Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-12-16
WALHALLA. SOUTH CAROLINA,
JOHN DOE is BROUGHT BACK.
Had Only Short Time to Enjoy His
Stolen Liberty.


jail.
He left the Jail Tuesday afternoon,
and early Thursday morning he was
back home"-that is, in the county
jail-but instead of having the lib
erty Of the Jail corridors hereafter,
he will remain in one of the steel
cages.
John Doe had hard time getting
away from Walhalla. Everybody
like the town, of course, but he is
the first person we ever heard Of who
tried to get out Of town and couldn't
make it. Doe left Walhalla, going
in southwesterly direction. He
soon turned due east to Flat Rock
negro church, and then through the
mill village, up the railroad and in
| short time was back to the negro
hosiery mill, half a block from the
jail beginning poinD; he theu
turned and went down the railroad
| as far as the overhead bridge at the
West Union oil mill. He again re-
traced his steps and soon found him
self on Main street, in Walhalla. He
saw countryman unhitching to
leave for his home, and Doe asked
the gentleman to let him ride, and
as it happened the man was headed
toward North Carolina, but Doe
didn't know it. He saw the blue hills
in the distance, and by getting a ride
of a few miles to the north Doe got
his bearings, and while Sheriff Davis
and others were securing all around
the outlying country trying to find
John Doe, John Doe was doing his
level best to get away from Wal
halla.
After leaving his benefactor (the
gentleman with the wagon) some
miles out, Doe took the road afoot,
passing by Lays Mill and out
through the Tamassee section, hit
ting it up for North Carolina. We
have not been informed, but it seems
that Doe must have spent Tuesday
night in the Lay Mil section.
During Wednesday morning, how
ever, some parties coming to Wal
halla on business, hearing a de-
scription of Doe, reported that they
had met such man in the Tamassee
section. This WAS reported to
Mrs. Davis, wife of the sheriff,
who endeavored at once to locate her
husband, but found it impossible to
do SO at the time. However, she
was not willing to risk a wait, and
she soon had the Bheriff's brother,
Joe Davis, and Fred Brown hiking it
by auto into the mountains, hot on
John Does trail.
After hot run of several hours
the two pursuers came upon a trav-
eler, who reported that he had seen
the man they described. For several
miles the auto sped on and on, but
no John Doe. Finally a home was
reached Doe was inquired after.
Yes, he had been there, begged for
his supper, and asked to stay all
u.
gentleman reported that Doe was al
most exhausted, and said he could
not get mach further. He also told
them where to find an unoccupied
house. They left their auto and
proceeded to catch Doe afoot. After
walking about two miles they found
an unoccupied house. Footprints
told that Doe had been to It and in
Vestigated. Joe Davis and Brown
we're told that another vacant house,
In which hay and shucks were stored
was two miles further on. They pro-
ceeded to vacant house No. 2, and
there, soundly sleeping the sleep of
the unjust, swathed in an abundance
of hay, which he had in some man
ner wound himself into, using this as
a substitute for a comfortable
blanket. they found Doe, whom
they had to call loudly before he
could be awakened. The hand-cuffs
were placed on him before he was
awakened
The capture was made in the vi
cinity Of the old Birch post office.
| Doe thought he was in North Caro-
lima and inquired of the officers If
they had requisition papers. He was
informed that he was in Oconee, and
came back willingly with the captors.
He was pretty well ragged out from
his long trip and continued wander
! ing In the hill country The arrest