The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-05-10
A Chaingang Break Through Careless
ness.

tue escape OF OllI OlSOu IFOLl tue Cuato u
gang and our denial was correct. but the
very next morning. last Thursday, the
community was aStounded to learn for Il
fact that at about O'Clock Bill Dixoa and
Bill Davis had actually made good an eS-
cape, and # what We can learn Is true the
guards in charge Of them are guilty OF crln!-
inal carelessnesS. Supervisor Owens must
have been convinced of this. because lie
has employed MessrS. Beanregard Harvlu
and james II. Wlndham to take their
places.
The report that reached The ZINES is as
follows: On Wednesday night when the
prisoners were pu, up, the usual examina-
ton was made, and the prisoners were Sc
curely locked up. About 4 o'clock the next
rnornlng the guards remained in their
hunks and sent Il "trHsty" to put a tub of
water into the cage tor the prisoners to
wash. When the ''trusty" opened the door
Dixon and Davis emptied the tub in his
face and rushed on to liberty. After they
bad gotten away the guards came from
their beds and fred into space. None of
the ether prisoners attempted to get away,
and 1t is not known how the escapes
managed to get their shackleS cut loose, un-
less they filed them apart during rain
which occurred in the night. Supervisor
Owens was notified of the escape by a
'.trusty" who was sent to him by the
guards. It seems that these TRUSTEES" are
given about as much latitude as if they
were employees and not prisoners.
4 reward was recently paid for the cap
ture of Dixon and now We understand that
h reward is offered for him and his com'
panion. OF course the taxpayers are
charged up with these rewards and we can
find no law for it. Nevertheless, law or 10
law. rewards ate paid out of the taxes, and
ali because men who are put IN charge OF
prisoners and get pay for their work, per-
nit TRUSTEES" to do their work for them.
This last escape is so dagrantly careless
that We do not believe, if reward is paid
for the capture Of the prisoners, that It
should be paid out Of the pubic treasury,
but let it be paid by those who accept the
responsibility and pay. There are times
when escapes occur and reward should be
paid out of the treasury for the capture,
but those escapes are only when proper
precautions have been taken by the officials
aud they could not help 1t. In this case
they are parties to the escape, by the fact
that they entrusted prisoner to 90 that
which the county WAS paying them to do.
Bill Dixon and Bill Davis are out, and
as a consequence, 6evllment has begun
and no doubt will continue until they are
placed beyond the reach Of d-vilment; 1t is
either them or others operating N their
name. Last Friday night e visit was paid
to the Central hotel, and from the safe IN
the back piazza was taken a ham, two
chickens, some beef. bread and milk. The
robbers were not in q hurry. for signs
were seen the next morning where they
took their time to partake OF the tenn mptlnS
refreshments; they carried of their booty
in a picnic basket belonging to one OF the
ladies'
Saturday night about o'clock Mr. Louis
Levi was sitting out on the corner talking
to Policeman Higgins when he heard Il
noise in the old store lot. Running over
and mounting the fence he saw two figures
making hasty retreat from the side of the
store. He was unarmed and could do
nothing more than give the alarm. An
examination OF the premises showed where
tuey had placed q ladder up to one OF the
side lights and had Il piece OF an old scale
in the fence corner, where, It Is supposed,
that one was TO be placed to watch while
the other made the entry. Mr.. Lewis ar
rival frustrated the plan. l. was also
found where they had eaten supper; bread
crumbs and Il piece of paper was found
which Smelled Of cooked ham and ~ cent
piece was picked up in the same place.
The scamps were determined to steal
something that night. 1slael James heard
noise about his stable and be got his gun
and fired in tue direction Of the noise. He
heard two persons running, and afterwards
found two barefooted tracks, similar to
those seen in the Lew lot.
On Sunday night an entrance was made
in the house OF Leah Wragg and lot OF
ratious was stolen; crossing the street,
they got into John Boyd's house and stole
pair OF pants. These many depredations
have aroused our citizens aud il vigilance
can catch them they Will be caught.
4 sack of clothing was found last Mon
day under bridge by the academy. On
examination it was found to contain u
boys coat very similar to one that used to
be worn by beet carrier by the name OF
James and whose sister married Bill Davis,
ladies black skirt, supposed to have been
stolen from the hotel. some shackleS and
one suit OF convic.'s garb.
A note addressed to the writer was found
in the postofice purporting to come from
Dixon aud Davis making vain-glorious
boasts and threats, but We place no faith IN
it, believing it to be the work Of some hu-
morist who wanted to see some fun.