Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-09
.GENrLEmAN KuFEn IN sAvANNAH

How the Augusta Bank RObber and His
Pals Played Their Game-The Proba-
BILE Authors of the Hack Robbery
How They Planned q Job for the Cen
trail Bank.
"Gentleman Rufe'' Minor, who was
taken through Savannah on Friday morn
ing to Augusta, in charge Of Officer
FOute. OF the Atlanta police, where he
viii await trial for completely in the rob-
berry OF the Planters Loan and Savings
Plnk, in that city, last winter, is now
enscOnced in a sequesteTed cell IN
the Richmond county Jail, along with bis
pals. Johnnie" simmons and BILLY"
watson. Since his arrest It has been
pretty clearly established that he was
concerned with his two accOmplices in
the Hack robbery at the Savannah. Florida
and W estern Railway depot last winter,
i'm which Mr.. Hack, a well known
mill man. was robbed Of his satch-
eI containing $500 which he had
left in a car seat IN the train, in charge Of
a gentleman with whom he was travelling,
while he stepped out upon the platform.
The circumstances Of the robbery ap-
peared in the MORNING NEWS at the
time Of its occurrence. Mr.. Hack came
to the city for the purpose Of drawing
money 10 pay off the hands employed in
his mills. He drew the money
from the Savannah Bank and
Trust COmpany's Bank in the morn
ing and placed il in a satche
which he took with HIM to the Marshall
House, where he was stopping. When he
went 10 the depot to take the night trair
a stranger who was standing in front Of
the hotel asked permission 10 ride to the
depot i'm the same carriage
with him. The stranger was
we'll dressed. and from his
appearance was supposed TO be travelling
man. Nothing was thought Of him unit
after the robbery. when he turned up miss
Ing. The satchel containing the money
was found the next morning, near the
Beach Institute, and was Identified by
/ Mr.. Hack, but the money was gone. Tit
stranger was at once as
ISOLATED with the affair, but no positive
| evidence was secured upon which an ar
rest could be made and conviction OBJ
/ tanned. Deputy Marshal Hanley haC
| spotted the stranger who rode in the car
/ riage with Mr.. Hack some time before
/ and was watching his movements
| He was at once confident ina
/ he was concerned in the robbery
| but was unable to shadow hin
| for several days, when he appeared witt
/ a couple Of conn anions. They remained
/ i'm the city Of and on until the Friday be
/ fore the Monday upon which the August;
/ robbery was committed. A day or TIVE
\ before they left two Of the three, one o
/ whom from his description wa
l Minor, were seated on tn
| custom house steps watching Telle
| Davenport in the Central Railroad Bank
| The third man was walking up and dow
/ on the opposite side of Bay street. At
signal from Minor he crossed the stree
| and received a bill from one of his con
| federates. He then went into the banl
| and presented il to the teller, and aske'
/ for some smaller bills in exchange, whicl
/ were given him and be went out. Mr.. Han
/ ley, who was watching the movements o
/ the suspects, reported the matter to Capt
! Goodwin, who went into the banl
/ Ostensibly to make a deposit, but reall.
/ TO put Mr.. Davenport on his guard
/ After leaving the bank the stranger VIII
/ had presented the bill walked up Ba,
/ street and signaled his cOnfederates, wh'
I Joined him, some time before they ha
/ been i'm the Southern Bank, and had bee
| spotted by Cashier Sullivan and Telle
| MunfOrd.
Their next move was the Augusta rob
/ berry, when they called at the Planters
I Loan and Savings Bank to deposit som
/ money and engaged the attention of tn
! cashier, making away with 81, 700. A
| soon as the robbery was discovered ant
| the description of the gang had been sen
/ out, Mr.. Hanley was cOntden
/ that the three individuals VIII
/ had been in Savannah waiting
/ for a chance to make a haul, and hat
/ watched Mr.. Hack when he drew hi
money and had captured it, were the sam
/ who had put up the job and worked /
/ there. 1t is thought that Minor cam
i back to Savannah after the Augusta affai
/ TO wait for the stir to blow over, but find
/ ing that the game had been blocked
started for the North, where he remaine
| until his arrest.
! When he was taken through Savannah
/ last week Mr.. Hauley went to the depot a
/ he was placed on board the train, and saw
| that he was the same man who, with hi
/ "pards," supposed to be Simmons ant
| Watson. were i'm Savannah, and wer
/ identified with the Hack robbery, ant
| possibly other sneak rObberies whicl
| have occurred.