The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-03-19
rWO HONEA PATH MEN
FACE SERIOUS CHARGE
John and Kenneth Gosset, Cousins,
Lodged in Penitentiary for Safe
Keeping After Arrest.

The State.
John Gossett and Kenneth Cos
set, young white men arrested yes
terday in Greenville and Honea Path,
respectively, on the charge of Grim
inally assaulting two young white
women in Abbeville last Sunday,
were brought to Columbia late last
night and lodged in the state peni-
tentiary for safekeeping. The young
men admit having been in Abbeville
last Sunday and taking the two
young girls out riding. The boys are
first cousins. Kenneth Gossett is the
younger Of the two, being about 21
years of age, but is married, John
Gossett bears a good reputation in
his community.
The Gossett boys were placed in
the same cells occupied the previous
two days by James B. Wallace and
Lee Bourne, young men from Green
wood, who were arrested in connec-
nection with this case last Sunday
night, but released. yesterday after
the young women had declared posi-
!! lively that Wallace and Bourne were
not their assailants.
Kenneth Gossett, whose assault is
said to have been successful, claims
that he did not get out of the auto
mobile. John says he walked back
up the road short distance to Long
Cane bridge with the other girl,
where the car was first stopped.
When the latter two came back the
girl who remained behind in the car
with Kenneth, the other girl says,
came running down the road crying,
"He has ruined me-" Kenneth de-
MED last night that he had made fur
ther advances than laying his hands
on the young woman.
The two boys, both of whom give
the appearance of being in their
teens were brought to Columbia by
C. J. Bruce, deputy marshal of the
western district, and S. L. Cam,
deputy sheriff of Abbeville county,
who made the arrests. These two Of
ficers have been tireless in their per-
sistent and successful work. 1t was
not until late Tuesday night that
they got definite description of the
two assailanrs. By 6 o'clock yester-
day morning Kenneth Gossett had
been placed under arrest at his home
in Honea Path and John Gossett had
been arrested at a hotel in Green
vile, where he had registered under
the name of John Brown. Both vera
taken Immediately to Anderson. The
Young women, who were on their way
home from Columbia on the morning
train, left the train at Hodges and
were driven directly to Anderson
through the country and there iden-
tilted the young men.
James B. Wallace and Lee Bourne,
young men from Greenwood, who had
been arrested late Sunday night un-
der this charge and brought to the
state penitentiary for safekeeplng,
were released yesterday about II.
o'clock, after the young women had
stated positively that the two men
then in Columbia were not their as
sailants. The release was ordered
by Governor Cooper as soon as ne
had been authorized to do so by
Homer S. Blackwell of Laurens, So
licitor of the Eighth circuit.
The arrest of the Gossett boys
was effected under difficulties. John
is said to have been spirited away
from Honea Path by friend. AS
soon as this friend returned to
Honea Path, Deputies Bruce and
Cam caught the man who had taken
John Gossett away and compelled
him to tell where he had left him. Mr..
Cam was taken to Greenvllle and dl-
rected to the hotel where the young
man had been left and the name
given under which the young man
had registered. Mr.. Cam then pro-
ceeded with his prisoner to Ander-
son, where Mr.. Bruce had taken Ken
meth Gossett. The two officers, fwho /
brought the prisoners to Columbia
last night praised the mayor and the
chief Of police of Honea Path, who
cooperated with them in their efforts
The young women were on their
way to church Sunday AFTERNOON
wher they were accosted by the Cos
sett boys and invited to ride. In
STOOD of e+onpipo at the church. they