Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-02-25
THE HUMBOLDT ROBBERY
Arrival Of the Prisoners In this City,
They Interview a Photographer and
are Committed to Iail.

As we announced yesterday morning
Chief O'Donnell, accompanied by Detec-
tive RYDER and officers Rice and Gala
CHER, went out 10 Humboldt to bring to
this city the prisoners held there Oh
charge Of having committed the late ex-
tensive robberies at that point, of which
full accounts have been given in the city
papers.
On arriving at Humboldt, Chief O'Don-
mel met the Mayor of the city and the
Acting Sheriff Of the county, Mr.. sharpe,
at the depot, and after making himself
known to them he and his party were
most cordially treated by them. The
prisoners were already brought out of
Jail and were at the depot, under guard,
ready to be transferred TO the train, it
having been determined by the commit
ting court to send them to Memphis for
safe keeping, whether they were demand
cd by u authorities or not, the jail at
Humboldt being a not very safe affair.
They were i've in number, two of those
originally arrested having been dis
charged, and consisted of, first n fore
most, Johnny Reagan, who was hand
cuffed with q young man named William
II. Harrison, Alfred Wallace, Thomas s..
Burns and Ed. Smith, alias Burns, COM
pleted the gang.
When the train came along, about IL
o'clock, they were put on board, being
guarded and attended by Chief O'Donnen
and Deputy Sheriff Sharpe with their re-
spective posses. They tool seats in a pas
senger coach, and seemed to be most de-
lighted when the train moved off-draw-
ing, as one Of them. said, the first free
breath for three days.
On arriving at Memphis a line was form
ed, and tho prisoners were marched
through Main street to a photograph gal
lery near the corner of Jefferson and Main,
where a photograph was taken of each
prisoner, to be placed IN the ROuges' Gal
lery. y large crowd of men and boys as
sembled around the prisoners while they
were being marched through the street,
and awaited their temperance at the
door of the photograph gallery. This
crowd followed thep TO the jail, gathering
strength as it went through Pinch up to
the Jail gates, where it numbered several
hundred. The prisoners with one ex-
ceptiOn-W. h. Harrison-seemed to en-
joy the nOtoriety, n talked with their
guards in a jocular manner On coming
in sight of the Jail many were the re-
marks made by them. Reagan said to this
reporter that he would sleep better to-
night than in several nights" adding
''it would be hard for a mob to break
in there" (meaning by there, the
iail. He explained his remark by
saying that "he never expected to get
out of Humboldt alive. He lookad every
minute TO have his neck broken by the
mob"
At the Jail the prisoners were turned
yer to Sheriff Curry, who receipted for
them, and after divesting them. of their
~valuables, consigned them to cells in the
second tier. Johnny Reagan WAS dressed
with his usual neatness and taste, in a
handsome, well fitting dark suit, over
which he wore a heavy black or dark over
coat. His hat and boots were very stylish
and neat. He was provided with a costly
and handsome travelling satchel. Harri-
son, who is in i'll health, and evidently
suffering mentally and physically, was
also well dressed, wearing dark pants,
black ~brOadcloth coat, black velvet vest,
from which hung a neat but not fashy
fob chain. He had on a heavy ~overcoat,
and shawl thrown over his arm. He
protests his innocence of all completely
in the affair, and with due Difference to his
captOrs and judges we must say we believe
him. He claims to be a law student from
Chicago in bad health, and seeking bene-
fit from a Southern tour. His actions,
language and dress show him to be a gen.
tleman, and if he be guilty we were never
more mistaken.
Wallace and Burns were tolersbly well
dressed, the former being a man of fifty
five years Of age, with intelligent and
NV fACAOho AOaNNAN1a LII DhAAbhs &c
Burns, was the rOughest-looking n of
the party. He is the conventional cracks
TO a dot, and his bearing is that Of a
of the jimmy.
Much wonder at the beauty, convent
ence, strength, ETC., Of our Jail, was ex-
pressed by the Humboldt officials, who
were shown through the building by
Curry and the polite jailer, Henry
Cullen. They say that Humboldt must
have one like it.