Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-07-23

H@1k4e4k4aH[J post Office 'robberies
kNASSNSASJAH and rs many banks,
<S~s-%2ESsSAS~ the safes OF which
Welded in the neighborhnd Of $780,
600, Walter" sometimes known as
Gus DE Ford, stands pre-eminent in,
the ranks Of those yeggmen he has,
led IN his many raids Dn strong
boxes in the United States and Can
ada Ever handy with his gun, he
has shot his way to freedom a score
of times, and such tribes :as shooting
down or binding and gaGging those
watChmen who surprised mim While
at work are so numerous as to have
long since palled on this nrch-crimi-
nal. il&esourceful, INSCRIPTIONS,
cruel ITO IA degree and rs fearless as
ne is cunning. h" Stands 'Dut as pos
seSsing every attribute necessary to
successful yeggman. F1e has fire.
quently served time, but in proper
ton to Iho crimes committed he has
sacrificed but very small percent
age Of his liberty.
Scanning "Walter's7 description
and record as they appear On file in
the office of the Chief Post Ohice In
spector at Washington, we find the
following:
"Walter,' Gus De Ford, aliases c.
NJ. De Ford, Gus b. Ford, w. p. Hor-
ton. w. p. Thornton, G. G.. Carter,
Lawrence Cockerell, Walter Bailey,
William r. Smith, Gus, 1hGk and
Buggsey.
His Description.
''Thirty-five years, five feet seven
inches in stockings, weight 135
pounds. hair chestnut, eyes hazel,
good teeth, one or two solid gold
teeth upper right side, also gold fill
ings;, long nose; build medium, .ra-
Their erect, except shoulders and
head slightly stopped. Cut scar on
forehead, right of center, extending
from hair downward, showing a deep
indentation at lower end of fore
head. Cut scar, about one inch 10"g,
at lower edge of left jaw, near chin;
flesh colored mole or wart at centre
scars OF left forearm. Usually
dresses we'll. often wears diamond
ring, sometimes "A diamond Scarfpin
and usually carries gold watch.
THE more important post office
robberies he has been concerned in
include: RoweSville, S. c.: Kings
MJu ntain and Brevard, n. c.; Pros
perity, :. c.; Fort Mills, S. c.. Emo
rec, S. c.; Waverly, Va; Columbia.
Va; Apex and Youngsville, n. c.;
Office near Norfolk, Va; Christians
burg, Va; West Point, Va; two
Offices near Boston Mass; Canton
Junction and Hopedale, Mass; Marsh
field, VT.
Some Of his other robberies in
clude Branscom, Canada, bank; En-
oree, s. c., cotton mill ONCE; Port
Norfolk, Va, car barn; Spring Hope,
n. c., bank; McColl, S. c., bank;
Forest City, n. c., bank; Denmark,
S. c., bank; Brunson, S. c., bank;
Boydton and Wakefield Cor Wav-
erly), Va, bank; Amherst, Va,
bank; Bowling Green, Va, County
Treasurer's office: Cleveland, Tenn,
cotton mill office; Rocky Mount,
Va, bank; Slatersville, r. l., and
Amherst, Mass, banks; Quincy,
Mass, ice company's office, and Mid
dleboro, Mass, -four mill and laun-
dry"
From the foregoing it can he sur
missed that "Walter" has led a fairly
active life, and Judging from the
amount OF plunder he procured, first.
last and all the time, it is surprising
that he is so modest in his sartorial
effects as to confine his personal
adorn mcnt to two gold teeth and a
diamond ring and stickpin and a sin
gle watch.
His Closest Call.
II was at Port Norfolk, Va, that
Walter had his narrowest escape.
Had he been captured in the general
fight that followed, chances are the
Infatuated posse would have swung
him to nearby lamppost, that his
staring eyes could rest upon the
PROSTATE forms Of those who lay
wounded unto death by bullets from
the yeggmen's pistols. Walter, like
many OF h!s ilk, had been skulking
in one OF the many yoggmen dives
with which Norfolk is infested. The
owners Of these dens always well
coined with open arms these rural
burglars. for they realized that men