The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-02-26

|
Hoped lie VIII Succeed. The Ka.c.I
Was Caught.
AUGUSTA, Feb. 13.-Mr J. II. Easter
ling, OF WilliSton, S. c., who, with Messrs
Kennedy and Weathersbec, of the same
town, was swindled out Of five thousand
dollars by being persuaded to buy a bar
of gilded copper for pure gold from
faklr, is in town tonight OH his way to
Ntlanta, where he goes in hopes of iden-
tl1ylng man named Mace, who was
arrested in Atlanta this morning, ac-
cordlng to the description furnished of
the party who was an accomplice in the
gold bug game.
The man in Atlanta was arrested in q
Richmond and Danville train bv Chief
Connolly, and if he is the right man the
officers will get five hundred dollars re-
ward for the arrest.
Inc Chronicle this morning gives the
following details of the manner in which
the swlndle was worked:
"A few days, possibly week ago, a
mysterious parsonage, giving his name
as Blll Parker, or more formerly speak
ing, MIR. William Parker, made himself
known to Mr.. w. II. Kennedy, Mr.. II. A.
81. IL
of WilliSton, 5. G..
lie spoke in a mysterious way of a big
thing which he had if he only had the
money to work it. He got these gentle
mon interested, and disclosed to them
that he had somewhere in the mining
regions of the West Il most valuable
gold mine. 1t had been discovered by
the Indians or some half bred hunters,
and there was millions in it. Indeed,
ne had along with hlm mythical Indian,
VINO never Sl0wedup, but was supposed
TO be lowering around somewhere in the
bushes OH the outskirts of the town and
aValla0le Tor consultation with Mr.. Par
ker when necessary.
The best evidence, however, that there
was gold in the mine was to produce the
gold itself, and this Mr.. Parker did in a
secret interview. And what glitterinp
prize 1t was! \ solid bar two feet long
and as big as a bar of railroad iron. But
II these clever gentlemen had attended
the recent Shakespearean Symposium
IN Augusta they would have learned
that All is not gold that glitters." But
they knew that anyhow, and even sug-
gested as much to Mr.. Bill Parker. lie
was not surprised nor embarrassed by
this implied dstrust, but courted inves
ugation. Taking gimlet he bored in
TO the heavy yellow bar, and smiled
confidently on the shining dust which
| came from the hole. Take this cold
dust now and send it to any jeweller or
chemist and ascertain to your own sat
lsfaction whether or not it is the pure
stuff"
This was fair enough, and the pre-
clouS dust was either sent to Charleston
or submitted to a WillSton expert, the
reporters informant was not certain
| al Si1f Ihn fFhcf
| factory, and the answer came back that
it was 22carat gold. Mr.. Bill Parker
was Vindicated, and now nothing re.
| manned but to weigh the bar and make
the calculation. The weight was not
known to the gentleman who gave the
| reporter the story, but the bar was worth
$4,000 or $1,000.
Just exactly why they were given
such bargain is not made clear, but for
$4,000 each Mr.. Parker and his imagi-
nary Indian partner were willing to turn
over the gllttering bar of gold to Mr..
Kennedy and Mr.. Weathersbee, the two
gentleman with whom he was trading.
The prize was too glittering; the profit
too certain and easy to let slip. All
that was necessary would be to send it
to the Government mint to be coined
and clean profit of one or two thous-
and brand new gold dollars would be
realized. Who would not have bought
it?
Mr.. w. ii. Kennedy, who is a man of
means, drew draft on his factor i'm
Charleston for 1000, and Mr.. Dan Hen
derson, of Aiken, took it and gave hrm
check on the Bank of Aiken for the
money. Armed with the $4,000 in cold
cash, Mr.. Kennedy sought Mr.. Bill Par
ker and the trade was cOnsummated.
'IhnU h,,l
| Parker got the cash. Having COTTON the
money Mr.. Parker had no further bust
ness in Williston or Aiken, or even in
Carolina, and his mythical Indian chief
vanished from the Palmetto State.
The owners of the gold bar either
grew suspicious or else wanted to reas-
sure themselves of their splendid prize,
for they had danother analysis made, and
they were horrlied to find that the sec
ond analysis showed that their prize was
not gold at ALL
1t is understood that Mr. Schwcigert's
analysis of it showed it to be a very fair
grade of copper, but even after the re-
porter had gotten the Story.NIr. Schweig-
crt persistently refused to have anything
to say except that it was Il private
matter which he was not at liberty to
talk about.
Well, there is little more to tell. The
interviews with Chief Hood were, of
course, for the purpose of capturing
Mr.. Bill Parker, and it is understood
that Mr.. }. II. Easterling was busy yes
terday sending off kilograms in every
direction. with description OF Parker,
and an offer of $500 for his arrest.
CAUGHT IN ATLANTA.
AUGUSTA, Ga, Feb. 14.-Bli Parker,
the BuncO man who defrauded Messrs
j. r. Easterling and r.. a. WcathersDcc,
Of WillistOn, :. c., out of So 900 by sell
ing them bar of gilded copper for pure
gold Las been arrested. lie is the man
who was arrested in Atlanta yesterday.
The news comes direct from Atlanta,
from Messrs Easterling and Weathers-
bee, who went to Atlanta last night to see
if they could identify the man, who was
arrested on the Richmond and Danvile
train. They wired Chief Hood, of the
Augusta police force, early this morn
ing; ave have got Bill Parker" Parker,
when arrested in Atlanta yesterday was
searched, and he only had $50 and a
Smith ~ Wesson pistol on him. He was
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