The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1916-03-22
Just Twe.ty Three Years Ago
The article below is taken from ou
files of September 13, 1898.
A SCHIKEN TEEF.

The article below is taken from our
! files of September Is, 1898.
A sCHIKEN TEEF.
Stop thief: Stop thief! Bang! were
the sounds that rang out upen the still
ness of last Wednesday night in the vi.
cinity of the Baptist church. Imme-
diately afterwards the sounds of rapid
ly moving feet, and the putting and
blowing Of an almost out-of-breath man
was heard approaching The night
was dark, but the face attached to the
rapidly moving man was so pale that II
removed the darkness from around it
and exposed to full view one of Man.
ning's city officials. Close behind this
| feet but paled. faced official was anoth-
er citizen armed with an engine of
death, in the shape of a double barrel
shot gun. The race was swift and
short, as the pursued individual was
headed of and his pursurer caught him
with gun in his hand and blood in his
eye the man with the gun accused his
persurer of robbing his hen roost,
which brought forth an indignant de.
NAL in language more emphatic than
is usually used in ordinary converse
tion. The emphatic denial was intend
ed as a bluff, but when the man with
the gun persisted in the accusation.
the pa.e-faced and DOW excited official
swore that he had never been on his
accuser's premises, and with one hahd
raised and eyes imploringly rpllfted,
ne said, II neffer stole your schlkens,
I am the innercentese man in de town" "
All this did not avail him, because he
was not only seen at the chicken coop,
but he succeeded in carrying of one
chicken into the street and held it un-
til the gun fired, and then the bird got
too heavy, so he dropped it, that it
might not impede his getting out OF
the way. Policeman Higgins was
called to arrest the man, and he did so,
and was about.to put him in the guard
house when gentleman arranged with
another member OF the town council to
become responsible for his appearance.
The member of the council that con-
sented to release his fellow. official, did
so reluctantly, because Ae regarded it
as reflection upon the whole body to
have such an accusation brought
against colleague with almost posi-
tive evidence of guilt, and the only rea-
son for his consent, the accused official
protested his innocence so vehementlY
that he had hopes oft being case OF
mistaken identity, and that when
morning arrived the mystery might be
cleared. The evidence, however, was
almost positive, as one gentleman re-
cognized the accused party's voice
when the chicken was put in the bag,
the foul making a slight squall, the
thief was heard to say, ''Sh, sh, sh,
chicken"
But it seems that this lover Of the
feathsry tribe was not solitary and
alone in this chicken stealing venture.
Several confederates had he,I but when
they smiled danger in the air they gave
leg bail upon the principal OF every
man for himself and old Nick
take the hindmost, and as the party
caught has short pedal extremities and
considerable cospulency to carry, he
could not make haste fast enough to get
out of the sound of the bang that came
from his pursuer's gun, and being the
most conspicuous figure in the enter
prise, was the one caught.
After his release he went home, and
there, of course, he was forced to ex-
plain the cause of his being out so late.
his pale-faced, excited deneanor, and
his condition generally. Well. a tale
be there unfolded which would have
brought blush TO the face OF the biz
gest Munchausen in the world. HIS
innocent better half accepted the state
ment of her lord, because he was der
iruercentest man in der town. -
The next morning be got up and
werttc his place of business. AS soon
as he arrived atlhis store the man
across the street in the livery stable ln-
stead of greeting him with the usual
good morning, greeted him with,
.sHello, NJ. K. how is The chicken busl-
ness?" He rolled his eyes toward the
man across the street, and said, Dot
vas a lie, don't say schiken to me agln. !"
A little later in the day his son came
to the store and told his father what
the cook had told to the house., and
that mama says come home quick,
she wants to see you, and clean up the
breakfast Dishes" he replied to his
SOD, tell your mama l won't come to
breakfast. und not believe de lies de
cook vas telling her"
After the boy left 10 Russian cossack
ever cursed more in such a>short space
of time than did M. K. He paced up
and down in front of his store 10 deep
meditation, totally oblivious to all
passers-by, but when chicken IN
neighboring yard would cackle, he
would Jump in a startled manner and
mutter something in his native tongue,
which will have to be sent to the Car
OF Russia for translation.
While thus medisating over~the
event of the previous night, a deputy
sheriff armed with a warrant OF ar
rest called upon him and performed
his duty. He arrested Mr.. Kalisky uF-
on the charge OF stealing a chicken
from the hen-roost of Mr.. r, NJ. Dean.
The trial vas held IN the court house,
and OF course, the fact OF one OF Man
ning's merchants, and he TOO warden
of the town, being arrested on such a
serious charge, brought out a large
number Of persons. w. G. Davis. Esq.
representative accused and Maj. Abe
Levi the State. Trial Justice Tim
mons presided. A number OF witness.
es was examined, and the testimony
was in some respects clinching, but
fortunately the accused had for his
witnesses some of his confederaLes and
they swore their best to clear him
However, the defendant himself put
the finishing touches on the swearing
in his own behalf. He convinced the
court that be had never been on Mr.:
Deans yard, and that he did not steal
the "schiken." In short, he was der
innercentest man in town." The tes-
timony being conflicting created a
doubt cn the courts mind, and he dis
missed the prisoner.
The whole affair was huge joke,
and the parties in collusion with MIR.
Kaliskey put up the job. They did go
to Deans chicken house, but had first
,nl5 Mr Dean on5 the whole panp