The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1913-10-22
NO CASE AGAINST
CHESTER BOYS
Accused Of Taking Part I'm Robbery
mt Parr Shoals but Found Not Gull

WIlhSuOIO, OClODeT lo.-lne pre-
liminary i'm the case OF the State
against j. B. Fraser, Jr., and Bissell
Bigham, of Chester, charged with rob-
bing the paynaster OF $4,000, at Parr
Shoals. was held today before Magis-
trate f.. x. Mann, and resulted in the
magistrate holding that there was a
failure on the grant OF the prosecution
to make out a probable case against
the defendants who therefore, were
discharged
The attorneys for the defence ex-
pectod to have the hearing in Winng-
boro and large crowd had gathered
to hear teh testimony, when w. H.
Lyles, attorney for the prosecution,
made the point that Magistrate Mann
was without jurisdiction to hear the
case in No. township, when he was
magistrate of No. 1 township.
He was sustained in this motion by
the magistrate and the officer stated
he would go within his territory and
have the preliminary.
At 3 o'clock the crowd assembled at
Ashford's Cross Roads, 10 miles south
west Of Winnsboro, and the case was
called.
The prosecution offered only the tes-
timony Of III. w. Mahan, paymaster
of the j. G.. White Company and A. II.
Hancock, camp boss of the construc-
ton camp at Parr Shoals. Mr.. Mahan
testified in substance as follows:
Paymastcr's Testimony.
He was on train No. - that left CO.
lumbia about l.20 o'clock and that he
arrived at Parr Shoals at 2:3O o'clock,
that it was after he had reccipted for
the money and started towards the
camp that he saw three men with
blackened faces; that they came up
and ordered the negro, Bill Renger, to
beat it, and drop the money he car
ried in canvas bag. The men. he said
shot twice over his head and shot Joy
ner in the hip, when he moved his
hand toward his hip pocket. The wit
ness could not identify the persons,
but stated one of the men was of the
build Of Fraser and one about the
size of Bigham. Witness would not
swear either of them was the guilty
party.
Says Recognized Them.
Mr.. Hancock testified to having seen
Fraser on the works at Parr Shoals in
February and June and saw Bgham in
the month of June; that he was about
eleven feet away when he saw three
men near the mail crane and heard
them hollering at the paymaster and
his assistants. Their faces were black
ened, he said, but the disguise had
rubbed off their hands and he knew
they We're white men. Witness said
he recognized Bigham as the man on
the right when they came up to him.
and the stout man in the centre as
Fraser Witness said he went to Ches-
ter and after staying there four or five
days took a seat in Wylie and Ander-
sons stables, whore he was told he
would probably see the man he was
looking for. He said he thought Mr..
Wylie knew whom he was looking for
because he was in Chief of Police
Sanders Office and heard the purpose
OF his trip. Witness recognized Fraser
When he came through the stable.
Would Swear to Identity.
Asked the question whether he told
his employer that Fraser was the per-
son who held thdm up, the witness
answered he had not. Said saw
BiSham in an eating house and that
Bigham went out when he came in
and left his meal. Witness stated he
would swear positively that Fraser and
Bigham were two of the persons who
held the men up, regardless of what
number of citizens of Chester would
say as to their being in Chester at the
time the robbery was committed.
The attorneys representing the de-
PENDANTS were j. f. Mcdonald, S. ]
MacFadden, Gyles Patterson, A. l.
Castor and Malcolm Marion. After
the decision was announced the large
number Of Chester citizens who had
journeyed to the hearing in automo.
biles applauded the magistrate and a
number shook his hand.
Box supper at Bailey School.
y box supper will be given at the