The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-24
SEVEN CONVICTED, ONE IS NOT
FINES AMOUNT TO S395 OR 300
DAYS IN ALL CASES FOR
STEALING.
Reece James Gets Light Fine and
Pays Out-Other Negroes Take the
Days - Arrests Liable to Stop
Wholesale Stealing in City-COn-
icted Negroes.

from various stores in the city will
probably put a stop tor sometime of
the stealing which has been going on
in Sumter for some time. With tn
arrest Of Willie Jones Monday mo.
ing for breaking into Shaw's st
and the arrests Wednesday,
probable that quite a numbo e
groes will be put where tn not
be able to do any more steal. for at
least thirty days-at least this is what
the recorder told pne of those up be-
fore him Wednesday afternoon.
when the party was lamenting over
his troubles.
The arrests were made Wednesday
| morning following the investigating
Of clews obtained by Policeman Ward
when he was informed by Cuttino
and Mcknight that a negro working
for them, Sam Vaughn by name. had
stolen some goods from them. He
followed up the clew and found where
the negro had disposed of his loot and
also found other loot which led to
the arrest of other parties. Only one
of those arrested escaped conviction
and it is possible that he also would
have been convicted if the necessary
amount of evidence could have been
obtained
The negroes arrested were Dave
Brunson, Jim Bracey, William Cab
bagestalk, Sam Vaughn, Sam Rich
ardson, Cephas Ford. Reece James
and Tom Singleton. All Of them were
convicted except Sam Richardson
who was arrested for receiving stol-
en- goods, but against whom there
was insufficient evidence to result in
a conviction. The cases were all call
ed Wednesday afternoon after the, ar
rests were made and disposed of by
; the recorder, several Of the negroes
, pleading guilty to the charges. All
, of the negroes have been committed
to the gang except Reece James, who
paid his fine.
| Dave Brunson, petit larceny, plead
guilty to stealing five sacks of flour
from Crosswell and Company about
Christmas time. Brunson was a
driver for Crosswell and Company
and sold the flour to Reece James
He was sentenced to pay a fine of $50
or serve 80 days.
Jim Bracey and William Cabbage
stalk plead guilty to stealing two sets
of lines from Boyle Live Stock Com
pany and were sentenced to pay $50
or serve 80 days each for petit lar
ceny.
Sam Vaughn was up on three sep
arate charges stealing lard from
Cuttino and Mcknight, stealing rice
from Cuttino and Mcknight and
stealing ginger ale from Cuttino and
! Mcknight He plead guilty TO talk
: ing the rice and the ginger ale. but
stated that he did not take the lard.
, He was found guilty, however on all
three charges and given a total sem
tence of 90 days or $50.
Sam Richardson was tried for re-
ceiving stolen goods valued at less
than $50. He plead not guilty and
was dismissed after the recorder had
heard the evidence against him.
Cephas Ford, 2n old acquaintance
Of the police force, was tried for
stealing silver knives from W. A.
Thompson's store. He plead not
guilty, but was found guilty and SEN
fenced to a fine Of $50 or 80 days.
Tom Singleton plead not guilty to
stealing ham from Jones and Jen-
nings, but was found guilty of the
theft. He also was given a sentence
Of $50 or 30 days.
Next on the docket came Reece
James, another old offender against
the city's ordinances, who stated that
he had paved more of the city's
streets than anybody else in town
He also, in leaving. thanked the re-
I corder and policemen for their kind
ness 30 him and stated that hereafter
he would try and conduct himself in
a becoming manner and not iisobey
| the city's laws any more. He stated
that he had received the stolen goods
only because Of his sympathctic ma
ture, those whom ne had received
them from having become indebted
To him i'm his restaurant and he
having agreed to accept payment
through receiving the articles. lie
was UP on three separate charges Of