Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-04
BAD RODERICK IN LIMBO
ANOTHER CHAPTER OF THE
TRUNK THIEFS EXPLOITS.

TRUNK THIEF,S EXPLOITS.
Brought from Charleston on a Request
tion-He Wanted to Travel Without
shackIes-How He Appears in His Cell
The Story of His Arrest-LoOking Ep
More of His CrOOkedness.
Detective Wetherhorn, accompanied by
Mr.. d. Fl. Elliott, arrived in the city from
Charleston yesterday by the fast mail
with Roderick, the railroad trunk thief,
whose exploits have already been recited
in the MORNING NEWS. The prison.
er was taken from the train and the
shackles removed from his legs. He was
securely handeuffed and marched by the
officer to the Liberty street car and taken
to Magistrate TysOn's office, where he
waived an examination and was CON-
mitted to Jail.
He asked the Judge if in case he should
plead guilty on his trial that II would re-
move the necessity Of witnesses appearing
against him. On being told that it would
he said that in that case he should plead
guilty. as he wanted to avoid a long
trial. and get through with the matter as
quickly as possible.
The detective reached Charleston from
Atlanta with the requisitiOn from Gov.
Mcdaniel on Tuesday night. and went d.
rect to the jail authorities. The
prisoner was turned over to him at
midnight. and he left on the early train
at o'clock yesterday morning. Roderick
was securely handcutfed while being
taken to the train. His hands were then
released. and the shackles placed on his
| feet. He begged the officer not TO shackle
/ him. but il was deemed advisable to do
so, as he would be likely to take the most
| desperate chance if an opportunity for
/ escape should present itself. a MORNING
| NEWS reporter caught glimpse of him
/ as he was being taken 10 the Magistrates
office, but was unable to get an inter
view, as he refused to talk.
on arriving at the Jail. ROdeTick was
/ consigned to cell No. 10, where he estab-
/ Hshed himself and cOmplacently began
smoking a cigar. He is about feet q
| inches in height, and would generally be
| regarded as of medium size. HIS
/ complexion and hair are black, and
bis forehead Of medium height. A
| shortcut black moustache is the only
| hirsute adornment to features that are
| somewhat firm in their cast. His eyes
| are dark and appear to scan closely sur
/ rounding objects. Few persons would
take him to be the actor in a crime like
/ that for which he was arrested.
| Mr.. Elliott is still in the city. In re-
L
that Roderick had in his possession when
he went to Charleston, he said: There is
no doubt that he had bond of some kind,
but what became of it Is more than IS yet
known. The only party who saw the
bond. or there may have been two OF
them, SAYS they belonged in the Dominion
Of Canada. R0derick claims that they
were nothing more than old bonds, whlch
he had as relics, and that he destroyed
them"
Upon being asked why he jumped
Savannah in such a hurry, ROderIck said
that he knew ne had been found out and
il was his only means of escape. When
he went to the depot upon his return from
| Columbus he saw that things were not all
/ right for him. He made the remark that he
would be back the next day on duty again,
thinking TO quiet all suspicion, when one OF
the employees said: 1--WE have traced that
trunk. Ii is in Columbus He knew
| then that the Zig was up and the only
thing for him to do was TO get out. lie
went to Charleston, and under the name
of Thomas Hunt took room at No. il
Line street. where he was arrested the
next day.
Mr.. Elliott related the manner of his ar
rest. ROderick was absent from the
house when Detective Miller and another
officer went Tor him. Upon his return the
landlady told him tnat some gentle
men had been to see him. Rod
| erick seemed excited. and inquired
who they were. how they looked and who
they inquired for. The landlady told
him they We're strangers, and did not
leave their names. They asked for Mr.
Hunt. ROderick Immediately left the
house and started of. In few minutes
he rushed back. and in an excited man.
ner asked where his pistol was. The land
I lady told him it was in his room. de was
1 r., Of arRIfnmQnf and the
persplratiOn stood on his face. He
| bounded up the stairs and
| into his room. The laHdlady, seeing
| that something was the matter and fear
ing that he was either going to commit
suicide or kill her son who was sleeping
in the next room to the one he occupied,
| followed him. He seized his pistol, and
pulling open the bed. took package OF
papers, and, holding them up, said: MY
/ name is not Hunt. My name Is Thomas
Roderick." and started back down stairs
| putting the papers in his inside coal
pocket. The detective bad tracked
him. and was waiting near the bottom o.
the stairs. As ROderlck came down ht
stepped up to him and said: Il want u
see YOU RoderIck put his hand behind
him to his pistol pocket, but was pre-
vented from drawing the weapon, and was
taken before the Magistrate and commit
ted TO Jail. where he remained until de
IiYered to the detective yesterday morning
He was willing TO come at once L
Savannah without the formality OF re
I quisitiOn. but it seems that before the
detective went after him the railroad
officials had telegraphed to the Charles
ton authorities that application had been
made to the Governor for his transport
Being thus advised that the Governor
would take some action in the matter The
authorities would not surrender thell
prisoner without the service of requlsI
ton. which accordingly had to be procured
from the Governor OF Georgia, necessltat
ing considerable delay.
4 search OF his rooms at Charleston
failed to discover the bonds which 1t was
believed he had in his possession. Tht
, only articles found on his person wheI
he was examined at the jail after hi'
arrest were his revolver, some ordinary
, articles which he would be likely to carr!
in his pockets, and large piece
+ ! of paper, which upon q close eXaml
| nation showed faint impression
) of seal similar to thai
Z which was seen on the papers he had and
which were believed to be the bonds. The
paper was turned over TO the detective
and may possibly torn clew to their re-
cOvery. ROderick claims to be native o.
Canada. and his residence there may ac
count for his having the bonds. lie de-
MED. however, that they were anything
, more than relics. and claimed that they
were OF no real value. otherwise he would
r not have destroyed them.
Roderick spent the time in his cell yes
/ terdaY smoking the most OF the day. lie
has an aversion to newspaper men, and il
as dumb as a clam when approached on
the subject of his misdoings.
I