The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-02-17
WANTED TO ROB A BANK.

WANTED TO ROB A BANK.
A Brave Attack Upon Bank Robbers
by ST. Georges Boys.
AS the half.past six o'clock train
arrived at ST. George on Monday even
ing Of last week from Charleston
Capt Blackard, the conductor, inform
ed Mr. W. B. Raysor, the Southern's
agent at St. Georges, that four suspi.
cious looking characters had gotten of
his train at Byrds, a co-inc!dent which
be deemed rather strange and which
aroused his suspicion against the
strangers as being burglars. And when
this train arrived at Badham, flag
station two miles above St. Georges,
the conductors attention was against
somewhat stirred to suspicion by the
getting of Of two men OF the same
type and suspicious as those who lad
stopped at Byrds. The following ac-
count OF what followed we clip from
the Dorchester Eagle:
Upon arriving at BranchVille, Mr..
Geo. F. Lewis. agent at that place
and resident Of Saint George, vas In
formed Of the proceedings, and ne at
once telephoned down here to put the
people on their guard. A telegraphlc
dispatch was also received by Mr..
Raysor, and to small portion OF the
citizens here the alarm was given, but
the wonder is why more Of US did not
find out about the anticipated trouble
before the thing was all over.
1t seems that the facts were kept a
secret in order to be more accurate 10
the trapping OF the bandits. Conse
uuently, nothing was done more than
to frighten away the robbers by few
OF our brave young men, Messrs Peter
r. Stokes and J. O. Reed, Jr., having
done most of the shooting. These
two young fellows we're accompanied
by Chief OF Police Minus and color
ed man, but at the time Of the trouble
these latter two were in different
part Of town, towards the depot, haV'
ing separated in order to be more &C
tive IN the detection Of their victims.
At half past one o'clock or there
about. a shrill and peculiar sound like
a whistle was heard, made by some
onei in the street coming up in the dir
ection Of the Bank and from east Main
Street. Soon after this signals, Aessrs
Stokes and Reed, who were sitting on
a box about the shop Of Mr.. D. G. Ut
sey, noticed four apparently neat and
well-dressed men, satchel in hand,
pass, coming from opposite direction
from those who had given the signal,
their purpose being to meet at the
Bank. Upon their discovery, Mr..
Stokes called out to halt! Instead Of
obeying the command, the men turn
ed and In an instant opened FIRE upon
these two young men. who were eVi'
dently surprised and who Immediately
returned the salute With buckshot
from double barrel shot guns. Oi
course there was soma wild and scarey
shooting done, for being disturbed ir
their journey the robbers were evi'
dently as fully SUPPRESSED as snese two
young men were.
At any rate, the w.aole town was
awakened by the tes::'ble fusilade
which took place, howeve:: 1t was moi
realized, only by the few 7ho were
informed OF the looked fof trouble
lust what it all meant. Indeed : was
a l;ne Of excitement for those ao.
uuainted with the situation. Nor die
those boys for moment realize the
grave danger In which they had plac'
ed their lives-and they were actina
in defence Of the sleeping little towr
# Slant George in the dead hours o.
night-for which they deserve much
praise and art to be congratulated up
on not being hurt. 1t is fact that
at the first fire Of the shot guns, one
of the robbers fell to the ground, but
it could not be ascertained whether
hurt or not.
The few men In charge Of the man.
euvers were urgently advised that al
least a dozen men should be placed OF
guard to watch for the robbers, but
they thought differently and the re-
suits was as above stated. OF course
these burglars knew not how many
were after. them, consequently they
were soon very much disorganized and
making tracks in various directions.
One Of the gang ran by the writer's
home and made his escape In short
order across cotton field. The Others
scattered and lost no time In leaving
although that class Of men
are not given to running. In our opin.
ion it was a severe surprise TO parties
on both sides, tor II that gang Of rob-
bers had been ON their guard some ser.
ious damage would have been done
That ic their profession.
It is very much regretted that the
rascals were not captured, and we
dare say that II the town is so for
tunate the next time as to De warned
before hand, that more preparation
will be made. Some folks seemed
utterly surprised that the plans to
capture the robbers were not more
complete, and here is where they are
wrong. Such things don't happen
often in this community-and per
haps never in small town like Saint
George, and the danger was insutaci.
emily realized before hand. How
easy it would have been to capture
if there had been any certainty con.
nected to the matter. And o, how
easy it is now that the trouble is all
over, for men to make suggestions and
wonder who thus and so had not been
done.
We wish to state that these few
men who sat and guarded the prop
erty and safety Of the town, are
worthy OF the praise OF every body