The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-03-03

With himself during tue afternoon,
when a well dressed man, whom ne
remembered to have seen around the
hotel, also strolled out. The stranger
pulled a cigar out of his pocket, and
appeared not to have match, asking
The drummer for a light. The request
was promptly granted, and the two
struck up a conversation, the drum
mer supposing that tae other man,
was, like himself, guest of the hotel.
The stranger introduced himself un
dertne name of Jackson, stating bis
business, from Boston, and at once
turned the conversation on the suour.
ban resorts around Savannah.
BY the way he inquired of the
drummer, have you ever visited the
hermitage2"
The drummer said he had not, in
fact he did not know anything abou.
it. Mr.. Jackson at once entered upon
an enthusiastic description Of the
Hermitage, the old mansion, the gi,
ant oak, the slave cabins and the
other features of the place.
Why, there is no place like it IL
the country; you should not fall to
see it before you return North" he
declared.
The drummer expressed a desire tc
visit the Hermitage, but said he was
afraid he would not be able to make
the trip and get back to the city IN
time 10 catch the train.
You can do it easy enough" " his
new acquaintance assured him.
I'VE simply walk down this street
piece, take street car at the Cen
tral depot, ride out a couple OF miles,
walk about halt mile from the END
of the street car track and there We
are. We can make the trip aud gel
back to town before sundown." :"
The enthusiasm of his acquaintance
over the beauties of the Hermitage
won Mr.. Smith which was not the
drummer's name, but will do just as
well, completely over, and they agreed
70 make the trip. They had JUS
reached the bottom steps when they
met another well dressed man, who
shook Mr.. Jackson warmly by the
hand, and greeted him in the mos
cordial manner. After their greeting:
we're over Mr.. Jackson introduced the
newcomer as my friend, Mr.. Rogers
from Philadelphia" He then explain
ed to Mr.. Rogers that he and Mr
Smith were just leaving for trip tc
the Hernita e, and invited him 70 &C
company them. Mr.. Rogers replied
that he had heard great dea! OF the
Hermitage, but he had never had ar
opportunity to visit the place. L
they would wait until he could go IN
side and register he would accompany
them. They waited while he went IN
| to the hotel, and presently came out
again. The three then took Liberty
street car to the Central depot, where
they boarded a West End car. They
rode out to Jasper springs, where they
left the car and walked some distance
through the woods. The drummer
| was beginning to think that IL was
rather longer walk than he had bar
gained for when they met an old mar
who entered into conversation With
them. He told them story about
having come back from the West tc
look for some relatives, whom he had
been unable to fud. One of the mer
suggested tc the old man that he &C
company them to the Hermitage, tc
which he agreed.
The drummer would never have sus
pected anything if he had not seen q
very plain wink pass between Jack
son and the old man. He had moi
been raised in New York for nothing,
and the wink was information enough
for him. It occurred to him all OF
sudden that that was very lonely
piece of woods, and that with his
money, watch and diamonds he vas a
prize worth at least $1,000. He was
unarmed. He made up his mind
that he was in for it, and began to lay
about for some means to get away
from the crowd. Presently he saw a
negro cabin in field some distance
from the path they were pursuing.
When the party got opposite to the
house be suddenly turned off towards
it with the remark that he wanted to
get a drink of water. Luckily the
three men did not follow him. On
reaching the house he walked around
it SO as to place the house between
himself and the party, and then ran as
hard as he could for the Augusta
road, which he could see in the dis
tance. Reaching the road, he walked
BACK to town as rapidly as possible,
and after reaching the city went to
the police barracks whore he narrated
his adventure to Chisf NcDermot.
The chief agreed with hin that be
had done wisely in shaking the party
so unceremoniously. The chiefs idea
was th at after reaching the Il 'rmit'
age card game would have beca sug-
eested. which, if the drummer had
Gone into it, he would have been
aeeced out OF his money and probably
his diamonds also. The men were
too shrewd 10 perpetra:e Highway
robbery. he thought, and beside II was
not their line OF business.
The chief offered 10 arrest the three
men. but as the drummer wanted to
leave for New York, ard besides had
no charges which be could prefer
against them, no ar, IS were made.
The three men were >,>tted by the
detectives and proved 10 be the same
men who palmed Oft the gold brick on
the South Carollnian. In 1r', they
acknowledged to man VIII vas in
league with the detectives tha; this
was their business. Finding th,t
they were known here the swindlers
did not attenp to get in ta:ir work
-OrangeburE Tlnes auj D5mocrat.