Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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G THE WEEKLY LEDGER: GAFFNEY, S. C., MAY 7, 1896 f ,J2Q ,^ 0 %« [“A/Sooep. 0 ^ Ewdencl'’ UE ^Wl2ARrj”ETf s ^>' Coptric-st, 1335. er <3 p Putnam’s mms.. “Wait, my friends; wo are not tiwougn yet. The woman wh6 had robbed mo bad tho supremo audacity to report her loss, or perhaps we should say that she was so angry that sho became desper ate. I have reason to believe that t ho had an accomplice in this man, and that suspecting him of robbing her sho would have been willing to give testi mony against him if caught and trust to escape herself by turning state’s ovi- douco. When we were running in to Now York, Mr. Barnes directed that all ■hould bo searched. I enjoyed that, I assure you. it seemea so amusing to look in Now York for what I know was in New Haven. At the same time I was anxious to get back to Now Haven as quickly as possibla With that end in view I invited Mr. Barnos to breakfast with me. I tried to muko it appear that I was anxious to have him agree to bo tho only detective on my track, but in reality I wished to discover whether ho would bo able at once to place a spy at my hools; that is, whether ho had a man at the Grand Central already. This 1 found was tho caso. I therefore was obliged to go to my hotel as though having no dosiro to leave town again. Thou subsequently I eluded this man b) ihe convenient bridges across the elevated railroad. I went to New Ha ven, found tho satchel, and then depos ited it at a hotel near by for safe keep ing. My object in this was plain. J. knew that the robbery would get into the newspapers, and that by behaving suspiciously at tho hotel—of course, I was disguised—attention would be at tracted there. This did happen, and tho result was that tho jewels were given J'lto tho custody of the police authori ties, tho very safest place for them, so far as I was concerned. Gentlemen, that is the story of tho crime which I com mitted. I have only to show my receipt from the Boston custom house and my bill of sale from tho Paris dealer to be able to recover my property. Arc you satisfied, Mr. Randolph?” “Entirely. You have won fairly, and I have a chock fur the amount with me, which you must accept with my con gratulations upon your success. ” “I thank you very much,” said Mr. Mitchcl, taking tho check. “I take this because I have immediate use for it, as you will learn directly. Now I must tell you the true story of the other rob bery. ” At this all were very much astonish ed. Mr. Thauret appeared a trilio nerv ous. He placed one hand over tho top of his claret glass, and let it rest there a moment, after first having taken a sip from it, “You all recall the fact that I was sick in Philadelphia,” continued Mr. Mitchcl, “at the time of the Ali Baba festival. I flatter myself that that was the most artistic thing that I have done throughout this whole affair. Any one eeeing mo would have been satisfied that I was truly ill, yet, in point of fact, my cough was brought on by drugs administered to mo by my physician at my express desire, and for purposes which I had explained to him. I guess ed that I had been followed to Philadel phia and took care that I should not bo too closely watched, as Mr. Barnes knows. Yet I expected that after tho affair Mr. Bames himself would eumo to Philadelphia to see rue, and my arti ficially produced illness was to bailie him. But I am anticipating events. After tho train robbery tl o woman was murdered. By what seemed an odd chauco sho was in tho same house where my wife then lived. I knew that I had been followed from tho theater to that house on tho night of tho murder. I knew that other circumstances pointed strongly to my guilt. But I had tho ad vantage over the detective, for I knew that tho man who had stolen the jew els from the woman, uot finding them when ho returned to New Haven, must have beeu furious. Judging tho woman by himself, ho would suppose that at least it was possible that she had taken them from the satchel herself. Then ou that slim chance might ho not havo re turned to tho woman, and, admitting tho theft of tho satchel, have endeavor ed to muko her confess that sho still had tho Jewels? Failing in this, might ho uot cither in a fit of anger or to pre vent her from ‘peaching,’as they call It, hove cut her throat?” “You aro wrong there, Mr. Mitchel,” said the detective. “Tho womau was killed while she slept. There was no struggle. “ “Even so, we can Imagine tho sneak going into the house aud killing her that ho might search for the gems un disturbed, aud also to rid himself of a companion for whom ho no longer hud any need. At least, that was tho view that I took of it, and, more than that, I felt convinced that I know flic man. ” At this moment Mr. Thauret nervous ly reached forth his hand toward his glass of wine, but before he could get it Mr. Barnes had taken it up and drained it to tho bottom. Mr. Thauret seemed livid with wrath, and a dramat ic incident occurred, unobserved by tho rest of the company. Mr. Thauret turn ed toward Mr. Barnes and seemed on the point of making a demonstration, when that gentleman just tipped buck his chair slightly, and meaningly ex posed to tho view of his neighbor the gleaming barrel of a revolver, which ho hold in Iji^Jiund below tho table. This only ocoupu'd a moment, and immodi- atelr . fT«rAurd both men Memed. like tho others, simolv Interested listeners to tne narrative. “When I say that I thought that I know tho man,” continued Mr. Mitch el, “I make a statement which it may interest you to havo me explain. In tho first place, I saw tho follow who hid the satchel at tho New Haven depot Still I obtained but a momentary glimpse of his faco and would uot havo been suro of identifying him. I will call your at tention now to tho fact that very slight incidents sometimes load tho mind into a suspicion, which, followed up, may elucidate a mystery. Prior to the train robbery I had met a man at my club one night, or rather I had seen him playing a card game, and I conceived tho notion that tho fellow was cheating. “Within a few days of tho robbery I met this man again, ou which occasion Mr. Barnos was present, and an inter esting conversation occurred. I was standing aside, pretending to bo other wise engaged, hut really puzzling over tho faco of this man, which now seemed to mo strikingly familiar. Of course I had seen him at tho club, yet despite mo there was an intuitive feeling that I had seen him elsewhere also. In a mo ment I heard him admit that ho had been aboard of tho train on tho night of tho rubbery, aud that ho had been tho first one searched. Awhile later he of fered to wagf r Mr. Barnes that various theories which had been advanced as to the thief's method of secreting tho jew els were all erroneous. This one remark satisfied mo that the thief stood before mo. I had not then heard of tho mur der. Now it must bo remembered that I was insnared in the meshes of circum stantial evidence myself, so that, be sides any duty that I might owe to so ciety, it became of vital importance to my own safety that I should bo in a po sition to prove this man guilty. I form ed a rather bold plan. I made a friend of the fellow. I invited him to my room one night and then accused him of hav ing cheated at tho card game. He at first assumed a threatening attitude, but I retained my composure aud per haps startled him by proposing to form a partnership by which wo could fleoco tho rich clubmen. I hinted to him that I really possessed less money than I am credited with, and that what I did have I had taken at the tables on the conti nent. He then admitted that he had a ‘system,’ and from that time wo posed as good friends, though I do not think ho ever fully trusted mo. I learned from him that his partner in tho game where I caught him cheating was en tirely innocent and made him promise not to play with him again, for I had discovered that tho detectives had been told of this game, and therefore knew that they would be watching both men when playing cards. I therefore pre ferred to bo the partner myself upon such occasions. “Having somewhat won tho follow’s confidence, I was ready for my great scheme in bafliiug tho detective so that I might win my wager and at tho same time entrap my suspect I had conceiv ed tho Ali Baba festival. I showed Mr. Barnes one day tho ruby which I after- ward presented to my wife. At tho same time I told him that if ho should como to tho conclusion that I was innocent of tho train robbery, lie might as well re member that I would still have to com mit the crime as agreed upon. Then I arranged that tho festival should occur ou New Year’s night, tho very day on which my month would expire. I knew that all this would lead tho detective to believe that I meant to rob my fiancee, a crime for which I might readily havo escaped punishment, with her assist ance. There ho misjudged mo. I would not for treble tho sum havo had her name mixed up in such a transaction. .She knew absolutely nothing of my in tentions ; though being at that time in ignorance of tho details of tho train rqb- bery, I left her mind in a condition not to offer resistance to the thief, who she might suppose to bo myself. Then, after laying my trap, at tho last moment I baited it by asking my fiancee to wear tho ruby pin in her hair. I wont to Philadelphia, and feigned sickness. Then I eluded tho spy and came on my self. Mr. Barnes I supposed would bo present, and I had arranged that if so ho would necessarily bo in one of tho dominos of tho Forty Thieves. I had in vited my suspect to assume tho role of AH Buha, but ho shrewdly persuaded some one else to take the costume, him self donning one of tho Forty Thieves’ dresses. This compelled mo to go around speaking to every one so disguised, and to my satisfaction, by their voices, I discovered my man and also Mr. Barnes. In the final tableau Mr. Barnes, W’ho evidently was watching Ali Baba, at tempted to get near him, and by chauco was immediately behind my man. Fearing that he would interfere with my plans, I fell in Just behind him. My design was to tempt the follow to steal tho ruby, which, if he did, would satisfy at least myself that my suspi cions were correct. It was perhaps a mad scheme, hut it succeeded. 1 had so arranged that every one should pass tho sultan and make obeisance. In doing this, as i..y fiancee was seated on tho floor, tho ruby in her hair would ho Just at baud, ami one who know its high value could easily take it 1 fully ex pected my man to do this, and I saw him gently withdraw it. Immediately Mr. Buruos stepped forward to seize him, but 1 held tho detective from be hind. thou threw him luto tho udvauc- ing crowd, and, In tho contusion, escap ed from the house. ’’ jnr. Mitcnci paused, ana silence pre vailed. All felt, rather than know, that a tragedy might be at hand. Mr. Thau ret, however, in a moment said: “Aro you not going to tell us the name of this sneak thief?” “No,” quickly responded Mr. Mitch el. “But you aro wrong to call my sus pect a sneak thief. If crime were a rec ognized business, as gambling in Wall street is now considered, this man would he counted ‘a hold operator.’ I confess that I admire him for his cour age. But it would scarcely do for mo to mention his name, when I am not in tho position to prove that ho is tho guilty man. ” “I thought you said that you saw him steal the ruby?” said Mr. Thauret. “I did, but as I myself had been sus pected of that my unsupported word would be inadequate. Let mo toll you what I have done in tho matter since. The most important step forino perhaps was to prevent tho salo of tho gem. This was uot difficult, as it is known tho world over. I warned all dealers and let my man know that I had done so. Next, I wished to delay a denoue ment nutil tonight, tho time when my wager with Mr. Randolph would bo settled. I soon discovered that my sus pect would not ho averse to u marriage with a rich American girl. He ques tioned mo adroitly as to tho fortune which would como to my little sister- in-law, and I replied in such a way that I knew ho would bond his energies in that direction. Then I did that which perhaps I should not havo done, but I felt myself master of tho situation and able to control events. I made a wager with Dora that sho would not remain unengaged until tonight, and I stipu lated that should she havo offers sho should neither accept nor reject a suit or. I also told her, though I declined to fully explain how, that she would ma terially assist mo in winning my wa ger. ” This explains what Dora meant when sho asked Mr. Randolph if money would count with him against her love. When sho accepted tho wager with Mr. Mitch el, sho had been feeling resentful to ward Mr. Randolph, who, as long as lie suspected his friend of the graver crimes, hesitated to become connected with him by marriage. This made him less atten tive to Dora, so that sho had not thought of him as a suitor when making tho bet. When he declared himself, sho rec ognized her predicament aud was corre spondingly troubled, yet determined to win, and so acted as related. By this time, though Mr. Mitchel had not mentioned tho name of the criminal, several present know to whom ho was alluding. Mr. Randolph said impetuously : ‘‘Thou that explains”— lloro he step ped, confused “Yes,” said Mr. Mitchel, smiling, “that explains everything that has per plexed you. Bo reconciled for tho time you have been made to wait, for you will now uot cnly win tho lady, hut will recover this check, for I must pass It over to her as a forfeit. Gentlemen, shall v;o drink to tho health and suc cess of Mr. Randolph?” This was done in silence. The guests folt a constraint. They knew that more was yet to como aud anxiously waited for it. Mr. Mitchcl continued: “Gentlemen, that ends my story, except that I en gaged Mr. Barnes to take up the threads of evidence which I gave him and to disentangle them if ho could Shull we hear his report?” CHAPTER XVIIL MR. BARNES’ NARRATIVE. “Gentlemen,’’ began Mr. Barnes, rising, “I am only an ordinary man, following a profession at which sumo aro disposed to sneer, but which to mo seems but tho plain duty of one who is endowed with tho peculiar qualities that aro essential to tho calling. Our host would make a magnificent detect ive, but I supposo ho feels that ho has a higher duty to perform. Begging you, then, to forgive my manner of address ing you, being by no means a speaker, I will tell you tho little that I havo done, prefacing my remarks by saying that without tho valuable assistance of Mr. Mitchel I should havo been power less. “There was a curious button which I found in tho room where tho murder was committed, aud which matched a set owned by Mr. Mitchel so closely that it seemed to mo to point to him as one who had a guilty knowledge. I spent much time following tho clews that turned up iu that connection, all of which, however, was uot entirely misspent, for I discovered tho true name of tho dead woman to be Rose Montal- bon, and that aided mo greatly in my later work. At last, then, 1 abandoned the idea that Mr. Mitchel was guilty and frankly admitted this. Ho then told me tho name of tho jowoler from which tho buttons had been ordered, aud I went across the Atlantic. “Tho button which I had was imper fect. This was my starting point. Through letters of introduction which Mr. Mitchcl gave me 1 succeeded iu ob taining tho assistance of tho jewelers. They gave mo tho namoof tho man who had carved tho cameos for them, but they know nothing of tho imporfoct but ton. They had also lost track of tho cuinoo cutter. It took mo over a month to trace that man, even with tho aid of tho Paris police. Finally I found him, aud lie told mo that ho hod sold the button to a friend. This friend 1 found after some delay, and ho admitted that ho had once had tho button, but that he had given it to a woman. More time was lost iu discovering this woman, hut when I did she, too, recognized the button and said that it bad been stolen from her by another woman, whom sho described as a crcolo. Thus at last I got on tho track of the Montalbon, for that was tho name which she used in France. Under this name it was easier to follow her. I soon learned that sho had a com panion, of tho name of Joan Molitairo. I then easily found that Molitairo had been in tho employ of tho Paris jewel ers as shipping clerk. It was ho who had written tho two descriptions of tho jewels, mio of which I found among the woman’s effects and tho other in Mr. Mitchel’s possession. This was a suspi cious circumstance, but wo know now how it was that tho hamlwritiug match ed, a fact which had puzzled me great ly. It seems that Mr. Mitchel at ouo time had bought some valuable papers from the Montalbon woman, paying her with diamonds and recommending her to his Paris jewelers to dispose of them. ’’ “That,” said Mr. Mitchel, “was partly to get her out of this country and partly to recover tho diamonds, which I did, through tho dealer.” “So ho told me. It was when she re ceived tho money from thorn that she noticed Molitairo. It was not long after that tho second set of jewels were sold to Mr. Mitchcl. This clerk, of course, knew of tho transaction, because ho packed them for shipment. Then ho must have persuaded tho woman to ac company him across the Atlantic, with tho design of stealing the gems from Mr. Mitchel as soon as ho should take them from the custom house. This is seen from tho fact that three days after tho shipment this man resigned his posi tion, and from that time all trace of both the man and tho woman in Paris is lost. ” “From which von deduce that they followed tho jewoL?” said Mr. Mitchel. TO HE ( ONOl.UDKl) NKXT WEEK. LONG OR SHORT STAPLE COTTONS. Jontloo llrowor IlefasM to Interfere. WAsntNOTON, April 20. — Justice Brewer of tho United States supremo court has refused to interfere iu auy way with the judgment of tho Carroll county, Mo., circuit oonrt, which sen tenced Bill Taylor to bo hanged April 80 for tho murder of tho Meeks family. Tho only hope left for Taylor is that Governor Stone will grant a respite. Taylor’s lawyer will will go before Gov ernor Stone with an application for a respite. Tho lawyers will claim that new and important evidence of Bill Taylor's innocence has been recently discovered. ilnid hit wlncyhyt. Tlielr Comparative Mrrltd—A Popular Va riety With MlBsindippl Planters. A Mississippi planter, having been asked, “Which is tho more profitable to grow, tho long or short staple cotton?” replies as follows iu Tho Homo and Farm: Thin is a question that must bo decid ed by each individual for himsolf. I can only give my own experience. I havo planted both varieties, ami have, so far as I am concerned, concluded to stick to tho short staples for a more certain and uniform profit. Tho long staples, at least all that I have tried, aud this cov ers all introduced up to April 1, ISO."), aro very uncertain iu yield. Some sea sons tho yield is fair and others almost an entire failure. Tho cotton is lighter weight and requires from 1,800 to 2,000 seed cotton to make an ordinary halo of ginned cotton. It requires more care in tho handling, as it does not command a good price unless it is clean and nicely handled. Taken all around tho short staples almost double the yield of tho long, and at 7 cents p3r pound one aero will yield as much profit as tho long staples at 12,^ cents. Tho only diffcr- enco in cost will bo in tho picking. Some seasons the long staples yield very good crops, and aro then very profitable, but this occurs so seldom ouo could lose his all before striking that sort of season. Tho Allen cotton is undoubtedly the finest staple of auy, but this cotton from some cause dries up tho forms be fore they develop into bloom. Possibly this might bo overcome to some extent by high fertilization. Tho Cook, which is only tho Allen, and really without any improvement upon that variety, will dry tho forms fully as bad. Tho Eureka, 'Southern Hope, Peeler, Jones’ Prolific and many other so called long staples aro uot really so, but are more uoarly of tho "Bender cottons.” They are more prolific than tho fancy staple Allen & Cook, hut not so much so as tho ordinary staples. On very rich land, with plenty of room to grow, tho fancy staples may do better. Tho seed of such are much larger than tho short staples aud aro more difficult to gin. I believe if I wanted to grow only one or tw’o bales of cotton, aud no more, I would, if my lands were very fertile, risk tho fancy staples, as I could then give high cultivation and careful han dling and sell for considerable advance on price of the short staples. What can bo done ou our uplands I do uot know, aud don’t wish to advise any one on such. My experience has been with Missis sippi valley lands, where no artificial fertilization is practiced, but wo depend upon a proper and careful system of cul tivation to securo good crops. I think if wo could secure a good, prolific cotton, with a staple an inch aud a quarter in length, it would bo a most profitable variety for all sections. Tho scarcity of long staple:! last year caused prices to advance, aud iu many instances tho premium was us great as 0 ceuts per pound, or nearly double that of the short. I presume this will so stimulate production of this class of cot ton that prices will bo little above tho short staples. Quito a number of planters iu this neighborhood plant every year a few acres of the long staples. I think al most every ouo hero prefers aud plants the Limb Cluster Potorkiu cotton for maiu crop. Hwect I’otatoea. Hero is some advice from Southern Cultivator: Prepare tho bods for sweet potatoes and muko urrangemeuts for a full crop. Thorn is no better food for hogs, while all farm animals and fowls aro fond of them. They require potash and phosphoric acid in greater proper- | tion than nitrogen, uml although they , will i*rodnco<well with stable mumiro, commercial fertilizers are said to pro duce liner flavored and smoother tubers. The following is a go>xl proportion: Acid phosphate, 820 pounds; cottonseed meal, 800 porlads; kuiuit, 040 pounds. Tho Lutmtloq Victims Hurled. Rockville, Ind., April 29.—The fu neral of Sheriff Mull was attended by people from all parts of the country, tho G. A. R., with the Rockville Light artillery and Knights o? Pythias, par ticipating. Deputy William Swoon’s funeral occurred in the afternoon. Eg bert, who killed them, was buried Sun- daj-, and the three members of the Hasko family were buried Tuesday. To add to the pull over tho town, the sister of tho murderer has also died. She never learned of the live murders by her brother and his suicide. Fifteen Tenucflsoe Convicts Escape. Nashville. April 20.—Fifteen con victs made their escape from the peni tentiary’ farm and none of them havo been recaptured. Among those who escaped were Larkin Bittlo, Sullivan county’; Torn Swafford. Rh»x\ county; Goorgo (Jollins, Kims countv; Jim Greene, Hamilton county; Charles Wo mack and Dennis Woods, Hamilton county.. Mint III* Son-In.Law. Butler, K/., April 29.—B. F Fin- noil, flop tty sheriff of Kenton county, at Morn ug View, shot his son-in-law, Austin t tevoiis, as the result of a fam- ily qua - rcl. btoveus is in a critical la never done, and it and wearisome to tl impure and unfit pre tnin, and renew the! muscle and tissue. Ill this condition ol tho! are run down, Tired, Weak, 1 Than because of the w| physician says so, and edy is in building up nerve tonic, blood purij like Hood’s Sarsaparilla, | Peculiar to Women at cl ’ climate or life, or resul i work, nervousness, and 1 thousands have found n Sarsapas^Mfeb The One Trim Rlood Purifier. Prepared wily by r. 1. Hood A C<1 Hood’s Pills Sir ’'stkoM*.' RipansT; Ripans Tabi pounded from widely used. £ cal nuthoi { sented iir I coming /tf | where. milli III The busiest and most useful men arc not always exempt from sickness. Especially’ arc they liable to be at tacked and completely disabled bvtbnt most annoying and painful ailment- Rheumatism. Men in all walks of life are subject at any lime to be seized with this disease, and besides flic great bodily pain, there is almost unbearable mental anguish nt the thought of hav ing one’s strength and vigor gradually supplanted by a condition of utter helplessness. Under the effects of Rheumatism, the strongest men be come the weakest, and the most useful ’re robbed of their usefulness. One of the busiest of Atlanta’s citi zens is Mr. J. 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I could get absolutely no relief, though many remedies were tried. Someone recommended S. S. S. and I was almost iu despair when I began its use. In three days, however, I was so greatly relieved that I felt very little inconvenience from the rheuma tism. The disease grew less painful as I continued the S. S. S., and very soon disappeared entirely. S. S. S. also proved to be a fine tonic, as I now have more appetite, and feel better than ever before, in my life. I cannot say too much in praise of S. S. S.” Rheumatism is a condition of the blood which has always baffled the doctors, and it is a peculiarity that those who once have it are sure to al ways be subject to its attacks from time to time. The reason of this is that the doctors are only able to give temporary relief, but cannot rid the system of the disease permanently. 8. 8. 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