The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-03-04
POSr0FEICE ROBBERS.
Two Negroes Have Confessed to the Rob-
berry at SlighS and are Now in Jail
Here.

Newherry yesterday and lodged
them in Jail, On the charge OF EN-
tcriHe and robbing the poStofice at
SlishS on "Wednesday night, the
24tl, OF February. The negroes
confessed and We're placed in Jail
on 2 warrant sworn out hr Con-
stable Bcdenbaush before United
States Commissioner Frank l.. By
mum.
The negroes We're captured
through the efforts OF Constable
BedenbauSh. who has been steadily
working on the case since the rob-
berry. Constable Bedenbaugh re-
ceived the assistance in several in
stances OF Sheriff Buford and Mag
lSsrate 3. 3. Hair.
The :icyrves are Ned Tola".l.
atoit II years OF age. and Ioul:s
Bridges. about 19 years of ase.
Both lived near Prosperity. Toland
WAS released from the chain gal.S
about two years ago after having
served all eighteen months ser!
teHce. / !c Went to Florida at that
tire aud only returned several
weeks ago. The negroes were ar
rested by Constable Bedenbaugh on
Tuesday afternoon.
The postohice at Slighs is 10
Gated in the store of Postmaster
Sigh. The entrance, as stated at
the time of the robbery, was made
by boring holes in the side of the
building with I-inch auger.
From what has been learned from
various sources and from The ne
groes themselves, it appears that
they stole the auger from relatives.
They took from the postoflce about
S5 in money and about S. in due
stamps and from Postmaster
Sligh's store they took more than
a half dozen razors. Like all ne
groeS. they seemed to have weak
ness for razor>. Many of these ra-
zorS have already been secured by
Constable Bedenhaugh and Sheriff
.Buford and Magistrate Hair. Some
OF them the negroes had sold.
some of them they put away and
Toland was CARRYING one when ar
rested. The postofRce money
drawer, containing a number OF
stamps, was left about 100 yards
from the building on the night OF
the robbery and was found next
morning.
On Friday after the robbery the
negroes went to Toland's sisters
house and left the stamps there.
AT the suggestion OF the woman.
the stamps were burned. though
one OF the negroes wanted to paste
them on the wall. The woman told
the officers all she knew about the
affair.
The first clue secured by Con-
stable Bedenbaush was on Sun
day. Toland. having been in Flor
ida for two Years was stranger
in the country. but he was seen 60
ing towards Little Mountain on the
afternoon OF the robbery BY ne
gro who had worked on the chain
gang with him and who told Con-
stable Bedenbaugh that he had seen
Toland. Toland'S description fitted
the description OF negro who, had
been seen lettering around that
afternoon and from this Clue Con-
stable Bedenbaugh worked UP his
case.
1t was thought at first that pos
,sibly one Of the negroes had gone
to Columbia aid Sheriff Buiord
made trip to Columbia. but with
~out result.
Bridges SAYS that he told Toland
that they would be in Jail in less
than two weeks if they robbed the
office, but Toland said he was a
Theological COON and couldn't be
captured, and Bridges said he
thought it wall all right if Toland
was Theological coon.
The negroes were given a pre-
lirninary hearing before Comrais-
sioner Bynum on yesterday and
were bound over to the United