Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-23
A BOLD BAND.
Car Thieves Arrested as West POins
3 nississiRpt-gheirs ssOdus OaeFandi-
CstsOu Their Game.
Erom the West Point Times ofFri,lax.

I From the West Point Times of Eriday1
During the present week our energetic
/ city marshal, Wesley Gore, has been
| kept busy assisting Professor De Faysen
and Thomas Mealy-a couple of expert
/ detectives in the employ Of the MOBILE
and Ohio TailrOad-in making arrests of
number Of well known colOred people
| Of this place, charged with robbing cars
on the road in this neighborh0Od OF cot
ton and other merchandise. The names
Of those so far arrested are as follows:
George Warren, VIM Kingsbury, JOT-
| dan Ivy-One Of our city aldermen
Van Hatfield, Henry Hood, Cary
Young, and Vincent Petty, our county
| treasurer, the latter charged with receiv-
ing and selling some Of the stolen goods,
knowing them to be stolen property.
This gang has been operating for some
time past, but at last has been UDhOused
through the skiIlful management of the
detectives above named. 1t seems that
the mode Of operating by the thieves
was after this fashion: While a train OF
freight-cars would be on the track at the
depot at night, receiving or dischaEging
cargo, two or more Of the rRscaIs would
force an entrance into a car, then
close the door after them and thus be
concealed until the train was put ia
motion, when they would open the door
and throw cut cotton bales or other
packages Of merchandise, while their
acc0mplices would come along with
wagons and pick up and convey the
stolen property TO their stOrehouse, where
the marked heads Of the cotton-bales
would be cut out and new ones inserted.
The cotton next day would be put Gii
the market, and st once sold and the
proceeds divided. Some eight or ten or
more bales have been traced that were
thrown or at different times lately be-
tween the depot and Colonel MhOon's
crossing, a mile below the city. Fw0 of
these bales were, day before yesterday,
found sOeEeted in the baek-FOom on the
premises Of Vincent Petty, who has a
store Ou Columbus street, and who is,
we believe, the agent in this place of the
cOl0red mutual aid society. Other stolen
goods were found in the store or shop of
Jordan Ivy. After William KiDgsburv,
who had served term in the peniten-
tiary, had been arrested and placed in
jail, be made confession 70 the officers,
which led TO the arrest of his eonfeder-
ates. One or more, pernais all,
confessed the truth Of Kings
bury's statement, and made
clear breast Of it, duplicating
Others who have not yet been arrested.
among whom the names of some white
men are mentioned. OF course we re-
frain from mentioning the names of any
of those who are at large, bat we have
no doubt they will all be captured when
proof enough is found TO warrant their
arrest. Vincent Petty, after spending
Wednesday uiVht in ifil ypstardav gave
two bonds in The sum of eight hundred
dollars, to appear before the grand jury,
to account for his having in possession
the two stolen bales of cotton found on
his premises. The trial Of the other five
is progressing this morning, in the city
hail, before Justice Taylor-Squire Bap-
tlst declining to sit on account, we learn,
Of his party relations TO some OF the
prisoners, and deemiDg it more proper
in him to let the trial be had befose an
other justice. If any new facts are
brought to light, we will give the par
ticulars in cur next.