The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-10-31
ARRESTS FOLLOW TRIAL.
WARRANTS FOR PHILLIPS, GIL.
REATH, AND GOSNELL.
Charged That Well Known Men Aided
in Escape Of Prisoner From
GreenVille Jail.

Greenyille, Oct. 27.-Upon an al
legged statement of Thurston U.
Vaughn, sentenced to die for GRIM
inal assault, and at the instigation Of
Gov. Blease, ex-Sheriff JEFF D. Gill
reath, inspector of police; ex-Jailer
A. A. Phillips, of the city police. and
Reuben Gosnell, a magistrates con-
stable, were arrested tonight on war
rants charging them with assisting
Vaughn to escape from the county
jail last June. The three men were
hauled through the streets of Green
vile to the jail where they were in
carcerated for an hour or more. =
Five substantial business men,
commanding more than s1,000,000
cash, later rushed to the Jail from
their respective churches together
with hundreds of other citizens who
crowded about the prison and clam
ored as to who should be the first to
sign bonds of $1,000 for each Of the
parties. Feeling is intense tonight
and excitement is running higher
than at any time during the past few
days Of sensational happenings in
Greenville.
Rumor spread like wildfire on the
streets about noon that arrests were
to be made in connection with the es-
cape of Vaughn from Grsenville's
Jail some time ago. Warrants were
drawn up late in the afternoon and
just before night were signed by
Magistrate Samuel Stradley and
placed in the hands of sheriff elect,
Hendrix Rector, for service. The
deputy set out to apprehend his men
and located Policeman Phillips first
at Green avenue and Pendleton
streets as the officer was going from
his home to the police station. He
was arrested and conveyed to the jail
and locked in cell.
Rector then set about to locate Mr..
Gilreath, finding him at the point
near the grand opera house. Both
got in hack and started toward the
Jail. AS the two came through Main
street a tremendous throng gathered
and raced behind the vehicle shout
ing and making the night ring with
their cries. Mr.. Gilreath was placed
in cell with the common prisoners
after which the deputy set about to
find his third man.
The News Spread.
In the meantime news Of the ar
rests spread through several Of the
churches of Greenville and many Of
the most prominent men of the city
left their pews and rushed for the
jail. They insisted on Magistrate
Stradley being sent for 80 that he
could make bond for the prisoners.
A messenger went to a church after
the magistrate and brought him to
the prison. BY the time he arrived
the deputy had returned with Reuben
Gosnell, his third prisoner. Bonds
were drawn up and signed by Avery
Patton, Henry P. McGee, J. M. !Geer.
A. Lester Furman, c. o. Allen. The
prisoners were released and left the
Jail at once, while the crowd that
famed the street in front of the pris-
on dispersed.
The intense feeling in the case is
caused by the sharp lines between the
law and order faction of which Gill
reath is a member, and the blind
tiger element of Greenville. Gilreath
was recently elected police inspector
and has been making war on the law
breakers with vengeance ever since
thereby incurring the enmity of the
lawless. The men who signed the
bonds were representatives of Green
ville's best citizenship.
Tonight, at the county jail, in the
presence of the prisoners and score
or more of prominent citizens Of the
city, Sheriff J. Perry Poole gave out
a statement in regard to the alleged
confession of Vaughn. He stated
that as he, Deputy Sheriff Hunsinger,
Sheriff-elect Rector and J. B. Was
son were carrying Vaughn from the
court house to the train late Satur-
day afternoon for the purpose Of TAX
ing him to Columbia the prisoner
made an open confession to how he
escaped from the jail last June.
Statement from Sheriff.
Sheriff Poole said in part as fol-
lows: 1--WE were going along Hudson
street when Vaughn made his con-
fession.S He said that his brother
gave Jailer Phillips $40 to transfer
n TT Uorobn from tho main cells