The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1906-03-23
Tale That Comes
from New York.
] STARTLING FACTS
Are Revealed at the District Attorneys
Inquiry. Girls In Search Of
Work Are Sent to Dens of
lnfamy and Then Held as
Prisoners.

Gn outcome Oh an Ill u&y lUQulblJlOb
by Assistant District Attorney Ely,
Deputy Assistant Vandiver and CHIEF
Clerk Henneberry into the traffic In
white slaves conducted by q band Of
negroes, the head of which was 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, were put
Through most severe examinations and
1t Ia said, disclosed facts more hideous
than have yet been revealed.
Through those women Nj Ely hopes
to bring to the q otiic ol,alr the mon
who, It la bene, ed, murdered two
white women in one of Sprikk's den
buried at the dead Of night in d negro
cemetery
On their testimony Mr.. Ely expects
to bring to Justice the policemen who
for years have Levied tribute on
Sprtggs, with the fu Knowledge Of
the tribute on Spriggs, i.h the full
knowledge Of the traifio ia witch he
vas engaged.
These man, 1t was said on good
authority, were under surveillance,
and as soon as the formalities neces-
sary TO their arrest have been com.
pleted they will be placed in custody.
The ramifications Of this case are
shown to he more and more extensive
as the investigation proceeds. Already
they have led the prObers into the
rooms Of the police captains Of both
the Tenderloin and Charles street po-
lice stations. Thence they have pOln-
ted to number OF politicians.
That the men who received the
bribe money were thoroughly aware
Of Its source was learned from unw''-
ling admissions by the police Of the
Charles street station.
! There It, y aB learned tlaat q liI
the last few months, since Captain
Halpin has been H. command OF that
precinct Spriggs has been arrested on
most serious charges.
10 be molested by tie police was an
experience he had never under
gone in all the twenty long years pre-,
vious.
Notwithstanding all Captains Hal.
pins efforts, however, some one high
or up mysteriCu ,ly saved Spriggs, and
the witne sseB against him were spri
ted away.
The last case Of that Kind was as
late as February 10 last. Ol that
date Spriggs was arrested on the COM
plaint Of nineteen. year. Old girl, who
har
her address as No. 429 Carlton avenue
Brooklyn. She accused Spriggs OF
abduction.
According to her sworn testimony,
she asked man to direct her ip
Brooklyn to an address she was seek.
ing.
He seemed very courteous and in
vited hea into a restaurant for re-
freshments. She awoke sn what she
subSt quently learned wins one Of
Spriggs Corhela street dives, and
saw a negro standing over her. she
escaped after few days and fed to
thepolice.
Spriggs when arraigned broughtap.
parantly reputable white men to tes-
tify In his behalf, and, notwithstand
ing the gravity OF the off.nse, the
Magistrate In Jefferson Market Court
held him in the nominal bail Of 81 900
for further examination. The date
for that examination was set for nexl
week, Captain Halpin' detectives, In
preparing the case two days ago, went
to the address, the r. lie girl gave In
Brooklyn, only to find that she had
bsen spirited away.
In the case against Spriggs that
Immediately preceded The one in
which Mary Roller was the accuser
the charge was an attack on young
girs. Spriggs WAS then held for
further examination, and was dis
charged when arranged the seocnC
time because no complainant appear
ed.
He sardonically remarked In court
that the action had been SETTLED
out Of court. SprigRs was arrested
the first time under Captain Halpin'
regime for keeping an illegal resort
He escaped with atine Of 800.
Spriggs is a big factor In politics
He controls the negro vote In Hell'l
Kitchen" and on the lower west Side
and for years wa, the leader OF tht
Tammany Hall Colored Mems Asso
citation, in lower West Thad stree.
1t was his influence, 1T Is said, thai
defeated O'Neil, the candidate Of vii
liam AstOr Chanler for Democratic
leader OF the Fifth Assembly Dis
*rtrt State ScDCtor Bernard j Mar