Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-07-12
RAILROAD MEN GONE WRONG.
Charlotte Journal Observer, 4th.

Yesterday afternoon two arrests were made
in this city that caused a great surprise
among our citizens, and the surprise was in
creased to establishment as the developments
of the trial were made known. The parties
arrested were J. E. Adams, who has been
ticket agent for the Airline, Richmond
and C. G. & A. Railroads in this city for two
years past, and Capt. E. O. Nesbit, who is
well-known to the travelling public as a con-
ductor on the Airline road. The charge
upon which they were arrested was embez-
Element. Mr. Adams was arrested few
minutes before the time to sell tickets for the
2 o'clock trains and taken to the office of
Capt. R. p. P.'Waring, trial justice. Capt.
Nesbit was in bed at his boarding house
when the officer stepped in on him. The
two parties secured Messrs. Burwell d. Wal
ker for counsel, while the prosecution was
represented by Judge David Schenck, Major
w. j. Montgomery and Col. II. {. Jones.
The allegation of the railroad company was
that Mr.. Adams and Mr.. Nesbit were acting
in collusion to defraud the railroad compa-
ny, and had been at it for some time past,
presumably for two years. But one case of
embezzlement was brought against MIR.
Adams while two cases were brought against
the conductor. 1t seems thatsOme time last
year, Mr.. Mercer Slaughter, the general
passenger agent, suspected that something
was going wrong on the Airline road, and
on instituting an investigation, he found
that not only was something wrong on the
Airline road butall was not correct in the
Charlotte ticket office. A detective was
employed to work up the case and his labors
eliminated in the arrest and trial yesterday.
The railroad company charged that Mr..
Adams had issued tickets without stamping
them, that Capt. Nesbit took them up with
out punching them, and returned them to
the ticket agent to sell over again and tli-
vide the money. The prosecution offered
evidence showing that on the 18th day of
April 1853, Mr.. George F. harrington bought
two tickets from Charlotte to Atlanta, one
numbered 2,742 and the other 2,912, that
2,742 was given to friend who went with
Mr.. Harrington, and Mr.. harrington gave
the ticket 2,912 to conductor Nesbit who was
in charge of the train. Itwas further shown
that ticket numbered 1912 was afterwards
found in its proper place in the. package in
stamped or punched. 1tWaS further proven
that the agent Adams never charged him
self with the sale of ticket No. 1912. Capt.
VIM. Clarkson, a conductor on the A. II. &
O. Railroad, was then produced as witness
by the prosecution, to prove that some
months ago Mr.. Adams made proposition
to him to do the same thing on the A. T. e.
O. road, adding that it was being done by
other conductors and there was big money
in it. Capt. Clarkson Indignantly secuted
the proposition and reported what Adams
had said to him to the authorities, the next
day. Efforts were then commenced to catch
the parties. Mr.. Jas. NJ. Berry, an Atlanta
detective, with Mr.. George harrington, of
our city police force as assistant, went to
work, and very soon had what they consider
ed to be good evidence of the guilt of the
parties.
Mr.. Nesbit was also charged with collect
ing fares in cash on the road and not return
ing or accounting for it to the company, and
there was evidence that on the 10th Of June,
1883, two fares were paid him and he ac-
counted for only one on his return. There
was much more evidence, but this the sub
stance of it all.
The defendants offered no evidence.
The justice decided that there was rea-
sonable cause. Then there was much dis
cussion in reference to the amount of the
bonds. The justice decided that he would
require of Mr.. Adams a 81, 800 justified bond,
and two bonds from Nesbit in the sum of
$3.50 each. The parties were bound over to
the Inferior Court.
Adams gave bond at once, and on We'd
nesday evening Nesbit gave his bond, in
default Of which at the hearing he was COM
mitted to Jail.
The .Josumal- Observer of Saturday says
Their arrest is still matter of street con-
versation and it will be many days before
the surprise it occasioned will die out. 1t
appears that the lend is not yet" and it is
limited darkly that other startling develop
ments are soon to come. Nobody knows
whata detective is doing until he has doneit..