The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-01-31
NEWS BY WIRE
A Living Link Between Colonial
Times and the Present.
CHAIRMAN BARNUM AND COMMITTEE.

ALBERT LEA, Mimi, January 26.-Sanford
Tanner has been well-knoWn character for
twenty years in this county. He is a bachelor,
and seems to have no relatives or confidential
friend. He stays but few months III place,
being most Of the time at Mona and st. Ans
gar, Iowa and at Austin, Chenille and Albert
Lea, in this state looking after his loans and
collecting his interest lie Is very eccentric.
lie is worth probably 100000, and generally
carries on his person his certificates of deposit
and other papers and considerable sum in
cash. 1t is said he has been robbed several
times last spring having been relieved of
$500 at Austin, MINI. The particulars OF
recent exciting experience have just been
learned.
lie has been boarding for month or more
with the family of j. l.. Bennett, within gun
shot OF GlenNillo, nine miles south of this
city. Que day during the week preceding
Christmas a Young, well-formed, stylishly-
dressed and self possessed woman drove up to
Fred Morison's hotel III GlenVlle with
horse and cutter, and inquired about Tanner,
as to whore no boarded, where he was gen
orally to be found, and other particulars. She
drove around for time and finally returned
TO Albert Lea. The next day she alighted
from the cars AZ the Chenille depot, and en-
gagged John showers, stranger in that
section. TO drive her into the country.
They drove four miles south to the
house of Mrs. Ann Buchanan, where the
mysterious woman stopped. She then directed
Showers to drive back to Benefits and tell
Sanford Tanner that lady at Mrs. Buchan-
ans wanted to see him. Showers did So and
soon returned with Tanner. The strange wo-
man came out and got into the sleigh, took
Tanner on her lap. and instructed the man to
drive further on, as she wanted to talk over
some business matters with Tanner. In Glen
vile she had pretended to some that she was
detective working up the robbery of Tanner at
Austin, and she thus partly explained her OBJ
ject to Tanner and Showers.
Arriving at the crossroads, Just east of Cor
louisville station, she directed Showers to get
out and wait, as She wanted to drive on a short
distance and have a confidential talk with
Tanner. The accommodating driver did 50.
She drove with Tanner over hill to the east
and returned in twenty minutes, when they
all went to Gordonville station. Tanner took
the train that soon came along and returned to
Chenille, and Showers was hired by the
woman to take her to Northwood, where he
left her. She doubtless took the train there,
and has lived i'll clover ever since. During
the ride Showers had his suspicion aroused,
and asked the woman what caused the
beard on her face, as it had begun
to slightly show through the paint.
She answered, "Oh, l have not shaved
today; it's all right" The pretended woman
was, i'll truth, a man in disguise; and while
over the hill hehad robbed Tanner of S20,0G0
in certificates of deposit of banks OF Albert
Lea, Austin, and st. Paul, and 81 AGO in cash
He had threatened Tanner with death il he
exposed him, and thus easily worked his bold
and successful robbery. AS soon as Tanner re-
turned to Chenille he telegraphed to the
banks directing them not to pay money on the
certificates, and during the past week they
were all returned to him i'll an envelope post
marked at st. Paul, containing also the words
Lost and found January nth" But Tanner
has not again seen the woman who so atfec-
tionately held him in her lap, nor the 81 400
which she carried away.