The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-12-04
ROMANCE and HEART TRAGEDY
GREGEERED CAREER OF FORMER
RESIDENT OF SUMTER.
Capt. A. n. FreeIand hiarries New
York MiIlionaire's Daughter.
Brides Brothers Grow Suspicious and
Bridegroom Deserts His Young Wife
and His Trunk, But Takes Her
Diamonds.

An Atlantic liner, Ehomeward bound,
has been the scene OF many romances
in real life, and tragedies as well,
stranger, more romantic, more tragic
than any of the hundreds born in the
fertile imaginations Of the novelist
and playwright.
A detective, who, after spending 8
week IN this city, left for New York
last night, having completed his work
ct this end of tangled skein, related
the outlines of a drama in real life
that surpasses in tragic anc pathetic
interest any Of the popular novels OF
the day that are selling up in the
hundred thousands.
The scene of the play is laid on
board an Atlantic liner, aomeward
bound from Europe, and in New York
city time the early fall of this year.
The characters are, a william, an elder
~ millionaire, his romantic daughter,
his hard headed and unromautic sons,
who are prominent in business and
financial circles of the metropolis and
others.
The leading role is played by the
villain of the story and it is through
him that this community has per-
sonal interest IN the story and 1t IS to
him that it is indebted to a visit Of a
shrewd detective IN pursuit of in
formation relating to the previous
life of the leading character.
The villain is Capt. A. n. Freeland,
fer many years resident OF this city
and then trusted employe Of the
Atlantic Coast Line R. R., with which
he held position Of trust and respon-
sibility for twenty years or more. For
the last eight or ten years OF this rail
read service he filed the position Of
Road Master and had charge of the
Florence Columbia division, one Of
the most Important on the system.
After his summary dismissal, of which
no explanation was ever made public,
or as far as known, ever vouchsafed
by the railroad officials, Capt. Freeland
remained in this city, which he had
made his home for so many years and
with which he had become identified
by many ties of business and social
nature, having married here, reared a
large family and acquired property. At
this time he had the confidence Of the
business men Of the place and was a
prominent figure in Masonic and other
secret orders.
Shortly after his discharge by the
railroad he engaged in business, first
as a member of the firm Of Freeland &
Rogan, dealers in china and glassware,
and subsequently became a member Of
the Ducker & Bultman Co., of which
ne was for time the president. It
was at this time that the eyes of the
community were first fully opened to
the real character of the man,
although for several years there had
been whisperings and runors in circu-
lation that he was not all that he
should be in more respects than one.
It was while president of the Ducker
G. Bultman Co., that he borrowed all
the money that he could induce the
banks and personal friends to advance
on such collateral that he offered and
the Endorsement of friends, and left
the city, deserting MS wife and family
and leaving them, it was reported at
the time but Ill provided for.
His movements and Whereabouts
were unknown to anyone in Sumter for
at least year, although diligent
efforts were made by those who had suf
fered financial loss through him, to
locate him. On several occasions he
was reported to have been seen in
neighboring states, but efforts to
find him when made always failed.
Finally he voluntarily opened COM
munication with those who had been
forced to pay his dishonored notes,
after having been induced to endorse
taem by deceptive statements, and
in short time returned to the city
and made a compromise settlement
with those who had a claim that
could have been enforced in the courts
and thus had hold over him that he
feared. He was arrested ct the in
stance of one party with whom he
refused to settle, but the evidence Of
his responsibility was not sufficiently
strong and the case was dropped.
He again left Sumter and was seen
no more until he returned several
months later to attend the funeral of
his wife who had died suddenly. He
spent few weeks here and when he
left took with him all the money he
could obtain by any means from his
cR1i0fSH.-nONSy GudI GAey udo S6IuoO
by their own efforts and saved by the
practice Of economy.
From then till the arrival of the
New York detective last week Sumter
saw nothing of a. n. Freeland and
even his name was seldom mentioned.
The detective came to investigate the
past life OF A. n. Freeland and from
him the story of his career since leav-
ing Sumter and an account Of his
latest escapade was obtained by those
with whom he talked while seeking
for information OF the past.
When he was last here he was suffer
ING with rheumatism which had trans
formed him from superb and robust
specimen OF physical manhood into a
prematureiy broken and infirm old
man. He first went to Hot Springs,
Ark. but the treatment there failed
to benefit him and he then went to
Europe where at one Of the German
Spas he was set free from the rhea-
raatic's chains and his health was
fully restored; he became again a
Young man for his years. lie visited
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