The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-10-25
THE BAFF1ED BURGLARS. 7
New Developments Before the Police
Court Yesterday. s

rev Developments BEFORE the Police
Court Yesterday.
EXAMINATION OF FRESH WITNESSES IN
REGARD TO THE ATTEMPT MADE-To ROB
MIR. REnEYrs sToRE-soME ACCOUNT OF
| THE PROMINENT PARTIES TO THE AT.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES JOHN, WREN
CHARGED WITH PERJURY-GRAY AND
COLEMAN HELD FOR SECURITY AND PUT
TO WORK IN THE CHAIN-GANG-BEACH
SENT TO THE CHAN-GANG. }t'3:'
In the last phase Of the Reilly robbery
case as presented to the public 1t appeared
that Holmes and Jackson, who were arrest
ed at Reilly's store, were convicted and
lodged in the penitentiary; Adams, who
had been arrested charged with being the
third one OF the party OF burglars, was acquit-
ted; Judge Guigon, from evidence in the
Adams case, had expressed the opinion that
the whole affair was q job put up" by
Jgmes Beach, and Anderson, Coleman had
been partially examined by Justice Crutch-
field on the charge OF being. implicated in
the intended robbery. =aF
Justice CrutchfieId was occupying the
bench OF the Police Court when Holmes and
jackson were first brought up for examina-
ton. It seemed from the testimony that
Private Detective Wren and the officers OF
the law had received intimation that gang
OF eX-penitentiary convicts meditated rob-
bing Mr.. Reilly's store. Detective Wren,
Sergeant Wren, and squad of four police
men watched the threatened premises three
nights.
On the last Sunday night between /
and o'clock the burglars, three in num-
Der, appeared. After making some attempt
to enter the store they left the premises,
and two OF them (Holmes and Jackson)
! to the understanding, walked Off in nom
chalant manner, and was not interfered with
by the officers.
After determining that Holmes and jack
son should be sent on to the grand jury for
indictment Justice Crutchfeld said that that
third man must be apprehended; that it was
not right that he should escape. Detective
Wren said that he knew who the man was !;
could put his hand on him at any time, and
that he should be forthcoming. That very
day one John Adams was arrested by De-
tective Wren and placed in the charge OF the
officers OF the law at the First station-house.
Next morning he was brought before Police
Justice White, examined, and sent to the
grand jury, arraigned, and acquitted, as be-
fore stated.
PERSONAL.
Beverly Gray is at present, or was lately,
professional informer. For long time
he was bail-broker, operating in Richmond
and Manchester. Whenever any OF his col
ored brethren got in trouble, for small fee
h. rsf for Tn hot
pursuit it became necessary for Gray to do
an immense amount OF false swearing. But
he was equal to the emergency. First and
last, doubtless, he swore that he was. worth
$4,000 in real estate. The probability is
that he never had any above his honest lia-
bilities. It seems that when he became so
we'll known to the magistrates that his avo-
cation as bail-broker ceased to be profitable
he switched of into another branch OF legal
practice. He became an informer. He as
sociated with gangs of thieves. He was hale
fellow-well-met with the honorable society OF
eX-penitentiary convicts having their head
quarters in this city, and knew as much as
anybody about the rascality going on all
over town. On several occasions he gave
information to Detective Wren, and the lat
ter rewarded him as literally as circum-
stances permitted. He gave Detective
Wren g the points" on ex-Constable Wor-
sham (colored), OF Manchester, by means OF
which that well-to-do and previously-re-
spectacle statesman was convicted OF steal
ing brass boxes from the wheels Of the cars
of the Richmond and Danville Railroad
| Company. Gray was once arrested for
murder, but was acquitted. He is small,
wiry, slow-speaking, sinister-looking fel-
low, and has generally managed to keep out
of the meshes OF the law, though often sus-
pected.
CoLoRED BEN. BUTLER.
Jim Beach is colored Ben. Butler in ap-
pearance. He lacks the sprightliness and
cuteness of the Massachusetts statesman, and
his ewes are not cooked, but the two would
pass for brothers were Jim Beach white or
Ben. Butler nearly black. This may not be
compliment to Ben. Butler; no more is it
TO Jim Beach. Jim first saw the sun rise
from his cabin home in Accomac county.
He came to the penitentiary as convict for
entering somebody's warehouse or store
house, After serving out his time he
stopped in Richmond, as dozens Of the dis
charged cohvicts do, and Joined their
gang. Beach was mixed up in the
Worsham robbery in about the way
he is concerned in the Reilly affair. He
has not as much experience in the courts
as Bev. Gray, but he has learned the art of
battling the lawyers most searching ques-
.tions. Twice in this case he has been upon
the stand, and while apparently answering
every question honestly and fairly has man
aged to avoid uncoYering his position too
clearly. His chief secrets in eonnestion
with this affair are yet untold. His dialect
is difficult to understand. He uses many
words and phrases new to this part OF the
world. Whether he learned them on the
Eastern Shore, among the rude negro oys-
termen, or in; the penitentiary, or in the
dens OF thieves here in Richmond, is not
known. For "going" he says "gi-ing."
aGi-ing''', puzzled people in court for q
good time before they could determine ex-
actly what was meant by it. 1t is common
enough to hear 's gwine,"' but "gi-ing" is
a new contribution to the negro vocabulary
as understood about here. ,3a5s I.7iiS -,
|. ,,-gf y PARsoN COLEMAN
Anderson Coleman, unlike Gray and
Beach, is a man of respectable appearance.
He Is of light gingerbread color, and Is
about fifty years OF age, and is dlgnited 10
his demeanor.- So serious and tstaid IS ne
he might easily pass for parson, or. Tor
ho,lse-servant,s an honored butler, or trust
ed coachman OF the old reginae Alasl APP
pearances are eptiYe. Coleman fias, been
In the penitentiary. He was sent there from
New Kent, it Is said, for hofse-steahng. He
now keeps a asnaek-house in the neighbor-
hood OF the Old Market scale-house. His
IIane ia the resort of thieves, and he is a