Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-03-30
THREE sHARPERs BROUGHT TO
GRIEF.
They Capture $500 from an Unsus-
Pecting Party on beard
Steamboat.

They Capture $500 from an Unsus-
Pecting Party on beard
Steamboat.
After a Little Circuit, the Sharpers
Land in EdgefeId, and are Con-
frOnted by Their Victim.
The Trio Brought 90 Justice and Con.
cIude that il is Better 20 Give
up their Gains than Suf.
fer Prosecution.
Several days ago the steamer Umpire left
this port for a voyage up the Cumberland.
| She was crowded with passengers, and
amongst the number were large number
| of raftsmen, who had brought timber to
this city, and having been paid off and
| seen the sights, were now on their
way home. There were several trading
men on the boat, and a few
merchants, and gentleman, now a resi-
dent of Edgeield on his way to his old
! home in HartsVile TO attend to some bust
! ness matters. The most prominent charac-
! tiers, however, on the steamer were trio,
! who, as far as outward show was concern
! ed were plain and unsophisticated, but "for
ways that are dark, and for tricks that are
vain," they might be taken for a
| complete success, when their virtues in that
peculiar line were fully revealed. They
were, to all appearances, hail fellows, we'll
met, and in order to entertain their friends,
got up a little game called "three card
monte" for the amusement Ofall concerned.
For time they went for the raftsmen, and
extracted small sums, but managed
in the long run TO make the
game about even. This continued
for some time, when other parties became
interested in the fun, and concluded to try
their luck, with the odds in favor of the
man with the cards. The gentleman from
Edgefield was silent spectator for some
time, and seemed TO wonder how it was
that the game could not be beat. He said
lie did not know one card from another,
and had never played a game in his life,
but if he was a betting man he would risk
his pile that he could call the right
card, at the same time showing a
large roll of money. This was an I'M
fortunate remark, for no sooner said than
one of the Confederates Ofthe man who was
affording so much amusement for the crowd
grabbed hold Of his money, and said he
would do the betting. The gentleman saw
upwards Of 5000 put up and gobbled, but
be was assured that it was all in fun, and it
would be handed back TO him in a short
time. This little game occurred on
Wednesday last, and the gentleman
who had given up his pile
said be waited for an hour, expecting every
moment to have the money returned, and
his suspicious were aroused for the first
time, when the boat was leaving Gallatin
Landing, and he saw the man who had
taken bis money and two others who had
been playing walking up the hill. He
shouted to the one who took his money,
and asked where he was going. The man
replied that he had been ordered off by the
Captain, and if he would let him get on the
boat again he would return the money.
The boat was now well out in the
steam, and proceeding up the river. At
the next landing, the gentleman whO had
been victimzed got of and started in pur-
suit Of the sharper. He went to Gallatin,
heard that they had passed through that
place, heard of them again at Sandersville,
but not knowing which direction they took,
be returned TO Nashville, satisfied that his
money was gone.
About 9 O'Clock yesterday morning, how
ever, he was passing through Edgefeld, and
to his surprise, saw some little distance off
the three men that had left the boat. Call
ing to a gentleman who was passing, he
told bin to keep an eye on the trio who
had robbed him until he could go over the
bridge and get some policemen, and he
started Off in hot haste. Just after he left,
CITY Marshal Hutchson, of Edgefeld, was
appriZed by the man standing sentinel,
that the three men then crossing over in
the direction of the Bucket Factory, were
robbers. The Marshal then summoned two
or three men, and started in pursuit, and
captured the party, who it is thought were
making toward the river with the hope of
crossing opposite the levee. Officers Head,
Morris, Kerrigan and Burke, of the city
police now came up, and the trio were con-
Quoted to the StatiSnhouse. Here they |
were taken in charge by Capt. Yater, who |
required them to give their names, which |
were recorded as Charley Riggs of Alabama,
J. r. woodward of Texas, and Loren Pax
ton of the y. J. and V. Z. r.
Upon searching the person of the afore- !
said individuals, the sum of Sl42.25 in cur |
rency and a $50 counterfeit bill, a pair of |
cast iron knucks,a colts pistol, pack of cards,
and bullet mOuids were found on Paxton: |
$3.50, deringer pistol, buch of keys, pack |
of cards, and sundry letters and papers on |
Riggs: S492 in currency, $17.15 in silver, |
ST in Confederate bills, a navy pistol, and |
sundry other articles on the person of |
woodward. The latter also had trunk at |
the St. Charles Hotel, which was sent for |
and opened, and found to contain several |
suits of clothing.
The arrest of the party created consider |
able excitement, and when it became nOised |
about that three noted robbers had been |
captured, large crowds visited the station
house to get a glimpse of them.
The gentleman who had been relieved of |
$500 employed Capt. ThOs. n. Dodd as |
counsel, and WOo1yard, one of the prison |
ers, secured the services of w. q. and N. |
NJ. Brien, jr., Esqs.
After an hour or more III paTleying and |
learning what evidence could be produced |
in favor of the defendants, the Sheriff made |
his appearance with an attachment for all |
the money aud property belonging to the
prisoners. The alleged robbery having been .
in Sumner county, this was
deemed the best mode of attack to recover
the money.
The counsel for the prisoners at first de-
termiued upon bond Of replevin, but the
defendants being anxious to get out of their
trouble, which they claimed was simply
game of chance in which they
won, and the prosecutor solicitous
about his money, the former proposed to
return $500 without going into trial, and
here the matter dropped, the prosecutor
clad of again being in possession Of what
he supposed to be lost forever, and the
gamesters happy at the termination Of an
affair which would have given them con-
siderable uneasiness, not to say anything of
The consequences which might have oc-
Cured.