The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1904-04-08
BURGLARS AT AIKEN.
Stole Eight Hundred Dollars in
Jewels and Other Valuables.

ulSptGcu iIOm Aiken TO The State
says that city was visited last week
by a bold robber or gang of robbers.
No clue has been found to the rascals.
AS burglars scooped" the town last
December and entered the residences
OF j. w. Platt, F. b. Henderson, L..
Bradwell and Mrs. Edward King,
leaving no clue to their identity, so
did they last night and left no trace;
only in this instance but one place
was visited.
MIR. William Grosvenor of Provi-
dence, r. l., owns one of the hand
soonest winter residences in Aiken.
He has large family and employs
many servants. AT O'Clock last even
Ing, while the family were at dinner,
a company of negro serenaders came
to the door and commenced singing.
Several Of the family sat on the porch
listening, while some remained at the
table.
One who was on the porch said that
a negro walked up to the serenaders
and the men in the company nodded
to him and he walked on around the
house. Another member Of the family
who remained in the dining room
states that noise was heard about
this time which sounded like person
stumbling in room upstairs. The
entire household was down stairs
until about o'clock, when the fam
lily retired.
Then when they went upstairs to
their rooms the tumbled up condition
of the dressers and jewery boxes
showed that every room had been Wis
tied by some one who had no right
there. An examination showed that
nearly every member of the family
had lost some article Of value. a SUM
mary OF the articles taken Is reported
to be: A small pasteboard box contain
ing one pearl earring, set In back
enamel; one pendant rose In pink
enamel, diamonds and pearl centre
with chain; one pink silk box contain
ing diamond snap; one amethyst pin,
two rows of pearls; one gold bracelet,
animals head; one gold ring with fine
diamond set; one pearl sunburst pin,
diamonds in centre; three pocket
books, one with initials on outside
Ga. l.. P.), purses contained several
dollars In coin and paper; one gold
enameled watch; one sapphire and
gold pin; one pearl pendant; one gold
locket and watch charm.
MIR. Grosvenor thinks the value of
the articles stolen will not exceed
$500. a set of very fine diamond ear
rings was not taken as also valuable
necklace of pearls. No clue whatever
to the theft or thieves has been dis
covered. Whether the thief really
operated In connection with the sere-
naderS is, of course, mere conjecture.
Some think that the town is again
suffering from a visit from crooks who
often follow carnival companies, such
as showed in Aiken last week. When
robbers last swept through Aiken it
was just after such show in Augusta
and no trace of the $1,000 worth Of
valuables lost then has ever been
found. Chief OF Police Dolby has his
men on the watch and it is possible
that the rescal who visited Mr.. Gros-
venors house last night between I
and Il o'clock may he caught.
Ihe thief was captured In Aiken
Wednesday night. a member of the
Grosvenor family stated that a negro
boy walked up to the negroes who
were singing at the door on Monday
night and they nodded to him and he
passed on around the house. Taking
this as their clue the police set to
work.
One OF the serenadcrs was found to
be Smart Lloyd and the boy who was
Seeh to go around the house was Robt.
Pearson. The other two sercnaders
were ascertained to be two followers
Of the carnival company which showed
here last week. Lloyd was arrested
and he told the police to catch Pear
son and some of the jewelry would be
recovered.
When arrested Pearson had in his
possession one OF the missing purses,
containing $1,000 in money, the dia-
mond ring and the sapphire pin.
The two carnival negroes were then
searched for but could not be found
in town. Chief Dobey. thinking they
would attempt TO escape by the troll
ley, changed his uniform to a suit OF
plain clothes and boarded the 9. 80 car
intending to ride back and forth from
Graniteville as long as the cars ran.
The chief stood upon the front plat
form with the motOrman and as the
car reached the woods on the edge of
the city the negroes boarded it after
looking the car over carefully.
After the car speeded up Mr.. Dobey
entered and captured his men, They
are evidently sharp rascals as they
will answer no questions as to their
names or where they hail from.
The whole thing looks like well
devised plan to rob as the singers evi-
IDENTIFY tried to entertain the inmates
Of the Grosvenor house while their
partner entertained and helped him
self to the valuables. There is no
doubt that other places would have
been visited with the same end in
view and Chief Dobcy did we'll to
break up the gang. The other stolen
goods have not been recovered as yet,
but there is no doubt that this will be
done as the thieves have evidently
buried
Shot Them by Accident,