Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-07
A STORY OF THE PANIC.
How Jones Got Away With Mrs.
LesIie's Trunk in the Exodus
from Memphis.

st. Louis Times, Nov. 81
Detective Hugh 0'Neill arrested a man
named p. p. Jones at the Laclede Hotel
Yesterday Afternoon, on a charge of grand
larceny, preferred by Mrs. +. Nj. Leslie,
of Memphis, Tenn, who accuses Jones OF
getting away with a very valuable trunk.
1t appears that Mrs. Leslie and Jones
were on pretty intimate terms, having
been on friendly terms for a long time.
Jones was a visitor at her house for sew
eral years and she had once loaned him
5000 to cancel a mortgage on some prop
ertv which he inherited in Fairview, st.
| Louis county, Mo, where Jones lived
prior to establishing himself in Memphis,
where he claims to have dwelt for ten
years.
On the 10Th of August, when the yellow
fever panic was at its highest pitch, Mrs,
! Leslie packed her trunks intending to
send them to Bridgeport, Conn, where she
expected to spend the remainder OF the
summer. Jones was about the premises
and even in the room while she was get
ting her baggage ready, and he seems to
have been careful to see where she put her
valuables. d..
He accompanied her to the depot and
he borrowed $40 of her, stating that he
was coming to st. Louis. She had two
trunks and these were turned Over tn
Jones for shipment. He took charge OF
them and gave her two checks, one OF
which seems to have been stolen from an
other trunk. for only one of the trunks
ever reached Bridgeport, and the other,
the most valuable, turned up in st. Louis
where it was followed by Jones, who took
; it to the Laciede Hotel and broke it open
The trunk, according to the statement Of
Mrs. Leslie, contained about $1,000 wortf
of property, including five silk dresses
; silk scarfs and handkerchief, jewelry, anC
$3.50 in money. The money, d heavy golC
f chain. a pair Of diamond earrings, Il cuff
j, button and an o%pera-glass, were taken on
= and appropriated by Jones, who playe,
billiards, boarded ut the Laclede an,
: smoked fine cigars for more than tw'
! months, while the woman whom he ha'
robbed was reduced to poverty and almos
destitution by this piece of rascnlity. IN
: other trunk, which found its way safely 4
= bridgeport, contained nothing Of value
After numerous inquiries at the railroa
!" office, and after the officers had sent telt
e, grams to various points along the road I
II ascertain whether the trunk had been dc
II tanned anywhere, Mrs. Leslie became cor
WINGED that Jones knew something abot
- the trunk, and happening one day to max
the acquaintance of Mr.. Bailey, a )
Louis attorney, she made known the fac
of the case to him and authorized him
investigate the matter on his return to )
Louis. He arrived here about a week ae
and placed Detective ONeill upon Il
track. After hunting around among II
pawnshops, 0'Neill finally struck a cit
in the shape Of the o~pera-glass, which h'
been pawned by Jones at the corner
Pine and Fourth streets.
This was Thursday, and the same "a
,es Mrs. Leslie arrived in the city and ide
ed tilted it as hers. She gave the officer {
vo accurate description Of the man he want
nd and Yesterday afternoon Jones was Ia
he ned o N the shoulder by a detective VIII
we ENJOYING a game Of billiards in the /
Did clede Hotel saloon.
es- At first he disclaimed any knowledge.
the trunk further than that ne nad snl
ned il as directed, but when confronted
ng the evidence already procured by the
Of t%ective, he "squealed,' and said that
'ou would show up the trunk and clothing
the lady would pledge herself not to pr
ecute him. After some reflection, s
or. thought Il best to promise, and ne IN
as acknowledged that he had taken it in
for manner described, and that he had ms
- use of the money and iewelry; He t,c
the detective into his room at the Lacl'
ner and pointed to the trunk, saying, W
he calmly. .There it is; take it, and the o
hat Ger took il and let him go.
The clothing, which was undistur6.ed
very valuable, and it was o qualification
log, the owner to receive eve this, as she
hey despaired of ever seeing any OF the pr
but erty again. She declares that # G
his ZONES Comes to Memphis again she '
cart have him sent to the penitentiary.