The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-16
SLICKEST THIEF OF ALL.
A TRUSTED PORTER WORKS a
NOVEL STYLE OF ROBB cry.


Out 20 Friends as Grits, Meal and
Rice-Caught Yesterday in the Act
by Bis Employer-He Confesses and
Charges several White Storekeepers
With Being His "Fences''-He Claims
Storekeeper Taught Him the
Trick-The House Unwittingly As
sisted Williams in His Crimes.
Allan Williams, for three years the conf
Dental porter and general utility man OF
A. Ehrlich & Bros wholesale grocery es-
adjustment, is occupying a cell in the jail
as a result Of the discovery yesterday OF his
unique style Of robbing his employers.
Trusted colored porters turning out TO be
Iirst-class thieves is getting to be matter
of common occurrence IN Savannah recent
~, but for skillful stealing Williams proba-
bly, stands at the head of the list.
Yesterday morning Groceryman George
Derst, who keeps a store in the
southwestern part OF the city,
informed Mr.. Ambrose Ehrlich that
Williams was robbing him by the
Wholesale. Derst said that about month
ago Williams came to his store and asked
him to order barrel of grits from Ehrich
q DIo.y W uAthI4ls stabAuR budb Nc Whnkou tue
grits, but it was the rule of the house
not to sell to the porters and as Derst was a
friend of his, it would be favor for the
groceryman to get the Rrits for him.
THE STYLE OF GRITs DERsT SAW.
Derst agreed and ordered the grits. When
the barrel arrived at his store he was in
need of grits himself and he remarked that
he would use that barrel and order another
for Williams next day. Derst knocked
out the head and was surprised
TO find that instead of grits it contained a
lot Of hams, pieces OF breakfast bacon,
white meat, csddes Of tobacco and other
articles. The storekeeper said he closed the
barrel at once and shortly afterward
Williams sent wagon aud had it hauled
away. He thought there might have been
some mistake aud said nothing about it.
According TO Dersts story Williams
called at his place again Tuesday last and
asked him to order barrel Of rice for him.
Derst told the negro that he did not care to
have anything further to do with such mat
ters aud spoke to Williams about the first
barrel containing meats. Derst said he
heard Williams had used bis name anyhow
and secured the barrel, and he thought il
right to notify MIR. Ehrlioh.
WILLIAMS CAUGHT IN THE ACT.
Detective Wetherhorn was employed on
the case, and yesterday at noon when a
wagner drove up to Ehrlich's store and or
dered barrel OF meal for l.. Lyons, a col
ored groceryman. the detective was on
hand. Mr.. Ehilich called to Williams TO
roll out barrel Of meal, which the Eegro
did with DrOmptuess. Just as iJ was about
% go into the wagon Mr.. Enrich smashed
in the meal-msrked head Of the barrel ex-
posing TO view hams, bacon, tobacco and
canned goods.
Without giving him time 10 say a word
Detective Wetherhorn slapped the hand
A. a -
ice Naughtins Office. He was very sullen
and declined to tslk.
Detective Wetherhorn then made a trip
TO Lyons' store aud found an empty tobacco
caddY bearing Enrich & Bros mark, but
Lyons claimed his children picked
it up IN the street somewhere and
brought IL into the store. de was ar
Trestsd, however, but as no direct
evidence could be obtained against him
he sas released after q few hours deten-
ton. The grocery store Of neg o named
Collins. on Waters road. was also visited
and some goods belonging to Ehrlich &
Bro. we're found there. A warrant was
issued for his arrest, and it will be served
to-dBy. Collins claimed that he bought
them from boy, and said he is willing TO
60 70 court
WILLIAMS CONFEssEs.
About O'Clock in the afternoon Williams
decided 70 talk, and be made full and free
confession to Mr.. Ambrose Ehrlich, Detect
i've Wetherhorn, Justice Naughtin and
q representative Of the MORNING NEWS
which, If true, will involve several we'll
known shopkeepers Williams said be was
honest up 70 little over a month ago
when storekeeper put the idea of robbery
in his head, and told him how he could
work the scheme successfully without being
caught and at the same time make a few
dollars week extra for himself. The name
of the storekeeler who the prisoner alleges
first sug gested the robberies and the names
of Others who bought the goods since were
given y Williams, but the MORNING News
withholds them for the present until the
case Is more thoroughly sifted.
A LESSON IN NOVEL THIEvERY
Williams said he was told to remove the
heads OF barrels containing grits, rice and
meal and put them in barrels filed With
meats, tobaccos and other articles which he
might have orders for notify his customers
when to send for barrel of grits, rice or
meal, and when he would receive the order
from the Office TO r ii out barrel Of any
one Of these articles 20 send out his barrel
OF disguised stolen goods instead.
He said be demurred, but was laughed
at and called fool, told that
other porters did it, and he was
standing in his own light by not doing
likewise Williams claims that he told the
storekeeper that he would be, sooner or later,
detected II be tried the game. but he was
told to make up his barrels Of meats when
the clerks would not be around, aud
they would never detect him while selling
the barrels, as he would do the rolling out
and delivery.
THE BUYERS BIG PROFITS.
Williams said he went to work to carry
che scheme out next day and the storekeeper
who had given him the pointers got the
first barrel, paying So so TO the house for a
barrel of meal and paying him So after
ward for his part of the work About 500
worth of goods was in the barrel. The
next barrel he sold TO another storekeeper
as barrel OF rice, and he made other sales
afterward.
Williams denied emphatically that he
ever sold any of the goods to Lyons or Col
Inns, and he said the barrel ordered In the
name OF Lyons which caused his arrest was
in reality for q white storekeeper in
Robertsville. He agreed TO face the men he
named to-day and repeat the charge made
in bis confession.
Detective Wetherhorn Is determined to
get to the bottom of the case, and to-day
he will take Williams around TO face the
men he charges with buying his stolen
goods and causing him to become a thief.
II the negro can prove his story there will