The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-04-14
BLOWS ON GANG.
4 Bank Robber Confessed to
Many Robberies in this
AND OTHER STATES.
He duplicates Two Charleston Merchants
in the Different Robberles the Gang
Committed In South Carolina.
Chris Rabens and II. r.
Rabens are the Two.
Rabens are the Two.

Chris Rabens and II. r.
Rabens are the Two.
A story that causes the operations
of Raffles, THE Gentleman Burglar, .
to appear tame and suitable for the
nursery; story that made the Nick
Carter and Diamond Dick series tC
pale into insiguificance; tale that
held the throng Of spectators breath
less with attention, was told in the
United States Circuit Court, OF Char
lesion Friday afternoon, when John
f. Mccarthy, alias John o. Darrell,
now serving sentence in Vermont
State prison, was put on the stand TO
testify in the Latta postofiice robbery
case. When District Attorney Capers
asked Mccarthy If he knew John King
and Edward Morgan, alias Murphy,
he replied: 'Oh, yes, know them.
l co-operated with them In the rob-
berry OF the postoffice at Latta on
February %, 1904" On further ex-
animation Mccarthy gave full &C
count OF the movements of the gang
which infested this State some two
years ago. In part Mccarthy said: 81
met the two Rabens, Rudolph and
Chris, in Charleston in 1908, and saw
King and Morgan at the house OF
Rlbens frequently"
When asked to give an account OF
the robbery at Latta Mccarthy, in
part, said: well, after conference
with several members Of the gang it
was decided to have try at The post
office or bank In Latta. Two of us
went up there to look over the ground,
and then the rest Of US followed
Morgan, King, myself and one other.
We went to Dillon and got breakfast
In house In the factory district. Nor
gan and Shorty, who had been over
to Latta, came up to US and reported
that it looked good. We cooked din
ner and supper In the woods, near the
track, between Dillon and Latta, and
after dark set out for Latta, halting
on the e5ge Of the town until mid.
night, fihen we entered. We broke
open cNrpenter's chest in an unfinish.
ef llGI rs. <enaeavoring to find the nec-
essary tools; we finally went to black
smiths shop and got sledge hara.
mer, crowbar, chisel, brace and other
Instruments. We went to the bank,
and King and myself kept watch,
while the two others did the work.
The bank, which was in the same
building with the postot1ice, was blown
all right, but the force of the explo.
sion jammed the door and there was
nothing doing In the swag line; so we
tried the postoiiice safe. Morgan and
Shorty were inside, and pretty soon l
heard two explosions, following close
ly upon each other. The stamps, mon
ey and letters were put In d sack and
the two came OUT"
After coming from the building
we all fixed for blood hounds-that is
we tied a string or cloth to the
lapels' Of our shoes and sprinkled it
we'll with mustard-a dog cannot fol-
low such a track. We went down by
the depot aud across the country to q
branch track and when about four
miles from Latta went in the woods
and divided the swag. We had about
$3.50 In money, large number OF
stamps, two pocket books and lot OF
letters. lost one letter from Win.
ME Lewis and tore up another letter. {"
Inspector Gregory then produced
two letters, one Of them intact and
the other put together on a pane OF
glass. Mccarthy identified both as
the ones left In the woods. O1e OF
the misSives, which must have been a
very tender one, began Sweetheart
Johnny" The contents were not
read.
The papers, said the witnesses, were
left In the woods. When asked what
was the character Of the papers re-
ferred to Mccarthy said they were
newspapers and religious peri dical,.
District Attorney Capers wanted to
know II the gang had read the relis-
ious papers In the peaceful seclusion
OF that quiet and sequestered spot.
The witness said that they had not.
we buried about 200 pennies, as
thy were too heavy to carly and
they went down the track about two
miles, keeping under the cover OF the
woods constantly. We skirted Dillon
and then the gang separated. l went
on to Fayetteville, N. c., with Shorty.
We stopped at the Davis House and
the next morning Morgan and King
showed up at the breakfast table.
We then went over to Hamlet the
next morning, which was Sunday,
and King hid The stamps under a
freight she'd"
Going back bit, Mccarthy said
Il first met the two Rabens in the
fall Of 1903 at the Star Theatre
Shorty was with them and 1 met Gus
DeFord either at the theatre or al
. Rabenss house. DeF'ord brought dy
, namite to city and the glycerine wa.
extracted, so that the pure glycerint
might be obtained. The operation
was carried on in Rabens's house
I Shortly afterwards Shorty, Morgan
( DeFord and myself began discussin,