The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-05
ROBBED BY HIS CLERK.
A BURROUGHS sToREKEEPER OUT
QUITE A PILE.

QOl1E - TILE
r. n. Patrick's Store at Burroughs
Station Robbed of $3.50 and Part
of It's Stock - The Thief Comes to
Savannah and Buys a Ticket to
Charleston but is unprecedented on
His Way to the Depot-Taking an
Inventory of the Plumber in Justice
RusseI's OMEGA Love Letter Never
Sent-S1oo in Money Unaccounted
for.
The store of P. H. Patrick, on the South
field plantation road, twelve miles from
Savannah and about half mile from Bur
roughs station, on the Savannah, Florida
and Western railway, was robbed Tuesday
night by George Robert Burnet, whom
Patrick had left in charge of the store Tues
day morning while he visited the city to
look after the purchase of some additions to
his stock.
Early Tuesday evening Burnet told a Gus
toner that he had been drinking too much,
and be believed he would close early and go
to bed, so that he wouli be sober when
Patrick got home yesterday morning.
This it appears was a ruse of Bur
nets, for as soon as the customer left
Burnet locked the doors and began whole
sale plumber of the place He first broke
open Mr.. Patrick's trunk, from which he
distracted about $3.50 in money, consisting
of bills, silver, nickels and pennies MIR.
Patrick was in the habit Of putting away
sums ranging from IS to s., and he says
that two weeks ago he counted it, and there
were some one hundred and sixty odd dol
L.. lza.A g L.. &rlra
TAKES A COMPLETE OUTFIT.
After rifing the trunk of the money and
a double action Smith & Wesson No IS
caliber revolver, Burnett then turned his at
tention to fitting himself out for the road.
He appropriated a very large-sized
valise, in which he packed his
own soiled linen, and the following
articles from the store: Nine handkerchiefs
10 pairs socks, pairs ladies' hose, pound
tobacco, spool thread, pocket knife, pipe,
box cigars, case of cigars, 2 razors and
brush. box backing, pair of suspenders, 2
bottles cologne, bars toilet soap, l dozen
papers needles, pair of scissors, neckties,
pairs drawers, 2 undershirts, pair shoes,
2 pairs of pantaloons, and bottle of pills
He then rugged himself out in a new suit of
clothes and hat, took Patrick's overcoat and
umbrella, turned down the lights, passed
out, locked the door, put the key in his
S. so to drive him to Savannah.
The horse was not very near relative of
Maud s. and Burnet didn't reach here until
3 o'clock yesterday morning, where he took
rooms in the old Commercial Hotel block,
on Bryan street. Here he spent money
pretty freely, drinking and lunching, and
yesterday forenoon he bought a ticket to
Charleston at Gazan's and took a Barnard
street car for the Savannah, Florida and
Western depot.
PATRICK DISCOVERS HIS LOSS.
Meantime Patrick left early yesterday
morning for home, and learned at his sta
ton that Burnet had gone to Savannah.
Hurrying to his store he found it locked,
and breaking in, discovered his loss. He
got back to Savannah before noon yester-
day, and began looking for his man, find
ing him on board the street car at the
corner of Barnard and Liberty streets and
brought him to the Office of Justice Warning
Russell, Jr. When Patrick boarded the
car he saw the butt of the stolen weapon
exposed to view, and reaching over, took it
out of Burnet's pocket.
At the Justices Office small canvas sack
was taken from Burnet's pocket, and JUS
tice Russell counted it in the presence of
the prisoner, the owner and the MORNING
NEWS reporters. 1t contained only $50 SO,
four small Sp anish coins and his ticket to
Charles on. Burnett accounted for $40 60
more than he had spent, making, with the
So railroad ticket, but $43 46, which he
said was all the money he had found in the
trunk, or about S107 of the money unac-
counted for. The plumber taken from the
store is estimated by Mr. Patrick, at the
wholesale cost of the articles, at $27 IS,
which does not include the suit he had on,
except the hat, and on which suit Burnet
claims set-off for the wages due him for
the week he was employed by Patrick, and
while the latter was willing to concede it,
he added that be was only to pay Burnett at
the rate Of So per month.
FINDING A LOVE LETTER.
Detective Wetherhorn made a thorough
search of Burnet's person, and found a mis-
cellaneous collection of handkerchief.
cologne, a new comb, tobacco, cigars, pen
mics and a love letter, bearing date of March
Is, addressed by Burnet to the daughter of
h section master b. whom he had once been
employed. Burnett persisting in his denial
that he had taken any more money, he was
taken to the county jail yesterday afternoon.
The prisoner is a painter by trade and
about Is years of age, and halls from 1903
Forsyth street, New York city, where he
says his parents reside and keep liquor
store lie says he has been South a little
ever six years. during two of which he was
In the employ of an undertaken at Bruins
wick, and nearly four years at Savannah
working for William Taylor. Since then he
worked awhile for Section Master Dixon at
SIS per month and board, and before setting
In with Patrick he cut cord-wood for a
negro in the neighborhood of Burroughs
station for mis- board
The robbery was committed about 0
O'Clock Tuesday night, and Burnett was
very thoughtful, Tor he provided against
cold by taking the overcoat and against
sun and shower by appropriating a new
umbrella. He cried bitterly in Justice
RusselPs office yesterday, and said if he had
not been drunk he would not have robbed
his employer.