The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-01-11

several Cases up Before the Record
ga lhursday.-Willie Walker Con-
Vicicd OF Stealing Bananas.

+urle were only three cases heard
in the Recorder Lees court Thursday
hut these three cases. because of a
iasIsIp.icity OF witnesses took up the
greater portion Of two hours and
while they all turned out convictions
no money was put In the city treasury
as all OF the men took the days I'm
preference to paying the fine.
John Wilson. alias John Suber, was
arrested Saturday night by Police Of
ncer McKagen for indecent exposure
Of person on .he street. but he did
not stay urder arrest for long. for
with a plrnge and a lurch. he got
loose and took TO his heels. Mr.. Nc
Kasen feing hampered at the time
with tis wheel and gloves and being
unaole to get a good hold before Will
son was gone. He followed him
through the barber shop OF Davis
Gaines. however. but some one OPEN
ed the rear door and let Wilson get
away before he could be recaptured.
He was arrested Wednesday after
noon and next morning he was tried
by the Recorder. Wilson claimed that
he was at home at the time of the al
legged offence and swore that McKagen
had the wrong man. but this did Lot
prevent the Recorder from giving
him the choice between SIS or 80
days. He took the days.
Warren Robinson was tried for the
offence Of gambling on Saturday night
but he plead not guilty to the charge
and brought up witnesses to prove
that he was not present at the time
that the crime he was accused of
was committed. His witnesses prov
ed his undoins however. as they did
not agree with Warren as to the
time that they were together so he
was allowed to take choice between
SIS or 80 days.
Willie Walker. a negro boy who
has been In the employ Of w. g. Rey.
nolds for seven or eight years and
whom Mr.. Reynolds trusted and al
lowed to keep keys to his place of
business. was arrested on a warrant
sworn out by Mr.. J..J. Avant, agent
for the Southern Express company at
this place. charging him with stealing
a drum of bananas from the express
company's wagon last night about n
o'clock Mr.. c. Capers Smith was
present to represent Walker.
IL seems from the evidence of Mr..
Avant and the other witnesses that
the bananas had been brought to the
express office last night after being
tskcs or train % and, left sn the
wagon while M. GrhnsIey. tho drIv-
er was unhitching the horse and
feeding II. Both Mr.. Avant and
Grimsley were attracted by the OPEN
ing and shutting OF the back door of
Mr.. Reynolds place OF business,
which Is next door to the express Of
nee. while the horse was being stabbed
but at the time they did not think any
more about IT, AS soon as they miss
ed the bananas. however, they at
once suspicioned that they had been
taken into Mr.. Reynolds store and
Mr.. Reynolds, who had closed up his
ONCE at 8 o'clock was teiephoned
for When he came down they went
into the store and found where the
drum OF bananas had been opened
and wheIe the packing had been part
ly burned. The bananas and the
drum had Gisappeared. however. This
morning Walker told Mr.. Reyonlds
that he had not been In the office last
-.sss..Sst after II was closed up. but later |
when he was arrested and taken to |
the guard house by Police Owens, ne
stated that he had found the drum |
OF bananas on Dugan street and had |
taken them into the office and open
ed them and carried them on home.
He then told Mr.. Owens where he
would find the bananas In his house.
The defense stated that as no val
ne attached to the goods had been
shown by the city In its case that It
should be quashed. The Recorder
refused TO take this view OF the mat
ter, however. and flned Walker s25 |
or so days on the public works OF |
the county.
There wQro only t,gc o..o.. E...a n