The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-23
PRISONER WAS FOXY
DODGED IN FRONT OF A STREET
CAR WHILE GOING TO JAIL.
OFFICER COULD NOT SHOOT.
LIVES OF PEDESTRIANS WOULD
HAVE BEEN IN DANGER.

Constable Regrets That the Prison
er Carried on His FavOrite Pair
of BraceIets-Escape Was George
Cornelius. Who Is Charged with
Having Worked on the Supersti-
fiOns of an Old Negro md Secured
His Hard Earned Savings.
There were exciting times on Haber-
sham street. near Broughton lane, last
night, when George Cornelius, under
arrest for cheating and swindling. es-
capped from Constable Constantine OF
Justice Jones' court, and made a dash
for liberty.
George was securely handcuffed with
a bran new pair of patent bracelets
locking on the criminals wrists, and
he had little fear that the peaceful
looking negro by his side was even
contemplating escape. AS he went down
Habersham street on his way to Jail
with the prisoner a car passed and
George made for it He got directly
in front of the moving car and out
1OOLSQ II, WIN lfl6 CODSldDtG III luil
cry. Reaching Oglethorpe avenue, the
negro swerved down towards East
Broad and lodging in and out among
pedestrians, the officer was unable TO
fire without danger to people.
The fleeing negro, with his hands Sc
curely bound in front Of him. though
badly handicapped, distanced his pur-
a e.
wards Thunderbolt. He was last seen
crossing the railroad tracks, hitting it
up at a two-forty pace.
Constantine said he only regretted
one thing, and that was that the ne
gro carried off the best pair of brace
lets he ever owned. There is one con-
ISOLATION, the handouts cannot be taken
off without the aid of an expert.
Flim-Flammed an Old Negro.
George is the negro, who was ar
rested Monday morning for cheating
and swindling a superstitious old ne
gro at Kingsville. A warrant was
also sworn out at the same time
against Doc Brown, but he has not
yet been arrested.
The story Of an old negros belief
in the powers of a graveyard rabbits
foot and his faith in dreams was
brought out when he walked into the
office of Mr.. Walter P. LaRoche last
week and said he wanted to employ
the lawyer to prosecute negroes who
had stolen his part of a treasure that
had been dug in his yard.
Mr.. LaRoche was at once interested
and questioned the old negro closely,
drawing out a story that is indicative
OF the faith still entertained by ig-
norant darkies in the powers of
dreams. For years his nightly slum-
bers had been disturbed by visions of
fabulous wealth, only to be dissipated
with the coming of dawn and wake
fulness. He told of his dreams and
his belief that they meant that there
was an immense treasure hid some
where near by. Two negroes cursed
with little learning saw an excel
lent opportunity to fleece the old man
out of what little money he had saw
ed. They told him that they too had
had these dreams. and that the very
spot where the treasure was reyeled
had been made known to them. For
the mere pittance of SIS. So all that
the old man had, they agreed to go
prospecting for the treasure, and to
share half and half with him. A con-
tract was soon entered into and the
negroes went in search of the money.
After roaming about the old mans
yard for an hour or two one of them
nnally ran around in a circle and final
ly fell down as though in fit. He's
got II, he's got il" shouted his COM
panion, obeying previously arranged
instructions A hoe was procured and
the feVerish work of digging for the
treasure pot was commenced.
Showed Him the Treasure.
During all this time the old negro
was banished from the yard. but his
deceivers were wish enough to know
that he would watch them from a
distance. They made all the mystic
signs known to them and finally beck
oned him to draw near. Come NV
brother" said one in sepulchural
tones, and gaze on that which you
nave never seen before, also bring
your wife that she may gaze on that
fore"
With bated breath the old man drew
nigh. With knees weakened by the
intense excitement occasioned by the
visions Of untold riches to be his he
gazed down into the hole made by the
two wise ones and there, right beneath
ms eyes, was the treasure pot. Care
fully 1t was raised from its resting
place as thought it were too precious
Tor human contact. George said that
II was not to be opened until the
spirit said so, and that in the mean
Time ne would take care of it, With
That he bore the treasure off under
his arm.
The old negro who called on Mr..
LaRoche said he had shaken the not
ana mad heard the money jingling and
IL sounded like gold, and not silver
he said that according to the "speeret'
there was $4,000 in gold in the pot, and
that half of it was his and he wanted
10 have the negroes arrested because
they would not produce his share The
attorney at once suspected fraud and
ne sent the old darkey over to Justice
Jones and warrants, charging the ne
groes with fraud, were soon sworn
out and the arrest of George follow