The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-06-04
WORKED UP CASES AGAINST
ALLEGED BLIND TIGERS
OF THE CITY
N UBIAN ROCKED
Negro Wko Bought Liquor for
Detectives Had To Hurry To
Get Aboard the Train

~ -. <AohouiH, d ueteCtlVe working
for some bureau in Columbia, was in
the city yesterday returning from
Seneca where he had been working UP
up some cases against alleged blind
lgers. Mr.. Ashburn reports that the
hospitality OF the city was very limited
Tor the people up that way seemed in
hurry to speed the parting guest-a,
least that was the case with him. He
and his brother had been working on
the cases and had used negro to as,
sist them. This negro was very muc!i
In evid ence, It appears, at the trial O.
the cases and when the detectives and
their nubian were boarding the Blue
Ridge for Columbia the committee Oh
hospitality was there in force, yes,
force Is the word, according to the dc,
tectives. for that was the pleasant
parting that they gave to the negro,
there being some rock and other mis-
siies mixed in with the parting salute.
The Seneca Farm and Factory has
the following interesting account of
the visit Of the detectives:
Coming to Seneca under assumed
names and securing evidence by ques-
tionable methods. ]. l.. and L. W. Ash
burn, detectives" and Robert Young,
q negro assistant. had five negroes in
rolice court this morning under tho
charge OF selling liquor. Two OF the
defendants were found mot guilty.
while three were given heavy fines BY
Mayor J. G. Harper. yl;%l'
George Hicks who conducts n res
taurant on East Main street, plead
guilty and was fined $50 or 30 days on
the public works Joe Wilson and Ella,
Bryant were turned loose. though the
evidence was practically the same as
other cases. Fea-l Vito and .!uIia
Starks were fined s25 or 70 davs each.
Julia Starks, has appealed 10 the cir
cult court and 1t is frcely predictc1
| that she will be- freed wien the case II
trid at the next term of cdurs.
The negro assistant was the only
material witness ip the five cases. in
four OF the cases he swnrc that he
purchased liquor from the defendants
| in much the same manner. 1t was his
plant to have Officer Joe Bclo'.e, Of the
night police force. search him before
he called on his intended victim The
officer swore each time that he found
no liquor on him. Then the negro
would go to the party suspected OF
| selling liquor. Each time when he re-
| turned Mr.. Belotte again searched him
| and found bottle
Mayor Harper considered the >evi-
dence gotten In this manner aid ny
| th6e methods sufficient to convict
| three of the negroes. Several negroes
| swore that tho detectives" evidence
was. false. but the mayor sided with
the black sleuth.
The Ashburn brothers came to Sene.
ca last week under the names Of Davis
| and Wesley and distributed posters ov-
er town saying they were moving pic
ture skowmen and would open. the.
ture In town July a. They have been
doing similar work in various towns
| during the past few months.
Members Of council. acting upon
suggestion from Mayor Harper It ia
said. decided to employ them at the
Sast monthly, meeting. What their
salary is is not given to the public.
1t Is said that they were working on
| commission plan. The police force
has been very inactive In catching IL
ltctt liquor dealers for some time. Dr-
Ing the past several months 1t has been
rare thing that blind tigers were
hauled before the mayor.
None OF the negroes In court this
morning employed lawyes. The. Ash
burn brothers and Policeman Pace
were free in their advice to Mayor
Harper as to what evidence wac COM
petent and which parts should be
omitted. When the ignorant negroes
tried TO tell where Robt. Young, tho
so-called detective" was misstating
the facts they were cut short and told
to stick to ".the case" Young's testi--
mony was accepted throughout as the
whole truth by the court and the con-
victtons found solely on his evidence,
DOWN WITH AUTOMOBILES