The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-08-11
THE GEORGIA EXPRESS ROBBERY

Arrest OF Three Parties Charged with
ness-Further Details OF tho Affair."
How the Robbery was Committed.
The Augusta Chronicle, of yesterday, gives
the following full and interesting particlars OF
the great express robbery which occurred OH
the line Of the Georgia Central Railroad on
the 22d ult., together with the steps which
have thus far been taken towards tbs convic-
ton Of the perpetrators (:
On the evening Of the 72d day OF last July.
Mr. Butler Mays, resident OF WOODLAND, in
the suburbs OF this city, and employed IN this
division Of the Southern Express Company in
the capacity Of messenger on the Central
Railroad, between Savannah and Macon. lett
| the Office Of the company in the latter city in
charge of the money chest and an average
amount Of other express freight. The freight
was conveyed in the wagons Of the company
to the depot Of the Central Railroad where it
was deposited in the express car, and soon
aherward the train started for Savannah. Be-
sides the passengers and employees Of the
railroad on the train that night, there we're
also on board two train hands, Francis B.
Bland and --- Lasslter, both OF this city,
and q third party, a baggag e-master named
Hargrove, from Savannah. The train OF cars,
beside the engine and tender, consisted OF q
box car, next to this car DIVIDED INTO Two
compartments. and known as the Macon e1-
press and baggage car-the first compartment
being occupied BY the Macon messenger,
while the second compartment was Allied with
baggage for Maco1-a partition, with door
in it, separated the two rooms; next to this
the Augusta express and baggage .ari then q
second-class passenger car; and following this
the other passenger cars.
When the train had arrived at Station No.
T 10 from Savannah. Mr.. Mays lett his car
and weut with the baggage-master, Hargrove,
into the second-clsss passenger car, where
watermelon was cut aud eaten iD company, we
understand, with Bland and Lassiter. Not
long after this the messenger, feeling sleepy,
went back to the Macon baggage car with
kept the key Of the door between the two
rooms, opened the door and Nays went to bed,
telling Hargrove, as the latter turned to leave
the express for his own car, to be sure and
lock the door between them. This was done,
and Mays went to sleep almost Immediately af-
terward.
Several hours afterward the train arrived at
Mllen. where 1t met tie down night train from
this city, and the messenger awoke. Taking
his s.te key from his pocket he opened his
money chest for the purpose OF transferring
the money packages for Augusta and receiving
those for Macon. It was ct this time that the
loss was first discovered. When the safe was
opened the messenger fonnd that four pack
ages, containing in the aggregate . great deal
moro than four thousand dollars, had been
taken from the chest. While he so soundly
entered the car, searched his person, without
awaking him from bis sleep, and taken the
KEY from the pocket OF the sleeper, robbed the
safe of the four packages sod returned the key
again, getting out undiscovered.
THE SUSPECTED PARTIES.
When the messenger discovered his loss, he
went on to Macon and informed the company
Of the robbery. As soon IS the officers OF the
company had been informed Of what had taken
place. General Superintendent OBrien and d.
vision Superintendent Dempsey set eagerly to
work to discover the authors OF the robbery.
After hearing the circumstances which preced-
ed the robbery, we are informed that suspicion
at opAe fell on the three parties above men,
toned, Bland, Lassiter and Hargrove, but
there was no clue which could lead to their
arrest. Ascsrtaining that the parties, or at
least two OF them we're res,dents OF Angus
ia, the police OF this city were put on their
trick. Still, however, for more than two whole
weeks the affair hung fire. Though these
mon we're strongly suspected OF having COM
mitted the robbery, there was no testimony to
sustain the charge, and any false moveman'
any arrest on suspicion alone, would ruin eve
rything. Accordingly the affair was kept as
quiet as possible, that the suspected partiea
might not become frightened, whilst the police
uever for moment ceased their exertioas. Up
to tho first Of August, 80 quiet had the affair
been kept, that not . ne yspaper in the State
had gotten hold OF it, and on that morning the
robbery was published for the first time in the
columns Of the Chronicle and Sentinel.
THE ARREST MADE
Thus the affair progressed until last Satur.
day morning; the suspicious OF the police still
resting on the Same parties, but no positive
proof having been obtained Of their guilt
One OF the men, Frank Bland, Was suspected
more strongly than either Of the others; for
though OF known impecunioslty, no was hvlnR
| in very eI;ravagant style. and seemed to be
very flush Of brads. o. the evening Of sssHr-
| day the three men we're all ascsrtalned to be ID
the city, and it vas determined that the time
had arrived for strik ing the blow. Accordingly
| a warrant vas obtained and the police officers
sailed out and found and arrested Hargrove
and Lassiter on rwiggs-street. Turning over
these Two men, as soon as arrested, to Soma
priyates, the officers rode rapidly to bar
room IN the upper Part OF the CITY. near
| the corner OF Broad and Campbell streets,
where Bland was also discovered and captur-
ed without offering any resistance, though
ON his we'll known character for courage, q
fight might have been expected. The three
| were Immediately taken to the City Hall and
carried before Justice Ellis. The prisoners
| were searched for tho money, but the search
| WAS unsuccessful. Ga Harsove was found only
| twenty dolla;s; on Bland fourteen dollars aud
| a quarter. and on Lassiter twenty-five cents.
Before Justice Els nothing concerning the
robbery was ELECTED. All three Of them stout
| ly protested their innocence, and Bland said
with an oath, that he was none too good to
do il: but that he never would have entered an
express safe and only taken four thousand dol
lars" It was remarked, too, that while in the
police officers loom and charged with the rob-
bery, he exclaimed that 80 much money was
not .aken." Nothing having trauspired at this
| time. the accused were committed to Jail in
dsEa 1t of four thousand dollars bail which wal
| demanded.
BLAND MAKES CONFESSION.
After an Incarceration OF the prisoners,
great efforts were made to induce one OF the
| three to turn States evidence; for il that was
not accomplished the arrest would have beer
of no avail. II this was done 1t must b3 done
| quickly in order that the money might b, re-
covered before it was carried away from the
city by outside parties who must have It IL
| their possession. These Efforts were attended
| with such success that Oh yesterday morning
Bland, fearful it seems, that Hargrove would
| leave him in the lurch. determined to antic:.
pate auy step OF that kind; and turned States
| evidence himself and made confession OF the
crime.
In his confession he stated that he was on
the train the night Of the twenty-second oil
July with Hargroye, Lassiter and Mays. That