The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1907-04-18

! IN our city. Oniy one lnciQent, tne
| Tocsin remarked, "marred on other
wise perfect occasion. and out Of re-
gard for the culprit's family connec-
tlons. which are prominent In our so
cial world, we withhold his name. Suf-
fee it to say that through the vigilance
Of Mr.. Norbert FTitcroft. grandson Of
Colonel A. A. Fntcroft, who proved
himself thorough Lecoq (the cele-
brated French detective). the rascal
was seized and recognized. Mr.. Fit
| croft, having discovered him In hiding.
| had a Gordon of walters drawn up
around his hiding place. which was the
charmingly decorated side piazza Of
the Pike mansion. and sent for Judge
Pike. who came upon the intruder by
surprise. He evaded the judges in
dignant grasp. but received a we'll
merited blow over the head from a
poker which the judge had concealed
about his person while pretending to
approach the hiding place casually.
Attfacted to the scene by the cries OF
Mr.. Flitcroft. who. standing behind
Judge Pike. accidentally received a
blow from the same weapon. all the
guests of the evening sprang to view
the scene. only to behold the culprit leap
through d crevice between the strips
of canvas which inclosed the piazza.
He was seized by the coiored coach
man of the mansion. Sam Warden. ard
Immediately pounced upon by the corr
don Of Caterer Jones duSky assistants
from Chicago. who were Ii ambush
outside. Unfortunately after brief
struggle he managed to trip Warden
and. the others stumbling upon the
prostrate body Of the latter. to make
his escape in the darkness"
Not quite a mile above the northern
most Of the factories on the water front
there projected into the river near the
end of the crescent bend above the
town a long pier. relic Of steamboat
days, rotting now and many years
fallen from It's maritime uses. About
midway Of its length stood huge.
crazy shed. long ago utilized as
freight storeroom This had been
patched and propped. and a dangerous
looking veranda attached to 1t. over
hanging the water. Above the door
way was placed sign whereon might
| be read the words. Beaver Beach.
Mikes Place" The shore end Of the
pier was so ruinous that passage was
offered by a single row Of planks,
which presented an appearance so tenn
porary as we'll as insecure that one
might have guessed their office to be
something in the nature Of draw
bridge. From these narrow path ran
through marsh left by the receding
river to country road Of desolate ap-
pearance. Here there was q rough IN
closure or corral. with some tumble
down sheds which afforded shelter on
the night of Joseph Louden's disgrace
for a number Of shaggy teams attached
to those decrepit ard musty vehicles
known plcturesQuely and accurately as
night hawks.
By 8 o'clock Joy at Mixes place had
become beyond question unconfned,
and the tokens Of It were audible for
long distance In all directions. II,
however, there Is no sound where no
ear hears, silence rested upon the coun-
tryside until an hour later. Then a
lonely figure came shivering from the
direction of the town not by the road.
but Sinking through the snow upon the
frozen river. 1t came slowly. as though
very tired. and cautiously, too. often
turning its head to look behind. Final
" II reached the pier and stopped rs II
to listen.
Within the house above piano OF
evil life was being beaten to death TOT
its sins and clamoring its last cries
horribly. The Old shed ratified IN every
part with the thud Of many heavy feet
and trembled with the shock Of noise,
an incessant rcIr of mems voices. pune
tuatel with women's screams. Then
the riot uuieted somewhat. There was
! clapping Of hands. and vioiin De-
gan to sqneak measures intended to be
oriental. The next moment the listener
scrambled up one Of the rotting piles
and stood upon the veranda. A shaft
of red light through broken shutter
struck across the figure above the
shoulders, revealing bloody handker-
chief clumsily knotted about the head
and beneath II the face Of Joe Louden.
Joe opened the door and went in. All
of the merry company (who were able)
turned sharply toward the door as il
opened. One o. two nearest the door
asked the boy. without great curiosity
what had happened to his head. He
merely shook it family in reply and
crossed the room to an open hallway
beyond. At the end Of this he came to
a frowzy bedroom. the door OF which
stood ajar. Seated at deal table and
working by q dim lamp with broken
chimney, q close cropped. red bearded
red haired man In his shirt sleeves was
jabbing gloomily at a column Of figures
scrawled In dirty ledger. He looked
I'M nc loo onneared In the doorway, and