The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-14
BURGLARY UNDER THE BLUFF.
johnson Tells How His Party Went
Through Berg's Store.

Through Berg's Store.
j. S. johnson, who plead guilty in the
Superior Court Thursday and was given
four years in the penitentiary for burglar
izing Bergs store, under the bluff, on
March II, and who testified Intellectually
for the State in the Archer trial, has given
detailed statement of how the burglary
was planned and committed, with an ac-
count of the disposition of the plumber.
Burns, as stated in the MORNING NEWS
yesterday, left town when he learned that
Detective Wetherhorn was working on the
case. Smith has not yet been put on trial
johnson says:
"On the night of March II, somewhere
near the hour of 9, /, j. S. johnson, was
sitting in Schwarz's saloon on Broughton
street, below Barnard. About the same
hour, three men, one colored and two white,
William Smith, (colored), Harry Archer
and James Burns, white, came in. Had
met the three men three or four days pre-
vious to this meeting. Harry Archer, the
one most intimate with myself, asked ME if
| wanted to have little fun. Like most
young men l was only too ready for a
frolic
''Smith and Burns in the lead, Archer
and myself following, we left the saloon
and proceeded down town to a sailors
dance house generally known as the Red
Light We passed something like two
hours in this place drinking After leaving
the Red Light we proceeded down
Wheaton street TO small jewelry store.
Smith made the proposition that we go in
the store and break the showcase and make
a grab and run, but would not submit, SO
we left and come up Bay street as far rs
Bull street. when Smith says let us go
down to the river and down we went.
1--WE halted in front of Mr.. Bergs store
Smith commenced to tell us tale about a
negro that was employed, or had been lay
ing around the store, had told him that the
window on the alley was never locked, and
that this man and himself had made it up
to rob the store, at the same time making
the proposition that we four go in the store
and rob it and lay it on the negro, telling us
that it was Saturday night and there was
lot OF money in the drawer, and also telling
us how easy it was to get it.
After long dispute Smith and Burns
agreed that If Archer and myself would
wait outside they would go in, SO in they
went. After staying in considerable time
they came out at window at the back of
the building with a large bag of goods,
whisky, cigars, cheroots, cigarettes, pipes,
etc, Burns taking them to Smiths house,
where they remained until Sunday night
Archer and myself left the other two and
came to my boarding or rather lodging
house on Bay street, getting there about
2 O'Clock in the morning
Sunday evening we all met at Battery
Park and agreed to let Smith and Archer
go down and divide the thing in two parts
one part for Smith and Burns and the
other half for Archer and myself got
81 As out of the money that was taken out
of the drawer. Archer brought the goods
back from Smiths room to the park and
we taken them to my room. We was in the
room just as the clock struck 10 and re-
manned until Monday morn, when we sold
them and was arrested next day about
noou,n