Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-02-12

sCRSeaSAf ~ WOuAA NhO WV
cronies relate for the ediication of
Woods, who then was a greeny. 1t was
soon proposed to Woods that a robbery
shsuid be committed, and the Express
office was the objective point. Johnson
acted as general and laid out all the
plans. Their first raid was on three
bales of cotton stolen from the Arm
strong place twelve miles below the city.
The three worthless succeeded in this, and
Woods got sixteen dollars as his share of
the plumber. With the money received
for the cotton, the basement office No.
Is Madison street and the rooms in the
Planters Insurance building were rented
by Woods under instructions from John
son. Woods was sent to Collierville with
the decoy package on Saturday. Return.
ing that night he accidentally met john
son and Morris at Shades restaurant, he
having promised to report to them on
Sunday. The plan was now complete,
as Johnson in the meantime had taken
into confidence the negro Henry John
son, which made the party a quartette of
robbers.
About daylight on Monday morning
(the day OF the robbery, johnson, Nor
ris and Woods assembled at No. Is
Madison. Soon the negro johnson ar.
rived with the terrible club, which he
had cut and trimmed in Arkansas in
accordance with the request of their
leader, the white man Johnson.
When "0ld Mack" (Morris) saw the
club he exclaimed: Good Cod that
would kill a man; but Woods was in.
formed that Johnson and "0ld Mack"
had performed the decoy job in Chicago,
St. Louis and other points, and while
they had ~blndgeoned the messengers
they had never killed one of them yet.
" Old Mack was an artist in handling
the club, and knew exactly the amount
of force necessary to render q mar
insensible, but not to kill him. The
hour arrived, and Woods was ordered to
conceal himself behind the counter,
which formed the little back room.
johnson stood at the counter act.
ing as business man. The negro
johnson lOunged near the stove, pretend
ing to be putting down a piece of mat
ing which Woods had bought at an auc.
ton house. "0ld Mack - stood outside
the counter, having the club concealed,
the blue paper curtains were hung up in
front Of the windows and doors, and in
walked express messenger Brady. When
he reached the counter and was engaged
in conversation with Johnson, "0ld
Mack struck him on the head; he fell
at once, and then received several other
blows. Woods rushed out and seized
him by the legs, which we're then tied with
a string; a sack was thrown over his
head and q rope was tied around
his neck. Mr.. Brady was lifted up
and carried into the back room.
Woods thinking they had killed Mr..
Brady, became frightened and left by the
front door, and walking down Madison
street toward Second, turned down the
alley near the Planters Insurance Com
Eany building. Johnson and "0ld
Mack" seized the money.satchel and,
with the negro yohns66, gent out through
the window into the back alley and es.
Gagged. Woods soon repaired to the
rendezvous, the back room in the Insu-
rance building, AND there fpqnd the trio
Of worthless who got there in advance.
Az once johnson sRd odd Mack com
: n;succd breaking open the express pack
ages and '~kiBg out the money, which
they divided out into; toGr piles, one for
each. AS fast as they broke o. su y
package the envelopes were thrown upon
the floor, Woods and the negro, johnson,
picking them up and burning them.
When everything was destroyed, Johnson
gave Woods and the negro their piles,
and after telling Woods to meet him and
"0ld Mack" late that evening at the gas
works in Fort Pickering, they left the
room one by one. That evening Woods
went to the place appointed, but did not
find the robbers, they having gone
across the river in a skia. Woods, to his
b establishment, had only $500 il his pile,
he having been swindled in the division
by the old birds who took the lions share
of the spoils. The negro johnson re.
ceived $1,000. Woods said that Johnson
told him that he intended 10 60 up the
| river and hide out his money, and il he
was arrested they would not be able To