The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-01-03
An Awful Smart Woman.

81 won't tell you thing if you are go-
ing to use my real name, for | have rcla-
tivcs and friends East and West who have
been dsgraccd enough already"
Thus said a chunky, blacll-cycd, intclli-
gent female prisoner III the Detroit House
of Correction to Il reporter tho other day,
and he agreed to her us Mrs. Saunders. Her
aye Is abont forty, her sentence for several
years, and she is there for grand larceny.
Two years ago she lived on comfortable
farm in that State, and was not only re-
Ispcctcd by all who knew her, but q worthy
young farmer who was also a town consta-
bic, was in love with her and ready to en-
gage himself in marriage. The Widow
Saunders had no children, and the hired
man employed was a half-diot of a fellow
who minded his own business, even if he
acted silly at times. If ha ever had the
slightest suspicion of anything wrong
about the place, he never limited it, and
and when the lawyers got hold of him on
the widows trial they found more than
their match.
Some three years ago the farmers in the
were being robbed. The first theft was
that Of a line full of clothes left out of doors
of Monday night. Tho next was that of
dressed hog weighing about l4O pounds
The porkcr was hanging on n woodshcd at
tachcd to Il farm house, and the thief shoul-
dercd it, carried it to the highway, and
there all trace was lost. The marks of
wheels were looked for in vain, simply be-
cause the Widow Saunders, who was the
thief, had come on horseback, Il distance Of
about three miles. 1t was the work of IL
stout man to take down that meat and pass
IL over the fence and strap il to the horse
but the widow performed the feat.
''Prctty good lug for you!' qucricd the
reporter.
81 admit nothing she Quietly replied,
as she twisted ut her apron. ''rhcy said
stole the hog, but | don't remember any
thing about it2"
The next robbery was that Of ten BUSH
els of wheat. a farmers barn was broken
open and the bags taken Off his loaded
wagon, carried 10 the highway, a distance
Of five rods, and there loaded into a one
horse wagon. They attempted to track the
vehicle, but a shower came up and render
ed all efforts fruitlcss. The Widow Sa,n-
ders was the guilty party. She drove four
miles after midnight, stole and loaded the
wheat drove home, carried the wheat to
the garrct, put out the horse and cleaned
of the wagon, and at daylight was out
milking cows when the parties in pursuit
Of thieves rode by her house.
s.You must be an awful smart woman"
said the reporter, rs he realized the work
she had put in. "
''Thank you," she demurcly replied,
'but of course never stole that wheat"
The farmers now began 10 bestr them
selves, and the constable picked up all the
clues he could, and spotted two or three
parties and kept watch Of them for many
nights. AS he was "sparking" tho Widow
Saunders he took her into his con-
tidcncc and related his suspicious, and de-
tailed his plans TO become second Pinkcr-
ton. She encouraged him to renewed Wig
lance, and tho next thing was something
e.sc. a farmer brought home a cornshcllcr
and left it in his barn. In the morning it
had Disappeared -shcllcd itself out Of sight
as it wcro. The thief could not get the big
doors open, and had therefore gone in at
the stable door. united and turned out a
Ficking horse, and then brought the ma
chine out through the stall. The corn
shelter was found in the Widow Saunders
parlor bedroom, when her house was
searched, and she had carried 1t OH her
back across the fields q full mile. IS.
The constable was now on his mettle. In
one breath he declared his love for the
Widow and in the next he vowed by the
eternal to nab the robbcr or die trying.
She squeezed his hand and told him to take
'EXcelsior" for his motto and 60 ahead.
This was about q week after the theft of
put in the balance of the night on q four
corners. When he reached soon after day
| light 1t was TO find that some one had
stolen slvcr-plated harness from his barn.
eyes, they found the harness in my
house, sighed the Widow as the reporter
put the question, 'tand shall always be-
licve >ny hired man stole it in his slcep'
| Highways and barns were guarded for
tho next two weeks, but nothing occurred
to add the excitement. 1t was generally
agreed that the robbcr had taken himself to
other parts, and farmers once more hung
up their army muskets and took their full
allowance of sleep Then one night
young farmer returning home at a late
hour from q neighbours, heard noise in the
carriage house and investigated. The door
had been broken open, and as he was
about to enter he got rap on the head,
and some one rushed past him. Hc fol-
lowed after as soon as his eyes quit seeing
stars and though not able to overtake the
stranger, he picked up one or two robes
dropped in the chase. The other was
found in the Widow Saunders garrct.
Tho climax was not far away. "A far
mer brought home barrel Of flour left it
on the veranda, chained his watch dog ten
feet away, loaded shotgun, and then lay
down to rest with the feeling that he should
pepper thief before daylight. He awolsc
at daylight and his flour was gone Tho
dog had raised no alarm, though savage
and watchful. The barrel had been rolled
down to the gate aud tnen ''skiddcd" into
light wagon. The constable was duly
Informed, and with HAIR standing on end he
rode over to the widows to give her the
latest, news. He cnt. red without knock
ing. Sho was not to be seen. He passed
into. tho kitchen but she was not
there. In the big pantry. however, was
the stolen barrel Of flour! There was the
brand, tho ,stavcs were soilcd by contact
with tho ground, aud there could no mis-
take The constable heard noise up
stairs. The stair.door was open and he
crept up to find his beloved oyerhauling
some Of hor stolen property. [s.,,. <ig
| ''rhon there was fainting sccnc," sug-