The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-06
a NIGHT OF HORROR.
The Experience of Negro Thief in
an Augusta Sewer.


an Augusta Sewer.
r,,on, the Augusta (GG.) Chronicle.
II was during the latter part of last July.
negro's stock of summer clothing had
-, down to a FRAGILE, and he decided that
he outfit must be replenlshed- 1t was re-
tII,isbad but from the wardrobe OF q
Ping peutleman for whom Tom, the negro
o1ssGion, had occasionally worked.
~ Tra loss of the clothing was kept very
Ut Int the owner all along rested sus-
g S-,on on the boy. One night, just after
9arl. he was espied and an effort made to
d4I - him ee-ssra
User User and closer drew the pursuers. The
darky strained every muscle IN his agile
body. but still they gained.
Something must be done, he realized, or
,bsv would catch him.
And then-the convict campl
The life of a convict was something he
diin't care TO try.
gain.
chat he had often thought to do II ever sur
funded by the same circumstances.
Helloi He's gonel Why, he turned that
oo-rer at full run but an instant before.
In truth he had quickly let himself down
into one of those damp, uninviting sewers.
The others passed in a moment and the
thief was secure.
Not many hours passed, however, before
the valiant Tom fervently wished such a
thing as a sewer had never been con-
stTucted
rlace he crept forward, the water not being
more than six inches deep.
Then he leaned against the wall and peered
bahind into the darkness. Nothing could
he seen in that dismal place. He put up
his own hand; it was there, but invisible.
Bnt listen! Far back in the black tunnel
there sounded the regular football of some
one It's echo was uncanny; anything but
assuring.
Was it some unnatural denizen on tonr
of investigation, or was 1t one of those pur-
sners more adventuresome than the rests
The bows first thought was to Eight out, "
hut on second consideration he stayed To
move meant noise, and noise meant detec-
ton: in absolute quiet there was good
chance of escape. So he accordingly tucked
his head under his arm and waited
Slowly, but surely the splashing advanced,
resounding and re-echoing as if emanating
from some cavernous depth Of mid-earth.
1t got within probably 100 fest and
suddenly stopped.
By this time the darKy was badly fright
ened but felt that he must see the noe
turnal prowler, though it be old Nick him
self
There in the gloom he saw something
that made his hair actually unkink. Two
fiery, flashing eyes glared at him as if on
the eve of whitening up his very SOUL 1t
was frightful, and more than the poor negro
could bear. With shrek that would have
done credit to a runaway locomotive he
dash d down the tunnel of horrors.
At the same instant the other 'thing"
set up series of yells and also began to
hustle.
Then the boy stopped, and, after getting
his heart down to 240 beats to the minute,
began kicking himself.
1t was dog.
The next matter coming up for settlement
was the question of getting back to the
earthS surface again.
But it was a more difficult problem than
the underground explorer had imagined.
For Two long hours he crawled and
stumbled, but not once, with the exception
Of the dogs eyes, did he see single ray of
light stab the impenetrable black"
There were dozens of big rats laundering
and floating about in the water, and finally
became so bold as to almost crawl in his
pockets.
lie sat down, worn out for want of rest.
Awater snake of some kind swan up and
wrapped its shiny lengths about his leg.
The manner in which the reptile was
pulled loose and thrown off was enough to
scare the scales off its back.
At another point the sewer had caved
downward, leaving hole about seven feet
deep. Lotto this the boy fell. He was
unable to swim and would have drowned
had not the current wasaed him on to a
shallow place.
Not until daybreak did the unlucky fellow
get back to the top. He saw a faint speck
in the distance. hurried to it, and found
himself at the mouth of one of the larger
sewers, near the Riverside mill.
The boy was thankful for life after the
nights terrors, and lost no time in return
ing the gentleman's clothing, receiving at
the some time, Of course, full and free for
giveness.
Tom now thinks of studying for the
ministry.