The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-16
BECAME ONE OF THE GANG.

&A0A VI enEaS60 IN spSclhA WOih IOF tno tSn-
trail railroad, lodged in Jail during that
time two of the cleverest thieves in the
state. They are John Nixon and Tllson
Lowry, both negroes. The former is a
notorious car and depot burglar and the
latter is his pal.
The officers have made many attempts to
capture Nixon, and once he was arrested
and lodged in jail at Millen. He made his
escape from there shortly after being ar
rested, by knocking the officer down and
going out over him The officers secured
the country for the fugitive, but their
efforts were futile, and ne was at large until
his frequent ''swipes" at the Central rail
roads cars and depots caused the company
to employ Detective Burnside.
The detectives manner of going about
the capture is particularly interesting.
w hen he came TO Savannah he stopped at
the Marshall house, and remained there a
week, getting the INSIDE Of affairs prepara-
tory to going about his work. Tie day he
started to leave the city, he told the clerk
that be would leave that night, but would
return before the end of the week. After
supper he appeared in the role of tramp
at the office, and stripped
diamond ring off his finger,
and handing il over to the clerk with a roll
he called for them. Burnside had pack
age of new shirts and other paraphernalia
with which he intended to carry on his
game IN the country. He noticed, after
giving the clerk the valuables, that he was
closely scrutiaized. He little dreamed,
though, that the clerk failed to recognize
him, and he passed out and was
Office buying 'a ticket when
policeman tapped him on the shoulder and
said: II want you.n Burnside was aston
ished, and demonstrated with the officer,
but nothing would do, and so be accom-
panied the officer to the police barracks,
where he was promptly identified by some
Of the force. The clerk had put the officers
on the tramp, whom he supposed had been
running big game here.
Burnside made the $40 fast mail and
went to Eden. 1t was after o'clock when
he sneaked out from the rear of the last
coach with his bundle aud went across the
track and joined group of negroes, who
sat around pine knot" fire.
Hello, Charlie said a robust mulatto
Nv ha' yo' gwine dis time er night. Make
yo' fare down fun de city! OATS good, ole
boy. Have or seat on dis knot. Say, what
dis yo' got in yo' napsak; ole bred fun de
city folkss Whoopee! Say. CholIie, wha'
yo' gots Golly what er swipe! Say ole
fell, yo' mus be er red tn"
The negro was Nixon. The bundle was
opened, and the new shirts new socks, new
scarfs, ties and cravats fairly made the
negroes wild.
"Wha' yo' get UNI, num-" Nixon asked, as
he stopped over and held the articles close
to the fire exami hing thea
"Oh, got them in a corner store as
came out tonight" Burnside replied.
''Jes' walk In an guther 'em up, 'sposeT'
Course. That's nothing" replied Burn
side. noncholantly.
''Golly, ole Choly, mos as good as I is;
Ell, TilF' Til nodded and Nixon kept talk
ing. 81 don't cater ter dat class FER work,
do. Jes' wait till yo' heah bout dis depo'
bein' busted, or da car bein' hit. den yo'
mer count on ole Nix. Say, Cholly, wha'
yo' cnm from
bean all about. Taking life easy, don't
much about the south though. Want to
make some "swipes' through here and get
out. Any good men around here that a
fellow can depend on. ANY slick at the
business: don't make bungling Jobs my
self. I've got the tools especially for the
trade, and l can just riddle a safe before
you can say scat. Now come while | AUG
ton these goods; think of some good men
that | can rely on for neat piece of work
Come, what am | offered for this shirt.
Bid up, no sleeping here's cents for it [?
Then you may have it," In five minutes
the bundle had been auctioned off to the
crowd for something over s 80, and the
negroes sat looking at the new conner IN
amazement.
A freight train whistled around the curve
and the Gro wd kicked sand on the fire, re-
marking that it wouldn't do ''fur dem train
hans ter Spy u.s.
Nixon sent the other negroes away to
stow the purchases, and he and Lowry and
Burnside sat down behind a pile of cross
ties until the train came up
Now Cholly, L dom who yo' is, but |
kin see dat yo' is er gud un, an Pm wiilin'
ter help yo' out. dom spec yo' kin fine er
better all 'rounder den J John Nixon is Tain
been so long siace smashed in de door ter
de depo' up de road an took out er nulf
ticket money ter run me fro dis month.
But dis ain biz, eff yo's in er hurry bout
whut yo' wants ter do. Wait heah' till
John Nixon GIN yo' de sign" Nixon
sneaked Off down the track and popped
the seal on freight car. He
jumped into the car, but it
contained old bags. Before it
could have been told he closed the door. re
sealed it and smashed in another, and was
in the car. 1t contained new trunks. The
train started off. Nixon bleated like a
calf, and Tilson broke and ran in the direc-
ton of the sound, followed by Burnside.
Hop in, said Nixon, as he opened the
door. After the three were inside Nixon
JOlQ DueIn OF MS plans. ROCKY FORD was
the getting OFF place. Nixon said that
be knew the ropes" around that
| station. 1t was there that he had stolen
lot of freight and a watch or two. Millen
was good place, but they we're after him
| there with shot guns, because he knocked
de gizzard out NV or buckra," and he was
afraid to circulate around in that locality.
| The train made so much noise that the
crooks could not hear one another, and the
talking ceased. Burnside threw himself
back on big trunk and began
| to try to evolve a way OF entrapping the
gang. The Rocky Ford burglary was
| cleared up and the detective was in hand
reach Of the perpetrator. Rocky Ford was
reached, and the three men left the car and
camped out in the woods until day. When
day broke Nixon made a circuit and
said the field was open. A visit to the town
was made, and at night Nixon showed
Burnside how to open the depot door. 1t
was "A terrible crash, and could have been
heard half a mile, but the noise of
through freight laundering along
drowned it.
"Seel Oats de way Nix done it," allud-
ing to the passing Of the train. He said it
was rule Of the trade III these parts to
burst open depot doors while a through
! freight is passing, When the door was
open Nixon walked unctiously in and seized
two boxes of sardines, a box of backing
and box Of snuff, and made his way out
beckoning to the others to follow. The
| goods were opened on the railroad track, in
r,g.N ~ flnsaA h. NawraV md