The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-08-05
THE MISSION OF BOY DETECTIVES.
They Are CaIled TO "Gpot" the Breakers of the
Prohibition Law


They Are tCnlIed TO "spot" the Breakers OF the
Prohibition Law.
(From the New York WORLDLY
Waldo and Theodore Barnes, two
cileminatc looking striplings, believe that
they have experienced u divine call to
redeem Rhode Island from the ruin that
threatens i'll consequence of the dcfoc-
tive construction Of tho new prohibitory
law. The act, which was framed by
Prohibitionists unlearncd in the law, was
made to read that no intoXicants shall be
made or sold Gas q beverage" thus linn
It'll ng the illegal purposes and leaving the
m mhnutacturc or sale open for all other
purposes. Tho result Of this has been
to convert the State into vast entomo-
Logical museum. Nearly every third
person has taken an interest in the
alcoholic preservation of bugs, catapil-
lars and insects Of every description,
and, therefore, the consumption of
spirits has abatcd little since the reign Of
temperance began. Defiance of the law
was observed in all quarters, especially
IN the country, but no warrants were
issued, the authorities knowing that it
would be useless to act with the old gang
or spottcrs, whose rascally connivance
with Ncnal magistrates was recently ex-
posed by a Legislative committee. The
frauds Of these spoilers were SO glarine
that no jury would convict on their tes1
tlmony, and to the dismay Of the Prohi-
bltion party their amendment to the con-
stltutlon seemed q dead failure, whilo
these bcardlcss boys presented them
selves and made known their alleged
mission.
The Joan-of-Arc call came to them
simultaneously while they were boiling
a dead horse, and they there and then
resolved to devote themselves to the ser
wee of the State as detectives. The
father Of the Barnes boys has carried on
the profession Of horse knackcr for many
years, and his sons have grown up to be
experts III the art of extracting the fats
from the carcasses secured by the old
gentleman. The authorities were at
hrSt inclined TO treat the young men as
manlacS, but the carnestncss, honesty
and candor of the lads pleaded for them
and they We're allowed to try their
amateur detective hands on the violators
OF the liquor law. ElaGed over their ap-
pomtmcnt, Waldo and Theodore re-
turned home and began to lay in an out
ut tor their first crusade. In the light
derived almost wholly from books of the
Jonathan Wild type, the lads believed
they could only accomplish their pur-
pose with the aid of DISCUSSES. From
the relics of long ago stranded dra-
moustoches, piratc5 torGs'" boards, corssir mssii
shirts and other suitable costumes.
Packing up these with map of the
State and a copy of the prohibition law,
the boys started out on their expedition.
y pair of horse pistols completed their
outfit: From the outset they met with
signal success, obtaining sales at scores
OF places and collecting evidence of the
most lncOntrOvcrtible character. They
could have obtained all they wanted by
wink of the eye but the striDlines
were impressed with the idea that they
must be disguised and that their throats
would be cut if their disguises should be
penetrated. Thus, instead of walking
up and getting their drinks in a natural
way, they appeared as aged travellers,
castawny Sailors etc, bent with Years,
trembling i'll gait and with hanging
tongues.
In this way the inspired youths sue
cccdcd III bagging fifty law breakers,
and with one exception all have been
convicted or adjudgcd guilty and re-
manded for trial in the higher courts.
The boy detectives make good witnesses,
and cannot be beaten down by the cross
examination. They are honest and con-
sclcntlous in their alleged mission, and
have such phcnominal memories that
they never make any memoranda, nor
can they be tripped in court upon a date
or day. In lone country inn where
they went disguised in costumes that
had been used i'll Ingomar, the landlord
was SO scared at the sight of the fierce
looking visitors that he tied leaving all
his illicit stock to them. Disguised as,
clam diggers they visited another place,
and after making a sale they came into
town and were photographed. They
show the portrait and rel &c the advcn-
lures with great relish. A few evenings
ago they imagined chat committee of
dcpcratc saloonists were charged with
the duty of dirking them, and they sent
out an alarm to the the police, but it
was nothing but their highly dramatic
imagination. Once within the walls of
their isolated dwelling, where the dead
horse cauldron is run, and they are safe
from the most daring assassin. The
aroma of the sweltoring carcasses makes
the place imprcgnablc. The chief of
police has now huge stack of warrants
ready for service, and upon given
night officers will sally forth and execute
them simultaneously. 1t will be another
slaughter of the innoccnts.
Dueling Law I'm France.