Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-06-07
SAYS CAPTURED HORSE THIEF.
j. II. Pattcn Follows Horse and Man
Through -Four States.

ten, who lives on Brasstown Creek,
in Oconee county, arrived In Wal
halla, having in his charge one Har-
ris or Morgan (name and place of
residence not certainly known, and
a good single-footing horse. Boti
these animals-that Is, Harris-Mor-
gan and the single-footer--seem to
know their gaits very we'll and are
free
On the 18th Of May one claiming
to be a Mr.. Harris arrived at the
home Of MI. Patten and sought shell
ter and board, stating that he was
engaged in making contracts for the
purchase Of cross-ties, and that If
he could secure sufficient contracts
to justify the outlay, he intended at
an early date to operate a boat on
Tugaloo for the transportation Of
the ties down the river. He contract
ed with Mr.. Patten for a large num-
Der Of ties, and stated that he want
ed to go to NJ. II. Lees store to
make similar contracts with him.
Mr.. Patten was not able to send Har-
ris at that time, but told him he
would do so the following morning,
and when they started to hitch up
Patterns horse Harris took a fancy
to 1T and asked as to his saddle
gaits. He was a good single-footer,
SO Mr.. Patten told him, and there
upon Harris suggested that he be-
lieved he would just ride over and
thu save the trouble to Mr.. Patten
of sending his young son with him
in the buggy. This looked all right
to Mr.. Patten, and Harris rode.
He returned in the evening and
stated that he had contracted with
Mr.. Lee, leaving 5000 with him to
buy ties with. That looked good to
Mr.. Patten, and Harris wanted to
buy the horse, as it Just suited
him." They could not trade, how
ever, for MI. Patten says he did not
want to sell the single-footer.
But Mr.. Harris had to make tie
contracts, and he had to have a
good horse to travel owe the noun
tains. So he left it optional with
Mr.. Patten as to whether or not he
would sell the horse, but one thing
was certain, and that was that he
had to have that horse to ride and
make contracts. He "hired' him,
agreeing to pay $3.50 per day for
his use, but Mr.. Patten insisted that
the amount he offered was more than
horses hired for. No matter. Mr..
Harris wanted to pay $3.50 per day,
and Mr.. Patten acquiesced.
Harris "hired" the horse and left
Friday morning, to be back Saturday
or Sunday. Both those days came
along all right, but Mr.. Harris
didn't; they went also, and so did
Mr.. Harris. And thereby hangs a
tale.
Monday Mr.. Patten awoke to the
fact that he was in a peculiar posi-
ton. He actually began to suspect
something was wrong and that "a
cant stall at his stable looked pa
thetic. He called up Mr.. Lee at
Battle Creek.
Yes, Mr.. Lee had seen Mr.. Harris,
and the latter had contracted for a
lot Of ties.
Had Mr.. Harris left 5000 with
Mr.. Lee? No. he had not-but he
had said that he was going to.
MIR. Patten Gets Busy.
Patten then really and truly sus-
pected something wrong. He start
ed on the trail of his friend Harris.
He followed him owe to the Georgia
side, tracing him to the homes Of
Burt Deaton and Andy Rothell, but
Mr.. Harris had inquired the way to
Turnerville, Ga, and Franklin, N. G.
Mr.. Patten already knew the way,
and he started to Turnerville. He
also went to Franklin and Waynes-
vile, and into Tennessee. He heard
Of Mr.. Harris occasionally, but he
was now hearing more of a Mr.. Nor
gan than of Harris. But, according
TO descriptions given, Harris and
Morgan Cooked alike to him."
Mr.. Patten found himself roaming
about in the Smoky Mountains, in
the ncighborhood of the lonely Loco
Gap, and it was here that he receiv-
ed word from Wayncsville, n. c.,
that one Morgan was under arrest.
Pattcn headed for Wayncsville, and
when he reached there he found that
Mr.. Harris was Mr.. Morgan. He was