Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1908-01-16
They ARE HELD.
Party Of Five Alleged Yeggmen
jailed at Lancaster.
They Were Found Encamped I'm the
Woods Well Armed and Supplied
With Explosives.

With Explosives.
A special dispatch from Lancaster
to The News and Courier says a party
OF 1--WE good looking, fairly we'll
dressed white men, suspected of be-
Ing safe-crackers. arrested Thursday
night near Van Wyck, on tho Sea-
board. were brought TO Lancaster on
the Southern and lodged in Jail. The
technical charge against four of them
Is that Of carrying concealed weapons
and against the fifth of vagrancy.
Thursday afternoon J. A. Hyatt, a
merchant of Van Wyck, received a
phone message from Waxhaw, N. c.,
to look out for suspicious charac-
ters. Shortly afterward two stran-
gers entered his store and bought
some eatables. He watched the di-
rection in which they went and af-
ter nightfall he and eight of his
neighbors. well armed, started out
in search OF the men.
The suspects. who proved TO be
Ave in number. were found encamp-
ed about half mile from Van Wyck.
They wero surrounded and ordered
to surrender. which they did without
resistance, saying afterwards that
they thought the woods full OF men
and resistance. therefore, useless
Every man, except one, who has on
ly one arm, had in his possession a
latest improved revolver. The party
also had valise or two filled with
highly explosive materials. such as
nitro glycerine, dynamite caps and
also soap.
They declined state why they
were in Van Wyck. but gave the fol-
lowing names and addresses: C. F.
Ian. OF Atlanta, Ga; James Scanelan,
Charlie Williams. j. T. Leonard, the
three last named refusing to give
any addresses. The ono armed man
Is Hallan. who, with another mem
ber OF the party, is said to answer
to the description of two men the
postoffice department is looking out
for
Immediately upon their arrest In
spectors H. T. Gregory and NJ. o.
Halverstadt were wired. They ar
rived Lancaster Thursday night
They began the investigation about
10 o'clock p. m. Thursday, which
continued till daylight Friday morn
ing.
The men arrested are not predis-
posed to answer questions and not
very talkative. When they were
brought down stairs in the Jail to be
examined one refused to come and
had to be brought down by force.
Among the things found were money
hidden away on the person of each.
One had some hidden away In his
coat which he sewed up: and had
money hidden away III his under
clothes. About $100 in currency was
obtained from the five, knives and
razors were also taken away. A
razor was found on one man which
was hidden in little sack and tied
around his neck, the sack being un-
der his clothes. which were removed
only with difficulty.
Mr.. Gregory seems to know some.
possibly all, of the men, though he
is keeping quiet about it. However.
when one man was brought before
him. Frank Shaw. Mr.. Gregory re-
cognized him and said: why, Frank
didn't expect TO see you here"
Neither did l expect to see YOU"
said Shaw. Shaw is just out of pris-
IN since last February. having been
sent up for robbing a safe in a rail-
road Office at Peaks. Lexington coun-
ty, South Carolina. He had promised
Mr.. Gregory to turn over a new leaf
hut he was lead into temptation
again.
They are men OF pleasant appear
'nce and wear good clothes. There
s little doubt about them being pro.
essional safe blowers and that they
IRE the ones wanted in several places
n this State. Their pictures were
| taken Friday with trouble.