Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-02-06
BOLD. BAD ONES.
A Bunglihg Robbery Of Eight
Street Car Drivers.

About $50 in money and eight silver
watches were taken from the drivers of
the fernando street car line, near the
hour of two o'clock yesterday morning.
while they slept at their quarters near the
rear gate of Elmwood cemetery, where
the stables Of this line are situated.
1t was bold but badly managed affair.
the scamps, thoughnot novices in rascal
ity, appeared to be so in the work of rob-
berry. There were three persons in the
scheme. One stood at the doorway of the
sleeping room with drawn pistol to
silence intruders and give the alarm
should anybody stir, while the other two,
also carrying pistols, robbed the sleeping
drivers, only two Of the eight being awak-
ened during the process.
The drivers generally sleep soundly,
especially those who retire late, and most
of them do that. They 60 TO their beds at
all hours between seven in the evening
and an hour or two after midnight, their
time of labor being irregular, as some of
the cars begin to lay up shortly after
dark and gradually draw off until all quit
after the midnight hour. Therefore the
drivers leave their bedroom doors unfas-
tened. AT the time of the robbery the
sufferers occupied three different rooms.
In one were four beds, upon which eight
men usually slept in another two beds for
four men, and in another one man with
his wife. Several OF the men were absent
at the time hence but eight fell under the
robbers hands.
During the process two of the drivers
we're awakened, and one asked what the
intruder wanted fumbling about his head,
thinking it to be comrade feeling for his
nest in the dark. He discovered his mis-
take when the intruder poked the cold end
of navy revolver against his head and
was told to hush and keep quiet, or his
brains would feel a bullet in short order.
He had no more to say.
The car drivers are all required to carry
watches to regulate their trips, and Of
course they must own the watches. Then
they are obliged to have $40 in cash for
change. Besides that Saturday was pay
day among the drivers, and the thieves
having information of all this, expected
to make rather rich haul. They were
not mistaken.
After they had victimized the occu-
pants of the two rooms where the males
| lodged, the two drivers who were awake
noticed they hesitated several minutes
about entering the woman's room. They
knew the man who slept there had a
thirty dollar watch and some $50 in
money, but they feared the woman would
scream and expose them. They finally
ventures in and purloined the watch but
didn't find the money. The men robbed
were named Il. Franz, John and Edward
| Frost, Finn, Brennan and three others. 1t
was Brennan who felt the muzzle of the
pistol against his temple in the darkness,
Finn had been on what is called the late
run for several nights and going to quar-
tiers about an hour before the robbery be
was sleeping for all sleep was worth at the
moment, hence was oblivious to the whole
proceeding. His loss was about eleven
dollars in money and silver watch worth
$35 He didn't care q nip for the money,
but his watch was his pet and he felt bad
over that all through yesterday.
As soon as the robbers had lelt, their
victims were all reused up by their fell
lows who saw the process. They rubbed
the drowsiness out of their eyes and intel
lect and Finn suggested the idea offolow-
ing the thieves. The Others objected say
ing they might be shot by the armed
scoundrels. Finn made up his mind to
take the trail and go it alone He trotted
up the railway track towards the city,
and beside newly white washed fence,
corner of Lauderdale street and Missis-
sippi avenue or fernando road directly
in front Of Colonel Looney's residence he
saw three men in the act of counting and
dividing money and watches. The men
saw him also, and they slipped inside of
| tho fapoaH lnl of II, T. n..
quietly withdrew from view and laid for
the rascals. He had no comrade to send
for officers so he thought best to watch their
movements. In haitian hour or so one ofthe
thieves left his person: partially outside Of
the fence to reconnoiter. Finn saw and
recognized him at once as man named
John Mclean, an ex-driver dismissed
| from service some two weeks ago. Seeing
they were recognized the trio left the lot
and cut across the street in a hurry. Finn
gave the alarm to the police, described
the seamps and few hours later Mclean
was In Jail. He offered to tell all he knew
on condition Of not being prosecuted
During the day man named Howard,
a fine looking fellow, from Middle Ten
nessee, who drove on the red line q year
or two ago and always wore conspicu-
Gus mustache and a broad Mexican SOM
brero, was arrested, and later Charles
White was taken in. All are ex-drivers
Howard has been absent for some months,
but recently came from St. LOUIS whore
he Is said to have served as a street car
conductor He is man Of polite man
ners and makes a good impression, though
rumor gave him the credit of being
crooked and irregular when he was here
last spring.
Upon the persons of the trio, or in
places where they had hid the fruits of
the robbery, five watches and nearly all
Of the stolen money were recovered. 1t
IS expected that the whole of it will be
found.
1t is stated that Mclean is not the true
cognomen OF thechief rascal who soughtto
save himself by telling on the Others. He
owes some other State fourteen years pc
nal seryitude, being an escaped convict
lie is pronounced sleek rascal by those
who know him. One Of his exploits is said
to have been to carry screw driver.
and at night, when the cars were laid by..
to unscrew the cash boxes, take couple
of dollars orso from each, and screw them
IN their places again. AS the car cash
boxes are opened and emptied daily about
| four clock in the afternoon, this might
be accomplished without suspicion for a
considerable period, if the operator was
sly enough not to be caught in the act.
Mclean also went about on frolic re-
Gently, carrying little sack of car tickets.
and boosted while distributing them that
they were the last taken from the cash box
Of car 70.
|
Through the the efforts of the police,
aided by Chief Davis, five watches and
some $40 in money was found last night,
buried in q raLirnd nlnna ont in Elrarooi