The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-01
wAYcRoss. BOLD RopsER.
The Nero "Biu" Smith Held for the
Attempted Postofics Robbery.

Attempted PostOft1cs Robbery.
Additional testimony was heard before
United States Commissioner Gillespie yes
terday against "Bill Smith," the negro
found concealed under the counter Of the
Waycross postofice, going to show that the
fellow had cOnfederates, one Of whom was
white man, and that on the night Of his
arrest an effort was made TO release him
from the Waycross Jail.
Sheriff Henderson testified that on the
night Smith was lodged in jail there were
eleven prisoners in confinement, and that
from certain suspicious Circumstances the
postmaster aud some Of the citizens advised
that he have an extra jail guard that night.
He employed j. T. Collision for that pur-
pose, and between ana O'Clock in the
morning Dolliston came running 70 the
jailers house and informed him that some
body had been at the jail trying to
break in
The guard said there were three men, one
Of whom was white, and it was the white
man who had made the assault on the jail
door. The guard snapped his gun at the
man, but the weapon was not dlschargef.
The sheriff said that ne accompanied the
guard back 10 the jail, and, striking
match. saw a dent in the door as if a crow
bar had been used TO pry off the staple. He
also heard a whistle in the distance that
sounded as if it were a signal. Tracks were
followed in the sand, but the parties were
not apprehended
J. G. Mcdonald, Esq, gave bis testimony
before the commissioner, detailing a con-
fession made by the prisoner to him. Mr..
Mcdonald said that Smith told him that
another colored man and a white man were
in the plot to rob the postoffica. The pistol
belonged to the white man, who planned the
whole affair, and showed Smith. who was in
the postotfice that day previous to his
capture, how he could work it. Smith said
that he went in and found the clerk busy
in the building when there was no one else
present, and he crawled around under the
counter. They would not have discovered
him, he said, but in turning around to ease
himself from an uncomfortable position he
made noise, and the clerk heard it and
discovered him.
Smith told Mr.. Mcdonald that il was
understood between him and the white
man, whose name he refused to Detray,
and the other colored man, whose name he
also declined to give, that Smith was to
secrete himself in the building, and that
night they were to come and tap on the
door and he was to turn them in, and that
the white man, who understood about how
TO get in the safe, was to open it, and
when they robbed it they were to
divide the spoils. He then
confederate. He said that he was sort Of
a Cracker kind of a man, who was sharp
and knew all about the burglary business
Smith denied any knowledge of how the
Ratchet came to be found where he was
concealed, out he repeated that the pistol
found on the floor beside the Ratchet had
been given him for the occasion by his
white pal, a" whom. he said, is a stranger in
Waycross.
Smith was brought from the jail to the
custom house where he was confronted by
Mr. Mcdonald but he denied the truthful
ness of the confession. He said that he was
afraid Of being lynched in the Waycross
Jail the night he was incarcerated, and
told that tale TO keep from being hurt.
He reiterated his statement on the
former examination that he had gone
in the postoffice TO write a postal
card TO his brother in Jackson
vile, and that it had fallen off the coun-
ter, and when he got down on the floor to
look for it he was arrested. He denied the
ownership OF the pistol.
Commissioner Gillespie asked him to write
a copy of what he had written on the postal
card, and the result very clearly showed
that beyond his ability to make letters he
is illiterate and cannot form a word.
As near as could be deciphered this is
what Smith wrote:
Ju jactum 10 ayns auiaspnrm msclwjscns
nrowerm no ism.
Being interpreted Smith said that it was
as follows:
JACKSONVILLE, Aug. %, 1889.
write you these few lines TO let you know
am well.
Smith was asked why he dated his postal
card Jacksonville when writing from Way
cross, and ne replied that it is the way he
always writes his postal cards.
The prisoner was remanded to Jail The
Waycross people believe the story told to
Mr.. Mcdonald by the prisoner is a true
version of the attempted burglary, and they
are keeping a close lookout for his white
accomphce.