The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-09-28
HE LED A ROBBER BAND.
REMARKABLE CONFESSION OF
YOUNG WILLIAM WATTS.

Their Fencekeeper in Jail-Watts,
the Leader of tae Band, Not 10 Years
Old and the Principal in Three Times
That Number of Grim ss-The Story
of the Robbers Capture and Their
Young Leaders Career.
The mystery which has for a long time
surrounded the robberies Of Central and
Savannah, Florida and Western freight
cars has at last been solved. and five Of the
robbers, together with the female keeper OF
their fence. at Kline and Burroughs streets.
are behind the bars of Chatham county
jail.
The prisoners ara William Watts, Her
man Myers, William Deignan, William
Rushing. David Mills tcoloredl and Octavia
Rushing, mother of young Rushing. Other
arrests are expected to follow in the next
few dsyA s-.r-
The arrest brought out the fact that
Savannah has been since last January the
headquarters of one OF the most thoroughly
organized band of robbers in the country,
led by William Watts of Atlanta, a youth
not yet 10 years old. The Oldest member Of
the gang is not over %. All are white
except David Mills. Watts proved himself
thorough leader. He mapped out the pro-
grsmmes for the various expeditions and
his subordinates implicitly obeyed him.
WATTS PLAN OF ROBBERY.
His system of operation was to hang
around where freight cars were being
loaded, pick OUT one in which dry goods,
clothing, shoes, hats, etc., were stored,
take the number down In his notebook,
together with the road to which it belonged.
watch the S de track on which il would be
moved, become acquainted through inquiry
as to when it was expected to leave, aud
then pick out as many as he needed from
his band and board the train as it
passed out OF the city.
Crowbsrs and chisels were always carried
and when the train was safe distance be-
yond the city the car doors were pried
open from the top. Picking out just what
they wanted the robbers jumped off as the
train slowed up at switches or crossings
and peddled the goods through the country.
BEGAN RoBBING HOUSES.
When business became dull in railroad
Stealing Watts and his gang turned their
attention to the city and robbed stores and
hen roosts and killed rs, which after be-
ing dressed ere sold at various places.
After Detectives Basch and Wetherhora
cars in the house occupied by DeLauter,
Turner G9d Perkins, the express robbers,
ttey determined to get to the bottom of
the robberies. Watts was in jail OF this
| time for stealing clothes and as he was a
boy who bore bad reputation, Detective
Basch thought he might know something
about the car robteries. lie was right in
his theory, too. lie called ct the
Jail. and, after short talk with the young
leader Of thieves, got a complete confession
out Of him, together with the names OF his
companions. Watts said that the stolen
goods had always been stored at the house
| Of Mrs. Rushing, whose two sons were
| members Of his gang, and where no himself
lived.
TIE FIRST CAPTURE.
The two detectives captured David Mills
first. He told all he knew, and implicated
the same parties that Watts had impI-
Gated. Myers. Rushing aud Deignan were
soon captured. They denied that they we're
| thieves, but were sent TO jail nevertheless.
A search of the Rushing house followed
/ and piles of the stolen goods were found
stored there, fine dress goods, silks, calicoes,
| cloaks, handkerchief, etc. The stuff was
| bundled up aud taken to Justice Neughtin's
| office and Mrs Esu ihing was sent TO Jail as
an accessory after the fact in the robbery.
Other goods are being found daily in all
| parts OF the city at houses of ill-fame and
among the c1lored people, to whom the rob-
bers sold their plumber.
Hun Rushing is yet wanted and it is ex-
pected that he will be found in day or
two.
Joe Montgomery, the trusty who escaped
from the jail FRIDAY, was also mamber of
the gang, aud this accounts for mis- skipping
out when he saw his companions in crime
being brought in.
The breaking up Of this gang of young
thieves is piecs of work for which Detec-
tives Basch and Wetherhorn deserve great
credit. For months the systematic rObber
les of cars has caused 40 end of trouble
and annoyance to the railroad officials,
not to mention the losses which they had TO
make good.
THE STORY OF WATTS LIFE.
Watts was seen at the jail yesterday by q
MoRNTNG NEWS reporter. He talked freely
and apparently proudly of his exploits. lie
is blonde with blue eyes which move
| quickly when he is in conversation as a
snakes when ready to strike. This pecu-
ltarity is noticeable the moment he is spoken
to. Otherwise the young robher is fairly
| good locking. TIE story of bis life sur
passes ANYTHING OF the jesse James order.
! Wa Is laid be has kept a dry of every
crime he has committed, together with & 6
amounts he made in his operations He
did this TO keep himself posted as
to his earnings II everything he said is
true, aud he said he hadn't told half, the
| young robbers life is worthy OF the pen of
| novelist.
II belong to Atlanta" said Watts,
''where nv father lives. l an known
in every part of the country, north, south,
east and west, on account or my many
crimes. began my life Of crime seven
years ago through the influence of a girl
whose brother was q thief. She advised
me to go into it for a living, and my
mother being dead | yielded TO her wishes.
STARTED FOR THE PLAINS.
81 committed some petty thefts in Atlanta
and then l ran away from horne and went
to Texas. In 1854, with e companion named
Tom Hale, | committed a highway robbery
in Willis, Montgomery county, Texas. We
held up Toms uncle The nephew kept a
pistol at his uncle's head, while l went
through bis pockets. We got Sl2S in money
and gold watch and chain.
1--WE skipped back to Atlanta and had a
big time Running short of money Hale
and myself went to Anglers, a small town
near Atlanta, and there held up Savannah
mau and took $35 from hiEl. He recognized
us and the next day we were arrested, but
my father got the case dropped by
paying the man we robbed the $S5
we had taken from him and $50 to boot.
But we had been found out in Texas in the
meantime and officers came from there to
Atlanta and took US back. We were tried,
found guilty and sentenced 70 five years IN
the penitentiary. Tom Hale's father had
lots Of money, and by some means or an
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