The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-18
WAS AFRAID OF "HA'NTs."
Novel Method by Which Stolen Money
was Recovered From a Negro.

From the St Louis Republic.
Trimble, Tenn, Feb S.-Several Trim
BILE citizens who attended the hanging and
cremation of the negro at Bardwell, XIV.
on the 9TH of last July brought home with
them pieces of the victims charred bones
as momentos of the occasion.
The piece secured by Sam Thrope. a
small portion of the skull, has in a most
peculiar manner resulted in the recovery
of Sl25, which was stolen from him on
Monday last. On that day Thorpe came
downtown for his mail and when he re-
turned an hour later he found that some
one had entered his room through a win
dow and purloined Sl25 from his trunk.
Suspicion pointed TO lobe Winstead.
colored, as Che thief, and Fhrope accused
him of the theft; but the negro stoutly
denied his guilt and Sam kneg it was
useless to have him arrested. So firmly
impressed was Tnrope with the correct
ness of his suspicion that he determined
to endeavor to scare lobe into confess
sion of the theft.
Last night he tied the little bit of bona
in piece of cloth and buried it under
lobe 5 doorstep. This morning Sam went
TO Jack BentOn's, colored neigh Dor of
Iobe'S, and began digging under his door
step with his pocketknife. In a few mo-
ments Jack came out and, curiously
enough, inquired:
What you huutin' fur, Mars Sam"
~ dreamed last night" said Tnrope,
that the spirit of that negro who was
hanged at Bardwell last summer came 10
me and told me that he would take that
piece of his skull had and bury it under
the doorstep of the person who stole nv
money, and that if the thief did not give
1t up he would haunt him until his dying
day. When awoke this morning that
piece of skull bone which you have seen
so often was gone from my pocket. be-
heve the spirit of that ne yro took it and
HID 1t under the doorstep of the man who
stole my Sl25.n
't'o' Gawd / didn't take that money,
Mars Sam" exclaimed the darby af-
frightedly, land l hopes you won't go
tindin' no bone under my doorstep. fur
I'm scared Of ha'nts, and don't want
muffin ter do wild dat dead niggerp
The search was fruitless, and, followed
by Jack and several other darkies who
had come up, Thrope walked over to the
house of another negro and began digging
under his doorstep. Tobe, who saw the
proceedings from his house, came over to
learn what was up. Thrope again related
his dream and the mysterious disappear
ance Of the bone, lobe put on as bold a
face as he could under the circumstances
and smiingly said
ha'uts can't do datg You los dat bone
out your pocket yesterday ebenin', [
spects ~
Il don't believe in spirits much my
self" replied Thrope, but | thought 1
would look, for / am certain l had that
bone in my pocket when l went TO bed last
night"
The bone not being found under the
step, the crowd followed Thrope over to
1obe's house, where under the back door
step, sam took out his knife and began to
dig. In few minutes the bag was I'M
earthed.
Good Lawd What's dat2" Oats
hoodoo bag, suah as live!" and such ex-
CARNATIONS came from the astonished and
frightened darkies.
Il don't know what it is but we will
see in minute, ~ said Sam, who. cutting
the string with which the bag was tied,
allowed the bone to drop into his open
palm. There was a burst of astonish-
ment from all present, and some drew
back in alarm.
"Oh, Mars Sam !" cried lobe, quaking
with fear II 'clar' TO- Gawd don't want
dat dead niger TO ha'nt me. Mars Sam,
nab mercy on me; but / got dat money
Please don't bring dat bone into de house
GID IL 10 Jack dere and come In an I'll glib
you al your money back
Jack would not hold the bone, so Thropo
laid y on the doorstep and followed lobe
INTO the house and soon came out with
bis money
The thief win go unpublished, as Thrope
refuses % prosecute him.