The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-02-01
SCHOOL BOYS REVENGE.
Did Not Like Teacher and Burned
the School House.

Cll0 SC1lOOA hOOSSs
Ransome Moorer and Barnwell
Gross, two Holly Hill school boys,
one about eleven years of age and
the other about ten, have been ar
rested for setting on fire and burn
ing down the handsome school house
built at that place about four years
ago. Both of the boys are bright, in
telligent little fellows and are the
children of highly respectable resi-
dents of Holly Hill. They both were
students at the school they burned,
and the deed was caused by their
dislike of their teacher.
The school house, which was a
large frame building, was burned the
first part of last December. The fire
was discovered about half-past four
o'clock, in the afternoon, little
while after the school had been dis
missed. 1t started on the first floor,
and had made considerable headway
when discovered. There was much
mystery about the origin of the fire,
but no one suspecting for moment
that any of the school children had
anything to do with it, and it was
attributed to accident.
After the burning of the school
house, the children had to be di-
vided up, some classes going to the
Methodist church and others to the
town hall, two-story frame build
ing, very little removed from the
business centre of the town. The
fifth class, of which both the boys
were members, was being taught in
the town hall. Everybody had about
come to the conclusion that the fire
at the school house was accidental,
and steps were being taken to replace
the burned building with better
one.
This was the condition of affairs
when it was discovered on Tuesday
afternoon, 18th instant, that the town
hall had been set on fire, but luckily
it was discovered before the fire had
made much headway, and the build
ing was saved. The evidence was
plain that the building had been set
on fire since the school had been
dismissed that afternoon, and the
town realized with a shock that a
fire bug was at work within it's lin
it's.
Steps were at once taken to ferret
out and run down the person who
had set the fires, as it was now be-
lieved that the school house had been
set by the same person who set fire
to the town hall. Inspector Whar-
ton, of the insurance commission
er's Office, went to Holly Hill to work
the case up. After being there few
days he suspicioned Ransome Moor
er and Barnwell Cross, and they were
taken into custody and examined.
At first both boys denied any
knowledge of the fire, but finally
they broke down, confessed that
they had set both fires, and told all
about how they set them.
Every one was astounded, and
much sympathy was expressed for
the parents of the two little boys.
It seems that the boys did not like
their teacher, and had adopted this
plan of getting rid Of her. The fact
that the boys set both fires in broad,
open daylight, proves that they did
not realize the seriousness OF the
crime they were committing when
they set the fires. No doubt they
looked upon the matter as more OF a
frolic than crime.
Both of the little fellows have
been bound over to the court, and
the case will be taken up at the next
term. 1t is very regrettable affair,
and, as we said above, the parents
of the two boys have the sympathy
of all the people of Holly Hill and
surrounding country. This will be
severe lesson for the little boys, who
so deeply regret their acts, which was
done in a thoughtless manner, no
doubt. They are too young to know
the full gravity Of what they have
done, and it will be a source of re-
gret to. them the balance of their
lives when they fully realize it.-Or-
angeburg Times and Democrat.
Camden Hackman Shot.