"The Free Lance" Issue July 1, 1904 DR. THOMAS ROBBED Dentist Victim of Assault Sunday Night Dr. Arthur O. THOMAS was the victim of a daring robbery and vicious assault Sunday night and the story of the sensational affair reminds one of the former days when holdups and highwaymen were the order of the day. But what makes the event of still more exciting interest is the fact that it occurred just west of the Saxon Mills. Dr. THOMAS was returning from a day's visit to friends at Fair Forest and left there sometime after night fall. He was riding alone in a buggy and when passing an unfrequented spot along the road someone whom he thought to be a negro came noiselessly behind the buggy and struck him on the head with either an iron pipe or thick stick. The blow was very heavy and Dr. THOMAS was rendered unconscious. The perpetrator of the assault then rifled the pockets of his victim and obtained about $25 in money, a valuable gold watch. The horse continued the way homeward with the unconscious man in the buggy. When the turnout reached the city a passerby noted the form of the injured man in the buggy and stopped the horse. He recognized Dr. THOMAS and he was at once taken to his home on North Church street and medical attention was immediately given him. The wound was dressed but the patient remained in a stupor from the effects of the blow. It was not until early this morning that he recovered sufficiently to relate an account of the affair. Officers of the police department went at once to work on the case and this morning a negro, Tom RICHARDSON, was arrested by Officer CUDD as a suspect. The negro, it is said lives at Fair Forest and spent the day there Sunday. Dr. THOMAS, after RICHARDSON's arrest left for Fair Forest for the purpose of obtaining evidence against the man in custody or getting information from various sources that may lead to the guilty person. It was a daring and boldly executed robbery and assault and it is safe assumption that everything possible will be done that will result in the punishment of the man who did the deed. STILLS DESTROYED In the Vicinity of Dark Corner In the dark corner of Greenville county Monday, Constables GIDEON and DRAKE, assisted by two constables from Greenville, destroyed a 75-gallon capacity copper still, 16 fermenters, 1,200 gallons of beer belonging to George CRENSHAW. [cut off] COURT [note: the top portion of this is cut off] Court of general sessions convened Monday at 10 o'clock, special Judge Walter H. HUNT presiding. In the case of the state vs. Roach DAWKINS for violation of dispensary law and for whom settled sentence was left from the special term was sentenced to pay a fine of $100 or serve three months on the county chaingang. In the case of state vs. Giles POOL for gambling and keeping a gambling house, the defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a fine of $50 or three months on the county chaingang. In the case of Bryan HALL, charged with practicing dentistry without a license, the defendant pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a fine of $200 or serve six months on the county chaingang. Hackett PEARSON pleaded guilty to a charge of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature and was sentenced to pay a fine of $23 or serve three months on the county chaingang. The grand jury returned true bills against Pearl RECTOR, Minnie ALEXANDER and Julia MOFFETT for maintaining and keeping bawdy houses. The case of the state vs. Rowland HORTON, D. WARD, and C. WARD, for disturbing religious worship, was not prossed. The case of John PEARSON, charged with obtaining goods under false pretenses was not prossed. The case of the state vs. Ed ABBOTT, charged with gambling, was not prossed. Six extra jurors were drawn as follows: J. W. TRIMMIER, H. J. DARNELL, A. C. RUDISALL, W. E. HALLETT and W.I. C. MULLINAX. OTHER MATTERS IN COURT: True bills were returned in the following cases: The state vs. Albert TAYLOR, charged with ill treating children. Arthur SHOCKLEY and S. H. BEARD, charged with larceny from the person; Minnie SMITH, charged with keeping and maintaining a bawdy house and Sam WOOD, charged with a similar offence. The cases of the state vs. Mattie MOORE, Edith MILLER, Bessie MAJORS alias Maggie JOHNSON, Alice HANES and Daisy SMITH, charged with conducting bawdy houses, were given to the grand jury Tuesday afternoon and after several hours deliberation the jury returned with a verdict of not guilty. HEARD AT HOBBYSVILLE: -Mrs. Tom EVINS has returned to her home in Rome, Ga., after spending quite a while with relatives here. -Emma WATSON has returned home from Woodruff where she has been in school. -Miss Hancock MILES and her nieces, Freeman and Ennie, are at home for the summer. They spent the winter in Spartanburg. -Mr. and Mrs. SHANKLIN of Woodruff recently visited his mother. -Mrs. Mary HOLCOMB has been quite sick for the last week. -Miss Jennie FOSTER is spending a while in this neighborhood. -Miss Alta CALICUT and Belle OWENS of Woodruff, spent Saturday and Sunday with Mrs. W.J. HILL. LENOIR HAPPENINGS: -Misses Lizzie and Bertha RUDISALL of Spartanburg was in our community recently. -Miss Nora PARRIS of this place is in Spartanburg attending the teachers school. RAMBLINGS IN ROEBUCK: -A lawn party was given at the home of Mr. and Mrs. P. T. SWITZER last Tuesday evening. There was plenty of ice cream and lemonade and all the young people enjoyed themselves. -Johnnie SWITZER of this town is attending a business school in Spartanburg. FLATWOOD ITEMS: -Eli WILLIAMS started out with his threshing machine last Tuesday. -Rufus WHITE and Bailey WILLIAMS visited near Crawley Springs last week. -John C. ARCHER was in the vicinity last week. -Mr. and Mrs. Perry STEPHENS are the happy parents of a fine baby boy. -Miss Venie BERRY spend Saturday night with Miss Lelia TURNER. SPARTANBURG: -Ben McCRAVY, the bright newsboy employed at the news stand of W. E. MADDUX & Co., is sick at his home on South Church street. -G. O. TENNY has been awarded the contract for placing a complete water works system and electric light plan in Greenville, N.C. The estimate to cost of which will be $60,000. DOWN AT CLIFTON: -H. M. SMITH, the popular cardroom overseer was in Spartanburg yesterday on business. -Misses Jennie and Gertrude SMITH of Orangeburg are in the city visiting their uncle, G. S. BEGG. -John R. BEGG accompanied by his nieces, Misses Jennie and Gertrude SMITH went to Cedar Springs to attend the commencement exercises which takes place there today. -Dr. O. G. FALLS, who has been spending a few days in the city, has returned to his home at King's Mountain. -Beman COBB, who has been attending the burial of his brother's wife, Mrs. A. J. COBB, has returned to his home in Gastonia. -Mrs. Mary Doud of Gaffney has been visiting her son, W. B. CASH on Main Street. -W.J. REESE, formerly of this place, but who has been working at Whitney for the past two months, has returned to the city and will work for the Clifton Manufacturing Co. at Mill no. 1. -L. A. TENNYSON, who has been working at Whitney, has severed his connection with the Whitney Mill, and will work for the Clifton Manufacturing Co. at mill no. 1. He moved his family here Tuesday. -W. ALLEN, the weaveroom overseer, was in Spartanburg Monday on business. VICTOR JOTS: -Carl G. DORMAN, who has been attending school at Clemson, has returned home. -J. W. SMITH and Ellie ALLISON, two traveling salesmen, are spending a short time at home. -W. F. COGGINS and Mrs. Elizabeth JOHNSON are both quite sick. -Mrs. C. CANTRELL of Landrum has been spending a few days with her mother, Mrs. JOHNSON. -Dr. C. P. ERVIN filled his appointment at New Prospect Saturday and Sunday. CULLED AT COWPENS: -Mrs. J. D. BALLEY, who has been very sick, is convalescent. -R. Y. WILKINS and family of Spartanburg spent Sunday in town. -Drs. Y.K. and S.M. GUNTER of Converse were in town Sunday. THE TRAIL THAT FAILED How a Policeman and Bloodhounds Didn't get the Man Soon after Policeman JOHNSON had Monday this morning [sic] after having worked until after 12 o'clock he was awakened by his wife who declared that she had seen a negro man peering into the window of the sleeping apartments. Mr. JOHNSON, pistol in hand crept noiselessly to the window and saw a burly negro about to leave the front yard. On his back he bore a crocus? sack, and from the sounds emanating therefrom he surmised that unless he acted quickly he would be loser of some poultry. He fired at the nocturnal intruder three times and when the noise of the shots had died away and the atmosphere had cleared of powder smoke he found - not a dead negro, but what was better, the sack of chickens. The man had fled. Mr. JOHNSON had blood in his eye and was determined to have revenge for the rude awakening from his slumbers. He went to the station house and pressed the bloodhounds into service. The dogs took up the trail and with Mr. JOHNSON and others following, the march was begun. For six long weary miles the dogs continued to follow the trail of the negro, and the party followed the dogs. The trail was lost in the marsh lands around Glendale Park and thus ends the story. JOHN BURKE INJURED John K. BURKE was considerably bruised about the body and one of his thumbs was broken late Friday afternoon as the result of a runaway accident which happened on South Church street. The horse he was driving became frightened and unmanageable and ran at a high rate of speed, dashing the buggy against a telephone post. Mr. BURKE was thrown to the ground and sustained injuries as above stated. The horse was finally halted near Irwin's pharmacy, carrying the broken shafts. The buggy was demolished. FINAL SETTLEMENT: on estate of T. J. TRIMMIER by Mrs. Ellen L. TRIMMIER June 30, 1904. CLIFTON: -Paul J. KENNEDY of Spartanburg was among our visitors Sunday. -Mr. and Mrs. JACOBS of Woodruff were in the city Sunday visiting Mrs. JACOBS' parents, Mr. and Mrs. James OGLESBY on Main street. -W. R. HOPPER, formerly of this place, but now of Union, spend Sunday with his mother, Mrs. E. H. HOPPER. -Mrs. J. A. KIRBY, who has been spending a few days with her brother, H. M. SMITH, has returned to her home at Glendale. -Dr. "Billy" GUNTER, formerly of this place, but now located at Gaffney, was in the city Sunday visiting his brother, Dr. Sam GUNTER. -Beeman COBB of Gastonia, N.C. arrived in the city yesterday to attend the burial of his brother's wife which will take place today at Clifton cemetery. Free Post Lisa