Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-07-14
LOOKING HIM over
Rock Hill Officer Gives a Line On
Alleged Master Crook.
SAID TO BE COLLEGE GRADUATE

Pays Big Income Tax from Profits in
Booze and Other Law Violations
Watches after Henchmen Carefully
and Furnishes Bond Money and At
torney's Fees-Too Smoothe and
SkIlful to Allow Himself to be
Brought into Limelight.
Two denizens of Rock Hilps jungle
sat on trial in the court Of general
sessions in Yorkville the other day.
In the court room were n number Of
their relatives and their friends. In
terested in their case were several fell
lows who had been mixed with them
at different times in other scrape3
ranging from liquor selling to robbery.
Occasionally the two defendants
glanced back beyond the rail separat
| ing the audience from the enclosure
reserved for court officials and pris-
oners. There were occasional flashes
of recognition--winks of the eye and
otler little signs Of understanding.
Among those who occupied one of the
front seats reserved for auditors and
witnesses was a big husky, rather
athletic looking chap. His was a
rather fashy appearance. There was
something of the sport about him.
Among his other little worries and
uncaGinesses evident from his manner
was the fear that his trousers might
get out of crease. -
1t was hot in the court room. The
big fellow famed himself occasionally
with his straw hat. Frequently he
cast his gaze across the room, nodding
and smiling here and there. Most OF
the mods and smiles and mental df-
rections were for witnesses connected
with the case in which the court was
engaged. His gaze was returned by
those on whom he had centered. In
most instances it was a gaze or look
Of respect returned him-a silent ac-
acknowledgements of allegiance to
master of superior intellect and INTEL
| ligence.
His. History.
An officer who has long had HIS
headquarters in Rock Hill, remarked
to the reporter:
See, the big fellow who is evidently
so keen about everything going on
around here?"
"Yep." was the reply ,nl ~ Ep6,
We'll that chap is the king OF Rock
Hills underworld. He's the king bee,
the high cockalorum Of all the crooks
and tough characters with whom the
town is infested. He is the brains OF
all the wops and low-brows, the man .
to whom they all turn when they are
caught in any kind OF scrape, no mat
ter what it is. He is the fellow that .
all the police officers of Rock Hill
have to watch out for and have to
down."
A Crafty Mind.
Sounds interesting" commented
the reporter. Just like a moving
picture serial-the Iron Hand or some
thing like that. By the way, won't
you page Nick Carter or Sherlock
Holmes?" - Y.-
IT'S fact, all right" returned the
officer. That fellow back there is
more interested in the acquittal of
these two fellows here on trial thar
they are. He is the fellow who Is put
ting up the money to pay their. law.
yer. OF course the lawyers don't
know that. 1t will be paid them by
the two accused; but the big fellow in
the back will furnish the money. He
it is who has rounded up their wit
ncsses and you will notice that he
seems to be very much interested"
"Oh come on" returned the report
er, you Rock Hill folks can't pull big
city stuff like that"
I'm not proud of it, understand"
replied the officer. "But 1t is fact. I
have spent many a sleepless night
trying to out guess that big fellow
back there. He's a wonder, We know
that he is putting devilment into the
heads of others all the time. We
know that he is selling great quanti-
ties of liquor through others and we
know that he has much to do with
getting women of the underworld in
and out of Rock Hill. But it seems to
be impossible to fasten him with any
thing at any time.
A College Graduate.
Hes been in Rock Hill for several
years now," continued the officer, go
ing into the fellows history bit. He's
a college graduate, l understand-an
alumnus Of a prominent Virginia COL
lege. He got out OF service in the
World war by acting as a secret agent
for big manufacturing concern in the
east engaged in making munitions of
war. He has done considerable detec-
tive work over the country and have
understood that he has done similar
work abroad
He has a little business in Rock
Hill, which he runs as a kind of blind
or stall. His principal business, how
ever, is organizing blind tigers and
runners for underworld women. Re-
ceipts from his legitimate business
couldn't be more than forty or fifty