Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-02-20

by announcing the capture of Tom Gwin,
in that town. Shortly afterward letter
from the chief of police of Charlotte. an
nouncing the capture of Will Arnt.
Gwin, it seems, had been tracked to Shell
by London Neely, a smart Negro. in
the employ of the sheriff. and before
leaving, Neely left description of the
fugitive with the police. The capture fol-
lowed soon afterward. Will Arnt was
wellknown about Charlotte, and his Ne
gro acquaintances gave him away to the
police within an hour after his appear
ance in the city.
Gwin was brought back to Yorkville by
Mr.. j. N. O'Farrell, and Arnt was
brought back by Mr.. J. M. Brian. Both
reached here Thursday evening, and both
did some talking but as to whether there
is any dependence to be placed in anything
they say, is more or less doubtful. Gwin
claimed to know practically nothing.
He did not get out until fully an hour af-
ter Reese and Lrckie were gone. Arnt,
who is an active young Negro, about l5
years of age, says he was among the first
four to get away. Which way Reese and
Luckie went he did not know; but he
struck across the fields to the Narrow
Gauge railroad, and after proceeding q
short distance above town, he ran upon
Luckie hiding behind stump. When
he made himself known, Reese, John
Hart and Whiteman Hardy appeared,
and all them proceeded up the railroad
in the direction of Gastonia. When they
got within four or five miles Of Gastonia,
Arnt claims that he left the party and
went in the direction Of Charlotte, while
the others went into the woods to the
left of the railroad. When recaptured,
Arnt was wearing pair of Luckie's
shoes. He claims that the transfer was
made on the railroad. The first man to
go through the hole, he says, was John
Hart.
Upon their return to the jail, both Gwin
and Arnt were given good padding by
the other prisoners. Gwin was inclined
to be somewhat uppish about taking the
punishment; but his tormentors laid it
on only so much the heavier, and when
finally he was turned loose again, he was
as docile as lamb. He did not mean to
do anything wrong in leaving the jail, OF
course. The other prisoners made him
60, and after he got out, his folks would
not let him come back.
The reporter has learned of circum-
stance which seems to point very strongly
to the fact that the escape, though well
planned, was forced to somewhat pre-
mature elimination. On Friday before
the escape, it seems, County Commission
or Brice went up in the jail in company
with Sheriff Logan to make an examina-
ton with view to ordering such repairs
as might seem necessary. The matter
was discussed in the hearing of the pris-
oners, and on account Of certain remarks
that were dropped, it is thought probable
that Reese came to the conclusion that
any delay would be dangerous. This
circumstance seems to throw additional
doubt on the theory that he was provided
with horses on the outside, and seems to
confirm the theory of those tracks that
were followed out of town by ex-Sheriff
Crawford and Chief of Police Love.
Supervisor Culp went down to the Jail
on Thursday to look over the situation,
and the probability is that at their next
meeting, the county board Of commits
sioners will discuss ways and means OF
making the prison more secure.