Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-06
GENTLEMAN RUFE's" EXPLOITS.

The Augusta Bank Robber in Police
Barracks CeII-How He Looks After
His Trip from New TOrk-TO be Taken
TO Augusta To-Day
-GentIemau RUFF Minor. the Augusta
bank robber, occupied a cell at the police
barracks last night. He was brought out
from New York on the steamship ITALIA
hassee in charge Of Officer FOute, Of the
Atlanta police. who went to New York
last week for him with eXtraditiOn
papers issued by Gov. Mcdaniel,
and was lodged in the barracks
for safe keeping UnsI this morning, when
he will be taken to Augusta. "Gentle-
man RUFF" or s'Iittle RUFF as he has
sometimes been called, walked quietly
into his cell and sat down upon cot as
though it was a sofa in a luxurious par
Tor. He Is q middle-aged man, with a fine
cOuuteuInce, and was neatly attired in
q blue suit. on board the steamer he
was the centre, Of interest during the
trip. He occupied a staterOOm with the
officer and was allowed the freedom of
the ship without restraint OF handouts or
mauacles until coming into the wharf
last night when he was handcuffed until
placed in the barracks. On board he
Jared sumptuOuslv. and is said to have
drank bottle of wine at every meal.
Implicated i'm nearly all the large bank
sneak rObberies which have been commit
tel iu the past ten or twelve years. He is
an associate of such men as Johnny jour
dan. Biz Rice, Little Horace, Little Billy
Burke, and Molly Matches. He is Of good
appearance. has great gift OF CAB, and
possesses the art Of engaging bank cash
ier's attention. while a confederate is
Eueaking the cash. TO perfection. His
picture IN the ROgues' Gallery is No.
1867. The last time he was arrested
was after the robbery Of the Bank
Of Baltimore on September 18th, 1882, of
10000. but be managed to escape con-
victiOu. To 1879 he was concerned in the
robbery Of $50. GOO from the First National
B8nk of Detroit; in 1880 $1,000 Of the
Providence Gas Light Company passed
through his felOuiOus fingers; i'm 1881 the
sum of Sj6.000 was distracted from the
Middleton savings Bank, he being the
chief operator: in 1872 Col. AIOrtOn's Of
fee in Brooklyn was robbed of $1,000, and
"Little Rufe" was credited with being
the manipulation on that occasion. n short
time afterward the Peoples Passenger
Railroad Of Philadelphia had Occa-
sion % mourn the loss Of $1,000, their loss
being Little Rufe's' gain. His latest
Job, for which he was arrested in New
York by Inspector Byrnes last week. was.
so far as the execution was concerned, q
complete success. but owing TO subse-
Quent bad luck and bad management be
aud his pals did not reap the fruits Of
their labors. Their victim then was Paw
ing Teller Croker, of the Commercial
Bank of Augusta. On March y last
"Ljttie RUfe," in his suaye and persuasive
way, informed Mr.. Croker that he Minor
was the agent of a firm of cotton meT-
chants i'm New York. and that he desired to
open an account with the bank. Later in
the afternoon the paving teller found that
bills amounting to $500 were missing
In the meantime Minor and his two con-
federates went 20 q hotel IN Augusta,
where they had secured a room three DAYS
previously. carrying with them their
plumber. His companions were johnny
Price and Billy Coleman, both well
known sscrOOks." Fearing arrest and
having plenty Of money they each took
only $50 out Of the proceeds Of the bank
robbery and placed the balance in sealed
package. This they handed 10 the clerk
Of the hotel, taking a receipt. They then
separated. Coleman and Price taking
train for south Carolina. Their intention
was when the excitement following the
robbery had blown over to return and claim
the package. About two weeks after the
robbery a certain we'll known clergyman
was riding in a train TO Columbia, ;. e.
In the next seat TO the clergyman were
seated TWO men WHO were earnestly en-
gagged in conversation. Their talk was
almost uniutelligible 10 clerical ears, as
it was in great part made up of thieves
iargOn. The clergyman was interested,
and he paid particular attention to what
they said. He heard enough to satisfy
him that they were discussing the robbery
Of the Commercial Bank Of Augusta. He
caused their arrest at the next
station and both men were the following
day identified by the hotel clerk as two Of
the men who had left in his custody a
package containing. money. This package
had already been claimed by and turned
over to the officers Of the plundered bank.
The men were Coleman and Price. They
were tried and convicted, and each was
sentenced to seven years in the State
prison. a pretty accurate description Of
the third man (aIleged to be Minor was
sent to each chief Of police throughout
the country.
Inspector ByTnes, in New York, con-
cluded from this description as we'll as
from the peculiar nature of the crime,
that Minor was the third man who par
ticIpated in the robbery. The Inspector
then detailed Detective Sergeauts McClos-
key and Murray to search for Minor, and
they accomplished his arrest while saun-
tering along Fifth avenue like a money
king. The day following his arrest he
was taken to the Essex Market Police
Court and was remanded 10 the custody
Of Inspector Byrnes until given in charge
NJ Officer F0utn last Saturday