The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1913-07-24
GOURD|NS YOUNG MAN
GOES WRONG.

GOES WRONG
COMMITTED SEVERAL ROBBER
les AND RUNS AWAY--CAP-
TURED IN CHARLESTON.
After having repeatedly denied he
committed the offense, while being
grilled by Chief of Police Cantwell
Saturday night, following his arrest,
J P Gist, a young white man of
Gourdins, yesterday broke down,
when confronted by those he robbed
and admitted the truth of the charges
against him. AS a result of the rob.
berry, which involved three different
people, two of the thefts may not
cause him trouble, as it is thought
that the case which the United States
authorities have against him of rob-
bing the postofice will send him to
the Federal penitentiary.
United States Commissioner War
ing yesterday swore out an affidavit
charging Gist with larceny of a bag
of money from Postmaster A L
Chandler of the Gourdins office. The
money lost by the country postmas-
ter is said to be about $25. The ex-
act figures cannot be obtained, as
Mr. Chandler has to check up his
books before he can tell the amount
to penny. The bag and part OF
the money, as well as a railroad tick
ct and q suit of clothes, which Gist
also confesses to stealing, have been
recovered by the police, and all but
the money returned. The coin will
be used as evidence in the case
against the victim.
The story Of the robbery and Gist' q
arrest later in Charleston is interest
ing. The facts Of the robbery, which
shows nerve on the part Of Gist, was
unknown on the part of the police
until yesterday, when Messrs 0 w
Mcknight, ticket agent; A L Chan
dler, postmaster, and @ c Parson, a
clerk of the Gourdin Mercantile COM
pany, appeared at the police station
and in the presence of Gist, told OF
the way in which the man had abus-
ed the confidence placed in him. The
three young men paid Chief Can't
we'll compliment on the quick ar
rest of Gist; the arrest was made by
the chief himself.
Gist was apprehended just as ne
stepped from one of the coaches OF
an Atlantic Coast Line train at the
union station Saturday night about
1920 o'clock. A wire was received
in Superintendent Murehison's office,
about ten minutes before the train
arrived, from o w Mcknight, A C. L
agent at Gourdins, giving a meagre
description of Gist and the offense on
which he was wanted. Chief Clerk
Mcdonald, of Superintendent Muir.
chison's office, Immediately notified
Policeman White, on duty in the sta
ton, and Chief Cantwell by phone.
When the message was received at
headquarters, Chief Cantwell had
but three minutes to make the trip
to the station. He jumped into his
machine and was rushed around to
the station. AS he walked into the
station the train had just come to a
standstill, and Gist was spotted by
both Chief Cantwell and Policeman
White from the meagre details of the
mars attire and the fact that he car
ried two grips. The man was ac-
costed and calmly admitted to Chief
Cantwell that he was Gist and that
he had come from Gourdins. He was
then told that he was under arrest
constructions fromAgentMcknigh
At the station house he was search
ed and put through a grill. On his
person was found a number of artl-
cles, a 32-calibre pistol, small bag
containing $1S.45 in change, also
$7.79 loose in his pockets and a rail-
road ticket. good for one fare from
Gourdins to Charleston. He was
asked if he stole the money and tick
ct and denied that he did, stating
that he was innocent of any charge.
He was tangled, however, in the
grill regarding the bag which con-
tanned the money.
AS nothing of any consequence
was learned, Gist was lodged for the
night pending the arrival of the men
from Gourdins, who claim to be his
victims.
Yesterday afternoon the three
young men appeared at the police
station and told their tale to Chief
Cantwell, who afterward had Gist