The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-11-02
%CONSTABLES OUTWITTED.
A TactfuI Negro Whose Whiskey was
NOf EOund.

AS a rule, whiskey constables are we'll up
with their business. and have little or no
trouble In catching violators OF the law.
When their attention is turned In any
particular direction they are pretty sure TO
catch somebody, but on the occasion OF which
we speak the blind tiger outwitied his pur-
suers.
The constables had al idea that q certain
darkey who drives a hack between Mt. Car
mel and Bordeaux occasionally andled a
little more whiskey than was allowed by law.
In confirmation of this view they saw AT
Mccormick q two gallon jug In the Express
car for the suspected darkey and the wlue
awake constables thought they had a DEAD
sure thing of 1t. They boarded the train,
followed the whiskey TO MI. Carmel, ana
waited for the darkey TO start home WIN II.
To make sure of success they proceeded GOWN
the road TO wait for the game. In due time
the old hack came pulling up the NIL. Inc
constables stepped out in the road, TOOK Inc
horses by their bride bits and ordered a malt:
The driver of course guessed in a second what
TO expect, but what the passengers thought
when they saw the strange men, WIN
pistols in their hands, holding the horses. mas
not been revealed TO US. But IL is fair TO pre-
sumo that they mentally went over thtlr
cash account and said a prayer or two. The
passengers On this particular occasion were
Messrs J. F. Bradley and j. +. Calhoun Oh
Abbeville.
The men In the road holding the horses de.
manded to know of the darkey driver was
aboard. The driver replied:
Eyes, sir; l am here"
"Weil, sir; we are looking for whiskey'
Have you a jug In your hack?
swell, now boss, I suppose you would not
take my word. Please examine the hack and
see for yourself"
No sooner said the aforesaid constables sx
amined everything In and around the mack
lot even overlooking the "drummers sam
PIES" which are now sold In car load lois OF
less, and which are good bait with which &c
catch succors. After going through every
thing and finding no jug, one OF the consta'
bles thought there must be some mlstake
and the hack was still more carefully search
ed.
Not finding the jug or other suspicious
package the constsbles then asked pardon fol
having stopped. the passengers on their jour
ney, n they told the driver to go on.
Bidding the constables good night" me
driver put whip 10 his horses and OH he
went. $50,
breath he asked the driver:
"Wha did you do with the whiskey lsaW
you put a two gallon jug In the hack at MI
CARMEL"
ut was In this way. boss. When We were
stopped, I simply lifted the jug out of thu
hack and set 1t on the step over the from
axle.''
"But how did you manage to keep 1t from
hand"
"Oh, we'll: we were standing still then. o
course, II the horses had moved the Ju'
would rave fallen. AS we started, l set TIT
jug back where 1t belonged. 1t is right neI'
now: Maybe you gentlemen would IKE u
mo, sir; we don't drink. We are like mel
who belong 10 the Law and Order League
and arefghting thelwhiskey business IN thi
State"
"You are, boss ? I am so glad TO see you
/ hope that you nay have much success. l
yon could stop the dispensary we poor on
could have as good a chance at AbbeVilie. a
the negroes and poor white men have q
Greenwood. l tell you, boss, the Leagu
used to be when Gufin was atthe head of us
Ever since we used to have the League, IL
Radical time I am in favor oft. The Leagu'
is great. Where are you froma oro
"You live in Abbeville, and belong to to
League. I don't understand you. When
was at Abbeville, good looking gentlemei
like you did not belong to the League. l au
almost feel like a brother to you. You 1901
like nice gentlemen. Republicans must b,
getting to be res pectable about there. 1ol
League. We called the League the Uniol
League, but you nice gentlemen here put
new "entitle" to it.
"You mistake us for politicians. We ar
drummers who favor the Law and Orde
whats the League for, If it isn't to hell
poor people? The League used 10 nell
darkies into Office, and 1 thought the League
that you favor was intended to open thu
way for poor but honest negroes to make
decent living"
"Well, we would be glad to see every negro
making q good. living. but we are fighting
the dispepsary and you must not sell liquor
THAT'S all right, boss, you just close tht
do mai the negro will get some of his rights
You keep the white trash from keeping
blind tigers and honest negroes will &c
RICH" ,
"But we don't intend to let anybody sci
liquor"
"That's all right, boss. Ifyou will just stol
the c%onstables from interfering with gentle
men who want to make an honest drive GU
ofthirsty people we will look out for the law
We are not afreid ofthe law, but / do despis'
to see a poor white man hunting a colcret
gentleman's jug.