Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1915-08-19
GARTER, THE PARK PROMOTER.
arrested AND Il. COUNTY JAIL.
Wanted in Philadelphia in $4,000
Game; Midway Park Closed; AnOth-
er Chapter in Mysterious Shooting,

L
right here where am, said A. Arthur
Carter, owner and promoter of the
Midway Amusement park, who was
taken into custody by Sheriff Drake at
the instigation of Lieutenant Detec-
five John L. Lynch of Philadelphia
last Saturday night.
Just as soon as can get in touch
with my bondsman and attorney UP
North, said Carter ia the county Jail
to a newspaper man, ssI'u get out of
here for two or three days and run up
there and arrange matters and come
back, for 1 am going to run the Mid
way and own it and make my home
right here in Hendersonville."
Lieutenant Lynch arrived Saturday
afternoon and late at night Carter
was placed in jail, the officer having
on him papers charging Carter with
being one of party Of three to de.
fraud ]. Ellis Hess, a sixty-five year
old farmer near Philadelphia, of $1O,--
900 in confidence game on May 2S,
1914.
Detective Lynch says that the three
men we're under aggregate bonds of
$4,000 and that Carter's case has
been called a number of times and
that his bond was forfeited III De-
cember. Meanwhile, the officer says,
Carter has passed under assumed
names in Cuba, Florida, Louisville,
Asheville and Hendersonville.
Carter Optimistic.
Carter was very optimistic and in a
talkative mood Monday when seen by
the newspaper man. He was conf
Of Nxy11o
by he would be able to affect his re-
lease in order that he might conduct
his amusement park which opened on
Friday night previous to his arrest on
Saturday night Some of the officers
regard Carter's release as a remote
possibility. officer Lynch is not in
sisting upon eXtradition papers but
wants to be sure that Carter will not
be released when the local authorities
are through with him.
When asked if he considered his ar
rest "frame-up.' Carter replied that
he had nothing to say against anybody
for everything would come out to the
good.
Embarrassing Situation.
Since Carter's imprisonment things
have become a little more embarrass-
for him. He had hoped to keep his
Midway running but the troupe that
came in Monday morning is under
stood to have refused to make amuse-
ment for the Midway visitors without
a guarantee deposit, therefore the
park was dark on Monday night.
The grounds were opened Friday
night with a vaudeville company max
lots of fun and moving pictures free
as a side attraction. The crowd was
kept waiting until midnight, when
John Gallagher of Cincinnati made two
unsuccessful attempts at ballooning
resulting in being knocked into an
unconscious condition when his para
chute dropped him to the ground. The
hrst attempt at a flight proved that
the balloon was not sufficiently in
fated with gas so it went up about
sixty feet and returned to earth and
the second attempt took the balloon
away but the parachute was discon-
nected just as the areonaut was jerk
ed from the ground and the fall
knocked him into unconscious state
from which he soon recovered.
The park grounds were crowded
with people on Friday and Saturday
nlght and many of them were looking
forward to merriment on succeeding
nights, but fate closed the park al
a late hour Saturday night. Jusi
arrangements will be made for contin
nance is unknown
Gambling aISi Shooting Cases.
Just how and when Carter will dis
entangle himself from the law is un'
known. He is charged with being {
I'arty to a small gambling game re
Gently and is under a $50 bond &
will be recalled that it was at Car
ter's home that the mysterious shoot
ing took place at night for which foul
persons are in the county Jail, anC
that Carter is said to have shot Alber
Thompson from his window after tht
latter had shot Ed Mills at the Cartel
residence.
Albert Thompson, Aiken, Mitchell
Criss Woodfin and S. G.. Leonard arC
in the county jail awaiting prelimi
nary hearing when the condition .
Ed Mills, who was seriously wounded
in the stomach by pistol shot, war
rants his testifying in the case. Tht
four persons in jail called at the Car
ter home and according to informa
ton at hand, started the trouble b.
firing on Mills, after which Carter il
said to have fired at Thompson, from
his window on the second floor.
Carter has given the officers consid
cradle information about the case
which yet remains a mystery as to ;
motive for the shooting and Carter
friends are inclined to believe that tn
friends of the four alleged gunsme1
have busted themselves to dispose o
Carter's presence by getting him on
OF the State, but Carter would not c
a newspaper man call this a frame
up exceDt by inuendo
Interesting Developments Expected.
The public has been expecting Car
ter to reveal some inside information
rs to motive for the shooting an
since he has been imprisoned there i
uncertainty as to just what develop
ments will take place.
II.