Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-31

and orderly as country town should De,
he dld his playing mostly IN HARRISBURG,
Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York,
but made Carlisle his headquarters, Iee
next noteworthy episode OF MS career
that | remember was caused by his mis-
tress, who had deserted aim and was Nv
ing with an ex-oficIal OF the county.
| One night the town was shaken by
tremendous explosion. 1t was caused
by dynamite bomb with which some
| one had attempted to blow up the
house in which Foulk's former mistress
and the ex-county official were living.
The house, however, was substantial
stone building and witbstood the shock,
although the stones were cracked, tue
windows and doors destroyed, and the
objects Of toulk's vengeance thrown
from their bed. The windows Of half the
| houses in the town were shaken out, and
most Of the people thought that an earth
quake mad visited them. Ii was an open
secret that if Foulk was not the man who
threg the bomb, he was, at least, the IN
stigator of it, but ne was never arrested,
as no proof against him could be OBJ
tanned,
ut was not long after the bomb episode
that incendiary fires occurred with a
regularity which indicated that an organ
lied gang of frebugs was at work Inc
nres al~ avs occurred on saturday night,
and the citizens soon began to expect
fire alarm Saturday night with almost
the same assurance that they waited TO
hear the church bells ring sunday morn
ing. The fires were confined to stables
and frame dwellings, where human life
was not endangered, but great deal of
valuable stock was lost. The ire depart
ment was, OF course. volunteer one, but
IL had three fine steamers, and naturally
there was great deal OF rivalry among
them. IL was soon observed that one of
these companies invariably arrived at
the fire first, and that the engine
had ON a iull head of steam be-
fore the others were fairly started.
And it was further discovered that the
steamer in question had been known to
be on the way to a fire before it had
broken out and the alarm had been
sounded. This state of affairs naturally
created great deal of excitement in the
small town. Detectives from New York,
Chicago and Philadelphia were employed
to ferret out the tire6ugs, but none OF them
could do anything, and the Sat
urday night fires continued to occur.
They all said that in spite of all their
efforts they were spotted as soon as they
stepped of the train, and could do no
good. Finally a local detective ingrati-
ated himself with some members OF the
fire department and succeeded in break
ing up the gang. About twenty members
OF the fire department, most of whom be-
longed TO the company which was at the
fires so promptly, were tried aud sent to
the penltentiary for terms ranging from
five 20 twenty-five years. Among the
men who received the heaviest sentences
was the son Of the Chief of Police aud
broth sr-in-law of Fouk, he having mar
ried = daughter of the Chief, who was
himself perfectly honest man. The
failure Of the Pinkerton detectives to do
anything was then explained. The Chief
| of Police, of course, knew when the de-
| tectives were to arrive, and he usually
| told his son. not for moment supposing
| that he was one OF the very men for whom
the detectives were searching. His son
told the gang, and the detectives were
| spotted as soon as they arrived. The gang
would apparently take the detectives
into their confidence, give them false
clews, and while they were watching one
part OF town fire would break out in
another. OF course the detectives soon
saw that they were being led FOOLS
dance and gave up in disgust.
Foulk was the head of this gang. but,
as usual, he covered mis- tracks so we'll
that there was not sufficient evidence
against him to procure an Indictment
| when the rest of the gang were tried. His
| rope, however, was about run in Carlisle.
| He had managed TO escape for a long
time, but at least he was compelled TO fee.
A reward was offered for his capture, and
be was caught either in Leadyille
or Denver by Detective Smith, OF
the Rocky Mountain Agency, while
playing poker. He had $23 900 ia green
| backs in his pocket when arrested. He
was taken back to Carlisle. where he in
duced two wealthy citizens to go on his
bond by putting up cash security. He
jumped the bond, which was very heavy
one. but as his bOndsmen had the cash,
which was turned over to the county, no
effort was made to recapture him. as the
people were glad to get rid of him.
The next / heard OF Foulk was in con-
| nection with the Doran-Fiynn shooting
at Hot Springs, which resulted in the
death Of TWO of the Flynn brothers and
the hack driver, and the shooting of the
editor of the Horseshoe. In September,
1885, while driving along one of the
streets OF Hot Springs in a drunKen con-
dition, firing his revolver in the street,
he was shot and killed by Carter Brutus,
a negro policeman.
| 9Th Sc are only few of the incidents
Of a very remarkable career. His gamb-
ling experiences would make a very
| readable book. He was cool, pIucky
| player, with the impassive cOunteuauce
and wonderful nerve so necessary to the
successful gambler. To lose or to win
was apparently the same to him and he
seldom was without money. He was a
| firm friend, with the generosity charac-
teristic OF so many gamblers, and when
he was in luck his friends shared it with
him. But ne was a bitter, vipdictive
| enemy. With all his faults there have
| been many worse men than Foulk who did
not have so bad a reputation. The Incl
dents | have related are the worst things
| | ever knew OF him."