Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-07-09

OVerpOwcring the mail
clerks, binding and gagging them, is
a feat any yeggman would be proud
to plead guilty to. That is what
Charles Stevenson did But after
fleeing with the plunder, burying it
and eluding capture for months, he
forgot the location Of the grave that
held the little fortune. 1t lay moul-
dering in the earth for a period Of
seven or eight years until a tornado
uncarthed it and 1T was returned to
its rightful owners, trick Of fate
which would drive even the most
Stolid yeggman to the verge Of sui
eide. This and other incidents al
most as stirring have been crowded
into the young but eventful life Of a
negro whom the police regard as one
OF the most remarkable criminals
they ever had to deal with, yet, per-
haps, he has served fewer years in
prisons for his offences against the
Federal government than any yegg-
man who was ever caught blowing a
safe.
Occupying a prominent place in
government criminal records will be
found the name Of Charles Steven
son, alias Charles Savage, alias Will
liam Scott, alias "Tom' Kelly.
Duly and chronologically inscribed
are the post Office robberies in which
he was concerned, to say nothing OF
the number of mail pouches he stole
from baggage trucks in railway sta
tions. Strange to say. in every case
these pouches contained registered
mail. 1t also is noted that Stevenson
is negro, exceptionally well edu-
Gated, surprisinly cleanly in his
habits, and the personifcation of
neatness when 'ho appears in public.
Other notations concerning his rec
ord emphasize the desperate charac-
ter of the man-,his penchant for
firearms and his skill in handling
them-and for the benefit of those
inspectors who might be seeking him
a warning is given to he always we'll
prepared, "for he can shoot quicker
than lightning and if you don't get
him he will get you"
\ Murderer ut Heart.
Inspectors who have had personal
encounters with the negro have made
these notations, while others were
scribbled on the record by the war
denS OF prisons where Stevenson was
incarCerated. All agree that he is a
"cleVer thief, a smart crook, but an
dlI-ipulIt Ddu man ana Il murderer at
heart"
Despite his good education and the
labOriOuS efforts OF an old mother to
instill in the son good principles,
Charles Stevenson fell in with evil
companions and seemingly all the
benefit he derived from his early
training was an aptitude to absorb
know ledge of those things which the
old mother had taught him to shun.
From early bOyhoOd the young negro
was in trouble. His appearance was
in his favor, for, born and reared in
the Far West. where the prejudice
against those of his race was nil, he
was always able to procure good and
rcmunCratiVe jobs. Yet, somehow,
these he never kept. for he invariably
found himself in not water, and when
not openly accused Of theft o. some
other crime equally nagrant the fin
ger OF suspicion pointed so accusingly
in his direction that lie was discharg-
ed from the service of those who
previously had been so kindly dis
posed toward him.
Soon realizing that Denver. his
nome city, was no safe place for him
10 remain, stevenson took to the
road, and 1T was not long before he
mad been taken into the inner circle
OF one o! the many hobo, or tramp,
camps that are to be found in the en-
Vlrons Of every big city, especially i'm
the West. From hobo to yegg was an
easy stride, and this gap Stevenson
bridged at a single bound, for very
soon after his flight from Denver the
police and post office inspectors de-
tailed to run down the band OF yegg-
men operating on post Office and bank
safes were in possession OF facts
which left no doubt in their minds
that Stevenson was one of the ring
leaders in many robberies that for
time puzzled them.
Uncle Sam Easy"
But Stevenson was as resourceful
as he was apt. He soon came to the
conclusion that safe blowing was a
risky business under the most favor
able auspices, and since Uncle Sam
proved such an easy victim where his
strong boxes were concerned he was
equally easy in other directions. Ste
Venson In his brief, but checkered ca
reer, mad been employed in the Den
yer post oti'ce. There he had an un-
usually good opportunity to observe
lhat more or less lax methods are
employed in handling mail in the big
railway terminals and way stations,
and that we're a thief so disposed he
could walk away with a registered
pouch with little or no trouble, and
If he was particularly shrewd he
could do. SO without arousing suspi-
cion until long after he had fed and
covered his flight.
For time Charlie worked alone.
He was so pleased with his success
In his new field of endeavor that he
did not see fit to take any one In his
confidence, for, among other reasons,
he was not inclined to divide loot so
easily procured single handed with