A few days ago while Zeb PARKER, the negro convicted at the recent court at Waynesville for robbing Mr. Charlie SMATHERS‘ store at Pigeon Valley, and sentenced to work on the railroad, was being conveyed to the works, soon after passing Pigeon Valley he asked permission to go a short distance and get some money he had buried. Supt. TROY, who was along, sent him, with a guard, and sure enough he resurrected $25 in silver, and several dollars in smaller pieces.
This Mr. SMATHERS also identified, but the negro claims it on the ground that having been convicted and undergoing punishment, he has absolved himself of any obligation to Mr. SMATHERS of a financial character and is entitled to all not taken from him at the time of capture or trial. Like the negro once who, while going to be baptized stole an axe and hid it in the sand; and after baptism, said his sins were forgiven and the axe was his property. Mr. SMATHERS will doubtless get his money.
The Asheville citizen. (Asheville, N.C.), 21 April 1885. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84020682/1885-04-21/ed-1/seq-1/>