The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-18
Wlls Nerala ana Welvs
LITTLE BILLS EXIT.
IN HIS wlEE'S"CLOTRES FROM TnE
GREENvILI.E JAIL.
Mary Howards Way OF Saving Her Husband
Al, Williams Romantic story In
tho New York Times.

Inc to'toWlnH story OF tho escape
OF Little Bill Howard appeared in
the New York Times, of February
9th and is from tho pen Of a. b.
Williams:
"rhey were discussing the case of
Mrs, Straight, who carried saws with
which her husband cut tho bars of
tho Jersey City Jail.
Human nature is about tho same
in New Jersey and South Carolina, l
reckon," said n man from the South,
"and it's odds on that Mrs Straight
will come ont the same way Mary
Howard did"
Flo was asked about Mary Howard.
"Mary Howard" replied the man
from tho South twas, and probably
is yet, the wifo of Littlc Bill Howard,
and probably is yet, Il moonshincr up
in tho mountains of West South
Carolina, along the North Carolina
limo.
"Ihe Towards arc a blg clan in
that country, and probably the purcst
Saxon stock thoro is. Nobody knows
their family history. They were in
the mountains on tho heels Of the
Cherokees, and hnvo staid right
there. They began to mako corn
whiskcy when they began to grow
corn, and the fact that tho govern.
ment says thoy shan't mako it cuts
no ice with them. They arc good,
clean bloodcd, clear skinned people,
with blue eyes, and light hair, fine
white teeth, Stockily built, full chest,
cd, htolid, and afraid Of nobody.
Some of thom eau read and write
and somo can't, but they are mostl,
religious in their way. They ur" al
Baptists, but they don't think it an,
sin to make or drink whiskoy, and
about onco or twice a year thoy
usually break Loose, and go on Il gcn.
eral howl through tho mountains.
I've thought maybe that is trait in
herited from thoir remote inc ,stors,
who used to 60 on mad sprces at
about tho same intervals.
"Littlo Bill is what we call in that
country runt, and got his namo to
distinguish him from his first cousin,
Big Bill. Ho is sturdy little fol
low, and not particularly pretty to
look at, but he could hold his own
in s;illhouse fight, and do his part
at whatever was going. llo was like
tho rest of thcm--farmcd somo,
hunted some, made whiskoy and
hauled it some, and hc got along as
everybody else does in that country
where nobody ever has to 80 hungry
or thirsty, and there's always cabin
to live in and plenty Of wood to burn.
SUSPECTS FATE.
"a man namo Odom, who lived a
few miles below tho Howard settle
ment, WAS suspected Of having led
revenue ollicors up among tho How
ard stills along mountain streams
and deep gorges in tho woods where
no stranger could evor find anything.
There WAS evidence that Il lot Of tho
Towards got together ono night and
sat in conclave on Odom's case. He
was found guilty, and then tho only
question was, who was to kill him,
and how?
"I'm not saying anything now
about details-may have to go bacl;
some day. An! how, ono night some
body poked gun through a crack
in tho wall Of Odom's cabin rs he
sat in front of pine fro playing
with his baby. The baby wasn't
hurt; for that matter Odom wasn't
either; at least he didn't know he
was hurt, for no was killed so dead
and 80 quick that he didn't have time
to be interested in his own case.
When a trial justice had held an in
quest he issued warrant for Little
Bilps arrest on tho charge of mnr.
der, and the Sheriff Of Greenville
County, who could go anywhere,
went up in the mountains and nabbel
his man, and shut him mp in Green
vile Jail.
"Ive told you Little Bill was q
rnnt. He wasn't moro than 80 years
old, and had no beard to speak Of,
and what he had was pretty white.
You remember those facts and You'll