ana
when he came down brought heavy carpet
bag, and refused to let any one touch it. These
actions and others caused him to be suspected,
but before the proprictOrS hau determined
upon any action, Martin had gone down to tho
trun. After he left the hotel, Chief OF Police
Radcliffe was sent for, and the clrcum-
stances related to him. He concluded that
there were grounds OF suspicion suhlcienl TO
warrant his arrcstlng Martin, ana went 10 Inc
depot, arriving there as the train was moving
off, but managed TO get on. lie took with
him colored waiter of the hotel, who recog5-
nized Martin, and Radcliffe arrested him. Ar
irving at Kingvlle, lie got OF with his pris-
oner, and waiting for the up train, returned on
it to Columbia. The prisoner was confronted
by those who had been robbed. His answers
to the interrogatories were so unsatisfactory
that the magistrate, before whom he was after
ward carried, committed him. None OF the
stolen property was found upon The prisoners
person, but it is supposed to be in the carpet
bag, which he gave TO u confederate OH Tic
truin.
MANNER oP ENTERING THE ROOMS.
An examination Of the locks Of the doors
! which had been opened showed that they hail
.,.;t1< 81, l-,,.c In
burglar having caught the keys from the out
side with pair OF pincerS-marks OF the pm
GERS appearing on the keys. Several doors
had been unlocked but on entrance was NOT
effected, because OF the doors being Doltcd on
the inside. The burglar entered about i've
rooms in all. but disturbed tho occupants
of those OF them by his entrance ana lelC
without appropriating anything. FROM lile
marks of pincers on the Keys III the locks OF
the doors, it is supposed that he endeav0rcd
TO enter, land would have succeeded in effect
ing an entrance but for the inside b0ltS) about
ten or twelve ROOMS. One young man heard
the burglar fumblin.s at his door. aud suppos-
ING it was n friend desiring 10 "bunk" with
him, yelled out, "come in" The invitation was
not accepted.
When The prisoner arrived at Kingvillc he
was placed in the Columbia Hotel omnibus,
into which several of the passengers ior The
hotel also got A large crowd had assemDieI
at the depot to see the prisoner, ana crowded .,
around Inc omnibus. They did not know the
prisoner, and each one had his opinion whlch
member OF The omnibus load was the "ccle-
brity of the hour" consequently several quiet
individuals enjoyed the honor OF being point,
cd at, with the remarks, ''theres the Viliian,
| "ihere he is. u "thut's him."
JuRIEs.
In tho House today, Whlpper INTRODUCED q
| bil 10 amend IN act entitled ian act TO resu-
| late the manner OF drawing jurors" whlcn
was read the first time and referred 10 cle
Committee on the Judiciary. i proYides f0r