The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-23
TAKEN FOR CAR ROBBERS
THREE MEN ARRESTED AT THE
FOUR-MILE HILL.

/ A SPECIAL Grain With a Squad OF Po-
lice Erings in the Supposed Express
Car Thieves-Express agent Bynes
sent for to Identify the Men-They
Deny any Connection With the
Griffin Robbery-The Story Of Their
Doings.
7 F. Plunkett, W. T. Pollock and George
Croker were arrested yesterday morn
/ mo at Four Mile hill on the Central rail-
road on suspicion Of being the parties who
/ ,,bbed a Southern Express car Of 1900
rssr Griffin Thursday night. The arrest
vas made at the instance of D. H. Clark
4 Es0., of Guyton, who was told that three
4 nsn answering the description Of the robbers
had got off a Central passenger train near
Egypt, and were supposed to have boarded
freight train No. 40. bound for Savannah.
Anengine and one car with three Central
rslroad policeman started out TO meet
,be supposed robbers and found them wash
ing their faces at ditch by the side of the
road. They were put under arrest and
brought into the city aud were lodged in
The barracks for safekeeping.
Ex-senator duBignon counsel, for the ex.
was in charge Of the robbed car telegraphed
for and he will arrive this morning to see
Il the men under arrest are the right
parties
TG BE HELD FOR IDENTIFICATION.
Last night a warrant was sworn out by
Agent Cooper, charging Plunkett, Pollock
and Croker with vagrancy in order to have
them held until to-day. They were trans
ferred to the jail last night by Detective
NetherhorD.
A MORNING NEWS reporter had talk
with the suspects at the barracks. They are
rot much more than boys Crocker being
only 20 years old and Plunkett and Pollock
only 10. They have anything but the ap-
pearance of robbers. having honest looking
faces and being neatly dressed. They were
indignant at being arrested and talked
freely of their movements both before and
since the robbery of which they are sus-
pected. II there is any truth in their
stories the police have made a mistake in
srresting them.
CLAIM TO BE FROM AUGUSTA.
They claim to be Augusta boys, Pollock
aud Plunkett being paper hangers. They
said they came to Savannah last Sunday
on the cheap excursion TO look for work.
They remained in the city until Thursday,
putting up wall paper at the Marshall house.
Thursday night they left the city on the
$40 o'clock train, of which Conductor
Beebe had charge. They paid their fare to
Macon. At Wadley one of the porters,
they said, told them the telegraph opera
tor had caught a message going through
to the effect that car had
been robbed above Macon. They thought
nothing more OF the matter and arrived in
Macon Friday morning. There they met
Croker, who is a moulder. He was COM
ing to Savannah that night to look for
work. Plunkett and Pollock tried
TO get work in Macon, but
Gs they did not they determined
to come back to Savannah with Crocker.
HOOKING A FREE RIDE.
The three then hid themselves on the
front platform of the coach nearest the en-
CINE, and when it arrived at Egypt daylight
was breaking. and they jumped off to wait
the station they climbed up on top
of box car and rode to the
Four-mile hill. where they got
off to wash their faces and walk into the
city to avoid being arrested for stealing a
ride It was while washing up that the
officers bounced down upon them. They
we're not told the charge under which they
we're arrested until the barracks was
reached.
But IS cents was found Oh the three boys,
and they jokiDgly remarked that, If they
had secured 81 600. they would most likely
have more than So cents left.
Pollock is not a stranger here, having
been a clerk at Kohler's clothing store on
Broughton street last summer. Croker
was employed at McDonough & Ballan>
tynes foundry about two years ago.
THE DESCRIPTION DoN'T FIT THEM.
The three prisoners don't tally with the
description furnished by Agent Bynes.
He said the robbers were short men and
weighed between $50 and 100 pounds. The
boys in Jail here are tall and none of them
weigh above 1856 pounds.
Plunkett aud Pollock said that they can
prove by Conductor Beebe that they were
passengers on his train the night the rob-
berry was committed, and Croker said he
can prove by dozen persons at least that
be was in Macon the same night. Thomas
S. Morgan, Jr., Esq, will represent them
against the charge of vagrancy.