The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-05-15
Capt. Charles V. Hamilton Denies Impli
cation with the McDuhe Robbers.

the alleged leader of the band Of rob
bers, and who was convicted at the last
term of McDuffie Superior Court, and
sentenced to ten years imprisonment in
the penitentiary for robbery.
Capt. Hamilton said: / wish to make
a statement in regard to the evidence OF
Long and Willis, and also in regard to
the previous character OF those men. 1t
was Il tissue of lies from beginning to
end. Longs statement was identical
with a passage in book called 1.-The
Fancy Man; or, A November Day in
Boston, Long had this book here in
Jail with him and learned that passage
before the trial took place. Long stated
that this robbery was his first offence.
That was not true. He confessed to me,
when he was with me in this Jail, some
time before the trial, that he had been
implicated in number of crimes during
and since the war. In 1864 he stole a
horse and exchanged it for mule, which
he sod to q Mr.. Lanier, in Abbevile
County, South Carolina. He said that
after the war, in 1865, he was hired by
several parties to kill Mr.. I.anier, for
which service he was to receive 500.
Before he got to Lanier's house, however,
|
him o good whipping. Lanier was q
his house to tell him that gentleman
had sick horse down the road, which
| he wanted attended to. Lanier went to
where Long was, who gave him 800
lashes, almost killing him. He was next
in with a party who robbed an old man
named Rountr,e, in Abbevile. Long
was to kill Rountree with a sledge-ham-
mer, but as he made a blow at him the
old man lodged, and the hammer slipped
from Longs grasp. Rountree then
jumped to his gun and the robbers ran
off, taking with them about 5000. I'm
others stole lot of guns, pistols, watch,
groes on Little River, in South Carolina.
Finding that he was getting under sus-
picion, he said he came down to Edge
field and hired himself to Series & Hew
lit, who were working gold mine.
While there be frequently stole gold,
which another person was suspected Of
taking. He and another party went to
rob negro on the Savannah River, but
as they entered the house the negro
struck at Long with an axe, cutting open
his shoulder and nearly cleaving him in
twain. He afterwards tried to make it
appear that it was the Elan boys, of
Lincoln County, who were concerned
in this robbery. At Dorn's Mine, S. G.,
Long robbed the United States census
taker in 1870 of his books and money.
He said that there was man named
Harriss came to him afterward, and told
him that f he gave up the books he
might keep the money. He told Har-
riss he knew nothing about the robbery.
Harriss then went to man who was
concerned with Long in the affair, and
told him Long had confessed. The man
then gave up the books. Again falling
under suspicion, Long said he went to
Coweta County, Ga, and afterwards To-
Gated in Thomson. He also stole horse
from man named Blackwell, in Edge
field county, S. c., and sold it in Glas-
cock County, Ga. Willis, who tried to
make the impression that had induced
him to do wrong, was as bad as Long.
He helped to murder Atkins, besides
being engaged in other crimes. Ram
sey, in 1866, went with party to Lin
coin County, and searched the house of
an old negro man, named Henry Cobb,
for money. Failing to get any at this
house, they went to the house of Cobb's
son, whom they hung until he was nearly
dead, to make him confess where his
fathers money was. They then went
back to Henry ,Cobb's, where they were
fired upon by a party of negroes. One
of Ramsey's party was Killed and the
others were all wounded. Last spring
Ramsey went to New York to get coun-
terfeit money. His expenses were paid
by four citizens of the County, whose
names I never expect to make known.
Reporter-If you are Innocent, Capt.
Hamilton, why were you con victed? n
jury of twelve honest men tried your
case.
Hamilton-T was unable to employ
lawyers until the last moment; consc-
Quently, was not prepared. If l had
had a chance, l could have proved that
Long and Willis were induced to testify
against me, and could have established
my innocence to the satisfaction of every
one. That which did me the most harm
was the report that was United States
detective, trying to ferret out ku kluN.
If / was that, / was certainly danger
Gus man in the community.
Reporter-Long's evidence in relation
to you, Captain Hamilton, was very
Straightforward and conclusive.
Hamilton-Yes; but, as said before,
he took every word of it out of the book
he had here in Jail with him. Long
stated that he was twenty years old,
while his real age is twenty-tour years.
This he told me himself. Mr.. Evans,
who was robbed some time since, has re-
peatcdly said he would not believe Long
on his oath. ] am innocent, and am
made to suffer for the crimes Of others.
Hamilton then stated that he was born
in Spartanburg, S. G., in lS47, and
served through the war in Gen. Forests
command, as captain of band of scouts.
He was married in Edgefield, in January,
1867. Hamilton is powerfully built
man, and has anything but pleasing
countenance. His bare statement that
he is innocent will hardly be believed,
when twelve citizens of McDuffic Coun-
ty, which was the principal scene of
his mis-doings, after a fair and impartial
trial, have pronounced him guilty.
Augilsta ConStitutiondlist, Sth.
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