The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-03-21
WHITE SLAVES.
A Horrible Tale That Comes
from New York.
STARTLING FACTS

INQUIRY. Girls 10 Search OF
Work Are Sent 10 Dens of
Infamy and Then Held as
Prisoners.
The New York American says as
an outcome CT an all day irquisition
by Assistant District Attorney Ely,
, Deputy Assistant Vandiver and CHIEF
}Cle1k Henneberry into the trsfh'c IN
white slaves conducted by a band OF
negroes, the head of which vas the
notorious Bob Spriggs, several arrests
have been made.
Berthe Claiahe and Hattie Warren
and Cora Chester, the women who are
in the Tombs awaiting trial for their
participation in the case, wers put
through most severe examinations n
It is said, disclosed fscts more hidecus
than have yet been revealed.
Through those women Mr.. Ely hopes
to bring to the electric chair the men
who, 1t Is believer, murdered Two
white women In one OF Sprte8's den
two years agG ~ d Lad lie1r BODIES
buried at the 1..d Of night In q negro
cemetery.
On their testimony Mr.. E = expects
to bring to justice the polio. msn who
for years have levied tribute on
Springs, with the full knowledge OF
the tribute on Sprigga, with the full
know let re OF the tn fio in which he
Vas engaged.
These men, it was sad on good
authority, we1e under u veil aEce,
and as soon as the formallLles neces-
sary to their arrest have been Gem
pleted they will be placed in custody.
The r%amifcations of this case are
shown to Re more and more extensive
as the investigation prt ceeds. Already
they have led the probers into the
rooms Of the police captains OF both
tie Tenderloin and Charles street PC
lice stations. Thence they have roin-
ted to q number Of politicians.
That the men who received the
bride mtLey were Il olCrf bly, aVa1t
of its source was learned flCm unW1i-
ling admissions by tie police u the
Charles street STATEN.
There it was learl ed that within
the last few months, since Captain
HaIpin has been il command of thai
Pre- cinct Spriggs has been arrested Oh
most serious charges.
TO be molested by the police was an
experience Re had lever under
gone in all the twenty long years pre-
vic us.
Notwithstanding all Captains Hal.
pins { forts, 1t we've, $, me n bigt-
or up mysterit usly saved Spriggs, ant
the witne sses against him were spiri
ted away.
The last case Of that lind was as
late as February 10 last. On that
date Spriggs was arrested on the com
plant Of a ninete en-. year old girl, who
gave her name as Mary Roller and
her address as No. APO Carlton avenue
Brooklyn. She accused Spriggs OF
abduction.
According to her sworn testimony,
she asked a man 10 direct Eer IN
Brooklyn to an address she was seek
Ing,
He see med very ct urtecus and in
vittd lea into a reElaursn Mt ftr re-
fresh ments. She swt ke sn what sht
tubst quently ltarntd wins enc Of
Sprigg's Corr ella street dives, and
saw q negro staIailg over Ter. She
escaped after a. few days and fed to
the police.
Spriggs when arraigred brorghta p,
parantly reputable white men to tes'
tify In bis behalf, and, notwithstand'
irg the gravity of the ef,nse, the
Magistrate in il fferson Market Court
held him in the nominal bail Of 81 600
for further examination. The date
for that examination was set for next
week, Captain Halpin' detectives, in
preparing the case two days ago, went
to the address tht R lie girl gave 10
Brooklyn. only to bud that she had
bsen spirited away.
In the case against Spriggs that
Immediately preceded the one IL
which Mary Roller was the sccuser,
the charge was an attack on q young
girs. Spriggs was then held for
further examination, and wss dis
charged when arranged the second
time because no ctmplainant appear.
ed.
He sardonically remarked in &C urt
that the action had been Settled
out of court" Spriggs was arrested
the first time under Captain Halpin's
regime for keeping an illegal resort
He escaped with afne Of sl00.
Sprjggs is a big factor In politics
: He controls The negro.vote in HELLO
Kitchen" and on the lower west Side
and for years was the leader OF thu
Tammany Hall G ,lored Mems Asso
citation, in lower West Thiad stree.
1t was his ir fuence, it is said, tina,
defeated O'Neil, the candidate OF VII
liam Astor Chanler for Democratic
leader of the Fifth Assembly Dis
trict. State Senotor Bernard J Mar
tins sc secretary. "Joe' Prendergast
to whom Martin transferred tine dis
trict leadership won.
That the political pull exercised by
Spriqgr reached former Police Com
uiaaionnr MoAdnn,s nf1Da Was dem