The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-02-13
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY.
RObber Shot in the Store of Mr..
Gillian at Lees Saturday Night.

Robber Shot in the Store of Mr.
Gillian at Lees Saturday Night.
Last Sunday morning about two 0 clock
Sheriff Hunter was called out OF bed tC
receive a prisoner, white man who had
been caught in the store of J. b. Gillian
Jr., at Lees. The prisoner was in charge
of Mr.. Walter Cave.
Saturday night about eleven O'Clock
some young folks returning from social
gathering noticed light in the store OF
Mr.. Gillian, and thinking strange of it
theywent to his house and notified hin. He
at once got crowd together, all armed
and they surrounded the store, hearing
the robber on the inside, who had lighted
two lamps. Mr.. JAS Fickling went to the
window and called on him to surrender,
and his reply was pistol shot, the bullet
passing through Mr.. Fickling's hat. The
ball was fired through the window pane,
and the broken glass cut Mr.. Fickling a
little on his neck, making him believe at
first that he had been hit. The robber
fired several times at the party surround
ing the store and then ran to the back
door and looked out. Just as he put his
head out of the door he was fired on by
Mr. Gillian with a gun loaded within
number seven shot, the load striking him
in the face. He then called out that he
was killed and was ready to surrender.
He was at once put in charge of an officer
and brought to Jail.
The robber gave his name at first as
Williams, but Sunday night he admitted
to Deputy Sheriff J. Fielder Hunter that
his name was G. G. Campbell. He is a
white man, 81 years old, and says he was
born in Hammond county, Tennessee.
He seems very penitent over his act, and
freely talks to all who visit him, and has
told Deputy Hunter the complete history
of his life. He says he has been bad all
his life, that he would steal even as child,
and no amount of punishment inflicted
by his parents had any effect on him.
His father is living in Tennessee, and was
at one time wealthy man, but has lost
much of his property through the csca-
pades of this son. His father has thirteen
children, and all the rest are doing we'll.
Campbell says he has been in the peniten-
tiary and in prison in various places for
theft, and that he was confined in an
ASYLUM in Knoxville. during 1896 and
1897, hoping to be cured of this mania for
stealing. He says he cannot help it-that
he has been wanderer for years on &C
count of it. He got Deputy Hunter to
write letter to his father, telling him of
his trouble and saying that he was shot
and thought it would be best if he was to
die, and asked that his only sister pray
for him. He says it would have been best
for him if he had been killed in the store
night, and the reason he gave
an assumed name was he didn't want his
folks to know about him.
He will not die, however. AT first 1t
was thought he would lose the sight OF
one eye, but County Physician Baggott,
who is attending him, now thinks 1t will
be saved Some of the shot took effect
in his mouth, and knocked out several OF
his teeth.
He is the same man who was arrested
at Branchville last June for breaking in
to the store of Mr.. Dukes there. He was
caught in the store and several shots were
exchang ged between him and Mr.. Dukes,
but he got away. However, he was ar
rested below Branchville the next day,
and was tried at the January court IN
Oran geburg for the crime. He pleaded
his owr case, and the jury found him not
guilty. When he was given his liberty
in Orangeburg, purse of about $40 was
made up and given to him. From there
be went to Columbia and worked in the
cotton mills there until last Friday, when
he came from that city to Denmark, going
ON up to Lees Saturday. He says he went.
TO sleep late Saturday afternoon in the
little depot shed at Lees, and when he
walked that night everything was quiet
and he concluded to break into the store,
so he procured an axe he had seen lying
around the gin house and broke open a
window. First he went to the safe and
with the axe broke it open, but found no
money of any consequence. He says there
was nothing but sack of pennies in the
safe. He then turned his attention to the
stock of goods, and had selected some
shirts, etc, for himself, when
by the party outside. Mr.. An
lrew Byrd, of Branchville, was in the
city Monday and positively identified
him as the man who was tried for the
Branchville robbery. As Mr.. Gillams
store is used as the post-office, Campbell
is held as United States prisoner, and
will be tried in the U. S: Court for break
in g into post-offlce. He will no doubt
plead guilty at his trial, as there is moth
ing else for him to do.
It will be remembered that Mr.. Gillam's
store was broken into 4 little over year
ago, and his safe blown open, the robbers
securing something over q hundred dol
lars. No clue to that robbery has ever
obtained.
In the letter which Campbell got Mr.:
Hunter to write to his father, telling OF
the trouble he was in, he did not ask tor
help. He said he had already cost his
father too much money, and was willing
to abide by the consequences of his acts.
He seems to be a bright, shrewd fellow,
and appears to have considerable educa-
ton.