The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-02-13
PENSION SHARK ARRESTED.

A Negro Caught in Sumter Thought
to be the Right SIan-For More
Than a Year the Federal Authori-
ties Have Been on Trail of Man
Who, Calling Himself Wilson,
Washington and Other Names, and
Passing as Pension Examiner,
Has Robbed Colored People.
After having eluded the sleepless
vigilance Of Federal and State officers
for more than year, and after hav-
ing made, it is alleged, a record as
pension shark" almost unap-
preached by former pension sharpers,
negro, who, it is belived, has chang
ed his name about as often as his
collar, has been arrested by the, po-
lice of Sumter and lodged in the Sum-
ter county Jail pending the convening
of the court. Mr.. Edward H. Jen-
nings, of Charleston, special exam
iner United States pension bureau,
has been to Sumter and has secured
number of photographs of the al
legged offender, and when the case
comes to trial it probable that wit
nesses from many sections Of this
State will be in court to testify
against the alleged sharp, and if the
negro is convicted Of the FIVE or six
cases which will be brought against
him it is probable That he will get
long sentence in the Federal prison.
The true patronyric of the negro is
not known, and he refuses to give the
name bestowed upon him by his pa
rents: when operating at Port Royal,
it is alleged that he passed as Booker
T. Washington; in other sections of
this State it is alleged thai he passed
as Dr. Wilson, Z. S. A. surgeon; it is
also alleged that he posed as Special
Examiner Alexander, Of Savannah,
while at Yemassee, a compliment
which Mr. Alexander did not at all
appreciate; it is further alleged that
he was known in South Carolina as J.
W. Wilson and John Townsend.
1t is claimed that while operating
in Kentucky, in Todd county, in June,
1906, he passed as DR.. Wilson, DR..
Wilkerson, DR.. Wilkinson, and in
September, 1905, in Grayson county,
Kentucky, he is alleged to have used
the name of DR.. J. W. Thompson.
It is further alleged that in Missis-
sippi the negro arrested in Sumter
used the names of DR.. Williams and
Dr.. Jones in December, 1905, and in
July, 1906.
Since January, 1906, the Federal
officers have been after the man, who
is supposed to be the one arrested in
Sumter. News Of his operations would
come first from one State and then
from another, and always practically
the same description of the man was
sent in; he would double back occa-
sionally on his track, never staying
in town more than Gay and then
Fastening onwards. Officers on his
trail usually arrived one day after he
had deoamped, and, while news of
his operations were constantly COM
ing into the hands of government OFF,
GERS, it was found very difficult to lay
hands on him.
In speaking Of the negro yesterday,
Pension Examiner Jennings said: Il
believe that man in the Sumter jail
is the one we want: we have been
after him for many weeks. He made
his first mistake in Sumter. Hereto
fore his invariable custom has been
to linger but q single day in any one
town and then to hasten onwards. In
Sumter, it is said, he began drinking
with acquaintance, and, possibly for
getting his usual caution, remained
two days, and was caught by the po-
lice of Sumter, who deserve no little
credit for the capture. He did not
submit tamely to arrest in Sumter
and was shot at once before being
captured, and even then high fence
interfered, I understand, with his
progress. We have five or six cases
against him in this State, provided, OF
course, that the negro in Sumter is the
man we want, and I believe he is
The negro is said to be about S5
years of age, though he appears old
er; he refuses to say where he was
| born, though he claims to be from
Kentucky or Mississippi. He is re-
marhably we'll posted, it is said, about
the pension department Of the govern
ment and also about the United States
army, and seems to be a man Of con-
siderable education and wide expert