The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-02-21
Bracklard Locals.
To the Editor CT the Dispatch:

To the Editor CT the Dispatch:
The q1ietness of our town has
lately been disturbed by the frequent
visitations of a gang of thieves, who
prefer toilipg for the necessaries OF
life by the scft light Of the moon
+ rather than be overshadowed by the
warm rays of the SUI for a liveli-
hood. The gang made its appear
! ance with the assurance that the way
of the trarsgressor is often a puzzle
to the detectives, not realizing the
use and value Of the bloodhound.
So quiet and assuming as such, men
seem, bonest always in their couvic-
ton as the days are long, they, in
the stiffness of the night, while man
is being refreshed in deep slumber
for the duties of the coming day are
prowling around and chicken like
want to get on the higestroost where
they can bag the best fowls.
Previous to this, chickens have been
occasionally disappearing to meet
the supposed demand Of the retail
trade, but last week the chicken
market opened with advanced prices,
so much so that this gang autici-
patcd a wholesale business, for in
two nights more than 35 hens were
gently lifted from their roost, not
content, however, with this supply,
they took along a nice hog weighing
about 100 pounds for variety. The
hog belong to ". NJ. Kirby. This
kind of conduct brought the citizens
in a state of fever heat and they
seemed more determined to avenge
themselves as to the whereabouts of
the gang. Guilty parties were sus-
pected and after close investigation,
application was made to the peni-
tentiarJ;!r a blood hound. The dog
was seemed and although more than
II hours had elapsed the hound soon
struck a trail at the pen and pur-
sued it more than two miles. Fin
ally after crossing the railroad near
Cayce the dog led the posse to an
old house where the trail become so
cold that be could not 60 further.
Acting under the advice CT Capt.
Long, the house was opened and
searched, but nothing was found.
The posse returned home, but not
disappointed, for the way was now
opened. In this community several
very suspicious characters reside,
and a new crowd consisting of
Messrs. Haywood, Harrison, Rhodes
and Kirby resumed the chase.
These men seemed determined to un.
fold this mystery aud indeed, it a
be said t. their surprise that the
track of a wheelborrow led to a most
wonderful discovery, by it the party
was led to the house of one Spencer
Sloane, "Alias Portee," a notorious
character. Here they found the
wheelbarrow stained with blood,
blood stained shirts saturated with
water, e few yards from the house
more than a dozen chicken heads,
feet and feathers were unearthed.
A warrant was secured and the house
closely searched where, new suite,
pants, shirts, spectscles, rings, studs,
quilts and many fine and valuable
articles we're stored. Looking around,
the track of the Cd wheelbarrow
soon led the party in another diyec-
tiop, leading them d3wn to a dense
swamp, where a keg of cherry
bounce vas found and last, but not
least O. NJ. Rhodes, whose detective
work is known all over the State, run
on a sack hid in an old stump hole
covered with a little fresh straw, on
renewing @ame he found tie hog
nicely cleaned. The party soon got
together and are more than jnbilant
over their success. The news of
theiYarrival in Brookland with pris-
oner, hog, chicken heads, etc,
flashed like lightning over the town.
Soon the entire force was out, the
party were congratulated for their
magnificent work, even the neigh
bo1's chickens seem to have some
recognition Ct their safety, fer the
CID cocks crew signalling safety on
the perch il tie future. The result
is four ,~osr,.=s are in Ill and Magis-
trste C5i: :? IS making efolts at this
writing 10, a preliminary hearing be
fore sending them up for trial at
Circuit cou.t.
II other nnities would pat
tern sitter B onkland's method of
lunriDg down ~rascaiity there would
be less use Of j4iIs aud people would
feel more content during the shades
Ct darkness. Money is being raised