The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1920-03-25
HONEA PATH MEN
ON SERIOUS CHARGE
JOHN AND KENNETH GOSSETT,
LODGED IN PENITENTIARY.
Admit Being With Girls.
Charged With Assaulting Two Young
Women of Observation-Disclosures
and Bourne Released.

white men arrested yesterday
in Greenville and Honea Path,
respectively, on the charge of crimi-
nally assaulting two young white wo-
men in Abbeville last Sunday were
brought to Columbia late last night
and lodged in the state penitentiary
for safekeeping. The young men ad-
nit 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-
ton with this case last Sunday night,
but released yesterday after the
young women had declared positively
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 denied last
night that he had made further ad-
vances 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 T. L Cam,
deputy sheriff af Abbeville county,
who made the arrests. These two
officers have been tireless in their per-
sistent and successful work. 1t was
not until late Tuesday night that they
got a definite description of the two
assailants. By 6 o'clock yesterday
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 Grown. Both were
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
| we're driven directly to Anderson
through the country and there identl-
| fed the young men.
James B. Wallace. and Lee Bourne
young men from Greenville, who had
been arrested late Sunday night un-
der this charge and brought to the
state penitentiary for safekeeping,
were released yesterday about IL
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 he mad
been authorized to do so by Homer S.
Blackwell, of Laurens, solicitor 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
ne QdQ LdhGu JOiu oioooS1S' >'A~ .
Cam was taken to Greenville and dl-
rected to the hotel where the young
man had been left and the name CIV
en- under which the young man had
registered. Mr.. Cam then proceeded
with his prisoner to Anderson, where
Mr.. Bruce had taken Kenneth Cos
sett. The two officers who brought
the prisoners to Columbia last night
praised the mayor and and the chief
of police of Honea Path, who cooper
ated with them in their efforts.
The young women were on their
way to church Sunday afternoon when
they were accosted by the Gossett
boys and invited to ride. Instead of
stopping at the church they drove on
into the country.
Asked last night if the girls re-
quested that they be let out at the
church, Kenneth Gossett said they