The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-01-09
n GANG OF NEGRO ROBBERS.
The Work OF n Shrcwd Detcctive-A
Guilty Negro Makes Confession
Prospects of n Lynching in Edge

The Work OF n Shrcwd Detcctiye-A
Guilty Negro Makes Confession
prospects of n Lynching in Edge
field.
Angus Chronicle, 4th inst.
The dead bodies of four negroes are
likely to be found this morning dang
ling from trees or lying in tho high
ways, somewhere between Plum
Branch and Parksville, about thirty
| Western Carolina railroad They will
bo the bodies of the incendiaries who
robbed and set fire to Mr.. NJ. G. Hits,
store and express Office at Plum Branch
on the 18th of last month.
The express Office was in Mr.. Hits
store, and he was agent of the COM
pany. The building was burned to
the ground. Mr.. Hit lost everything,
but the Express Company's property
was protected and only it's books were
destroyed.
1t is said there is gang of negro
burglars up in that neighborhood who
go from station to station robbing
stores and setting fire to buildings.
The express office ut Bradley in that
vicinity has been burglarized three
times recently The people have got
ten tired of ofsuifering these deprada tions
and severe losses and thcy are deter
mined to break it up.
Ever since the robbery and fire ut
Mr.. Hits he has been constantly at
work trying to ferret out the perpctra-
tors. He came to Augusta and en-
gagged Josh johnson, a shrewd negro
detective, to work up the case, and
Josh proved himself equal to the task.
He has found out the guilty parties.
Josh wont up to Parksville we'll sup
~ II Nd ,,,1 L.,
got in with the negroes in the neghbor-
hood. He made the acquaintance of
the principal negro who was supposed
to be the leader of the gang that COM
mltted the double crime. Tuesday
night Josh got in a game of cards with
the suspected party and several other
negroes The detective lost his money
freely and was liberal in dispensing
his whisky, which was accepted every
time drinks were offered. After the
game was over Josh went to show the
negroes how to tell their fortunes with
the pasteboards. After monkeying
with the cards while, Josh looked
astonished and turning to the negro,
he was keeping his eye closely on,
said, "These cards tell horrible story
on you"
Tho guilty negro was shocked and
got excited and craved to know what
the fortuno-telling cards read. Josh
hesitated a second on two, but finally
leaned over so as not to let the other
negroes hear and he whispered into
the scared negro's ear, "The cards
say you had hand in the robbing AMI
burning of Mr.. Hits store two weeks
ago"
The negro, who was slightly under
the influence of liquor, broke down
completely and confessed his guilt,
and went further and told Josh the
names of his three accomplices.
The negro did not know that Josh
was ferreting out the case. The
detective made no arrest, but returned
to Plum Branch and reported to Mr..
Hit his success in clearing all doubt
as to who the robbers and incendlarics
were.
Josh came back to Augusta last
afternoon as no said he expected there
would be somo killing up there last
night and he wanted TO get far ont of
the way of the shooting.
The detective says Mr.. Hit went to
Parksville yesterday morning to got
warrants for the arrest OF the negroes,
and he says q large posse OF men were
to leave last afternoon on horseback to
capture the negroes who live few
miles out in the country.