The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-11-06
Gor IN TIE 1R DIRTY WORK.

GoFiIN TaGiIR DIRTY WORK. .
a Number of People Were Robbed by
,Pickpockets.
Tue report that the "grafters, y fax
irs, flim-tlammers, shell workers and
pickpockets had moved on Columbia
from the Greensboro, N. c., fair was
not an Idle one by any means The
Columbia State endeavored to give
sufficient warning. Wednesday at the
union depot the pickpockets played
havoc among the passengers as they
crowded each other getting off the
trains, while boarding street cars at
the union station, and during the
fierce jams on Main street Wednesday
night the pickpocketS found the pleas
ure seekers easy prey.
DIR. l. NJ. Hair Os Union was reliev-
ed OF S2O0 diamOno stud as he was
boarding street car at the station.
Two boys caught him in f;he act and
pointed out the man to Dr.5 Hair, who
left the car and caught the thief and
held him until policeman arrived
At the police station by shrewd
move the culprit threw the diamond
In a sewer and flushed it with wa ter.
Efforts are being made-to recover it.
a thorough search will be made.
AT the union station lady friend
OF h1r. B. w. Bolin Of Sumter rushed
up and said that her purse, contain
ing S37, had been snatched in the hur-
ry OF getting of the train. Mr.. Bolin
replied to his friend to not worry as
he had $3.50 or Sic with him and that
she was welcome to all she wanted;
then he reached into his trouSer pock-
ct and found that his wallet, too, had
been stolen. Dir. II. S. Galloway lost
all he had as he and his wife were
boarding a street car at the union STA
tlon.
Mr. Mark Stnney Of Edgetield had
his pocket picked at the union station
also as he was boarding a street Car.
They got all he had-S22. Mr.. ThoS.
Il. Harmon Of Newberry lost all be
had with him. Mr.. Harmon could not
tell when he was touched. All he
knew his purse and its contents, S25,
disappeared.
The most affecting scene Of yester-
day was very old couple standing off
from the crowds at the fair grounds
weeping. Every cent they had was
gone not even car fare was left Their
loss was S65. Wednesday night num-
bers OF robberics were reported-vic-
Tins losing large sums of money. Very
few watches have been snatched as
the grafters find 1t little trouble to
find the ready cash In most instances
The police have been active. Graf
ters and film Hammers have been ar
rested with all manner of crooked de-
vices on their persons. One of these
bunco games Is worked with two
small pocket knives, apparently iden-
tical, with spring blades. One knife
is worked very readily and the other
Is a dummy which cannot be opened.
There are a anumber of ingenious ways
to force an average man to oct he can
open the spring knife. the tli;n-tlam-
mer dexterously substitutes the dunn
my knife, enforcing the victim to lose
his bet. An intelligent looking boy
from Marion, who has attended South
Carolina college, was done for S35 in
this manner yesterday while standing
In front Of the "skyscraper." 1t was
estimated from the reports that over
81 900 had been stolen "Wednesday by
the 'grafters."
Mr.. Fl. II. Evans, a we'll known
member Of the board Of directors Of
the State dispensary, was robbed Of a
diamond shirt stud Thursday He
was caught in the jam in the main
building, lady being at one side and
n frn In ~ l,a ,I, Iii;
hands with him. A woman got his
pin, which is quite valuable bit OF
jewelry. MIR. Evans was unable. to
stop the thief for there were SO many
ladies around. The woman passed the
pin to male confederate and both
were swallowed up in the crowd.
Mr.. e. w. Wilson, a well known
Columbian, had his purse containing
S25 tilched from his pocket while in a
crowd near the race track; MIR. II. L..
johnson Of Newberry lost SIS at the
fair grounds; Mr.. II. NJ. Davis, Il farm
er OF Lee county was robbed of $40,
every cent he had, as he was getting
of street car up town.
The film Hammers found some ready
victims during the day. The pen.
knife thimble-riggcrs caught several
victims. Mr.. Dlillege Blackwell, a
Columbia carpenter living On Wood
row avenue, had Il memorable exper-
ience with a pair OF these blacklegs.
The Record says the pickpockets ar
rested Wednesday for stealing dia-
mond pin from gentleman from the
up country waived preliminary ex-
animation this morning and were sent
to jail. 1t is supposed that one Of the
pickpockets, fearing detection, as the
police were after him he dropped the
pin in a sink at the union depot. The
police employed plumbers to take up
the pipes, but the pin has not been
found. The pickpockrts have employ
ed lawyers to defend them.
a Faithful Minister.
Rev. William Il. Warrington, one of
| the Oldest ministers in Indiana, has
resigned from the paStoratc OF the
First Christian Church of Hagertown,
on account Of continued poor health.
lie has served as minister for almost
fifty years. Ills salary The first year
was $50. This was Increased each
year thereafter by $50 until it reach
| 1o1 ,f O.