The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-09-24
4 T.ALEssOF LONG ago.
A Mysterious Stranger in Banks Cn"nty,
Ga.


story we are about to tell happened
years ago, before Banks county was cut
off from Franklin, and is rccollccted by a
great many who are now living in
Franklin and banks counties, who
remember the man who is the subject of
this sketch. The name is fictitious, as
he has relatives still living, good cili.
zens, and it would do no good to them TO
bring up things of the past
In the year 1888 or 1871, a man came
from North Carolina. making his way, so
he said, to Florida. lie came into Bush.
vile district, in Banks county (then
Franklin), and coming to where the
roads forkcd, and the direction of the
roads not sliling him. this man whom We
will call William Harrington, took
through the woods and brought up at q
house on the Hudson river lie asked
for work, and told his tale about going
to Florida, and that the roads Tot suiting
the direction he was travelling which
caused him to go through the woods and
to come to the house the back way
instead Of coming up the road. lie was
employed for a few days and put to split.
ting rails. Harrington made himself
agreeable, and being a good converse
tionalist, soon made many friends in the
neighborhood, and expressed himself as
being well pleased with the country, say
ing # he could get employment that he
would stop there instead of going on to
Florida. Other farmers in the neigh
borhood gave him work, Harrington
giving satisfaction. He soon expressed q
desire to get an education. In the
meantime he had let it be known that he
was a grandson of one of Nirginia's
greatest statesmen, but that his father
was man Of dissolute habits and that
he lad been cut off in the will Of his
grandfather, who never gave his chill
dren an education. Harrington made Il
number of friends, joined the Baptist
church, and, to all appearances, was
consistent Christian. He commenced
going TO school, started in the spelling
book, and before the year WAS out read
ing Latin and learning very fast. The
next year he taught school in Jackson
county, within fifty yards of where the
Northeastern railroad now runs. He
had splendid school and the patrons
were we'll pleased with his manner of
teaching, Though some of the older heads
seemed to think that Mr.. Harrington
had acquired his education entirely too
quick, and some thought that he was a
we'll educated man before he came to
Banks county. His kindness and gen
tlemanly bearing to all soon allaycl all
suspicion, and Harrington ranked as one
of the best Christians in the community.
He joined the Masonic lodge abou! this
time, and married Il young girl whose
father was the possessor OF several likely
negro fellows and Il fine piece of land.
AS soon as married he began receiving
letters stating that he had q large legacy
left him, but that it had got into law
ycr's hands and would take q great deal
Of money to get it out and secure j. to
himself. 1t was also limited that Har
rington was one OF q gang Of horse
thieves who stole stock in North Carolina
and carried them Oil to Florida. Har
rington made long trips to Virginia, and
generally managed to get money out of
his father-in-law to pay expenses. His
next move was to commence prospecting
for copper on an adjoining plantation
to his father.in-law. y large likely,
mulatlo negro was hired from two negro
traders in the county and Harrington
tried to get several wealthy men to go in
with him, and he would soon develop
one of the richest copper mines in the
United States. Harrington prevailed
upon his father-inlaw to raise money
for him TO get his legacy. This old man
did by selling one of his negro fellows
for a big price, and Harrington lef! with
the money to bring back q legacy that
would amount to thousands. After
being absent several months up in North
Carolina and Virginia Harrington
returned minus the legacy and the
money for which the negro was sold. His
next move was to raise more money from
his falher-in.law and go to Virginia after
some large fortune that he VIZ. certain to
get. Another negro was sold and
Harrington left again. He did not stay
SO long this time, but came back with
magnificent pair of clavbanK horses and
q negro driver. The horses were perfect
matches and would to-day bring 81 900.
Harrington said that the horses and
driver were made present to him by
some OF his relatives, and created some
excitement as himself and wife drove
around to the public places in the quiet
county Of Banks. lie commenced
studying law under the tutorship OF a
very able lawyer in Banks, and advanced
rapidly. He informed his friends that
he was studying law for his own benefit,
so AS 10 be able to attend to his own
affairs wheu he became the possessor of
several hundred thousand dollars that he
was bound to yet from his grandfathers
estate, Harrington was all the time
making new friends, and himself and his
wife were the recipients of many a fine
dinner from the good farmers Of Banks.
Still there was in the minds of one or two
iii Tic neighborhood a suspicion that
things were not aa they should be, and
whispered conversations were held that
Harrington had come by his horses aid
nero driver in some manner not accord
ing to law.
In The meantime, the farmers refusing
to go into the copper mine speculation,
Harrington put the negro to work sink.
ing Il shaft on barren hill side where
there were no signs OF copper. The
negro vert to work and Harrington left
for Virginia 10 get money to open the
mine, and the mex! day Tie negro failed
to come up. Search was made for him
and rewards Offered, but to no effect.
The negro had vanished and no one
could hear or tell ANYTHING about kim.
Alter liz had been gone Tor several
months and his owners had given him
up as lost, Il letter was received from the
aicr in Pickcna, South Carolina, stating
that there WAS negro in Jail there wh2
said he WAS owned by the two men whom
the ailcr had written. The negro WAS
sent Tor and proved to be The one that
had opened the coppct mine. lie had Il
pass from man named Davis to so to
.A.heyile, North Carolina, aud il after