The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-16
TWENTY YEARS A BURGLAR.
PRIMUs ADAMS AN ESCAPED con-
Wet FROM THREE STATES.

His Last Robbery That OF Mr. keck's
Residence on President street.
Captured by Detective Wether-
horn-Ie Was wearing Mr.. KecIS'S
Clothes and Watch-A Dozen Peni-
tentfa-y Sentences Hanging over
Hina-His Defiance of the Police.
The burglar who robbed Mr.. T. p. Keck's
house at No. 1876 President street Friday
night and secured "a gold watch, 81 in
cash and lot Of clothing, was arrested
last night by Detective Wetherhorn- His
name is Primus Adams. and Chief Nc
Dermott considers him the best catch. all
things considered. that has been made in
the department since he assumed office.
Primus can certainly lay claim TO being
a distinguished burglar. He is wanted
now in at least three states as an escaped
convict. and has been known to the court
officials Of this county for quarter of
a century. It would take several natural
lives for him TO serve out the terms for
which he is already under sentence, to
say nothing Of the sentences ne may be
due for the various burglaries with which
he is charged all over the country.
Sergt. Baughan remembers Primus
when he was on the county chain-gang as
far back as 1873, and he had a record then
of being the most active prisoner on the
gang In 1879 he robbed the store of
Meyer Mendel, securing considerable
cash. and also robbed a man named Ro-
Der at the toll gate. He was captured
and sentenced to twelve years in the
penitentiary for the first crime and thir-
teen years for the other. He served few
years and escaped. going to Charleston
where he committed several burglaries.
He was sent TO the penitentiary for life
there in 1854 but served a short while
there and escaped. He received his next
sentence of ten years in Florida. He
claims to have served out this sentence
but Chief McDermott does not believe it.
When Chief McDermott and Detective
Wetherhorn went to Baltimore to bring
back Abe Small they were informed that
Adams was in Philadelphia. They
thought of going over there and bringing
him back, but concluded that the reward
Of 500 offered for him by the peniten-
tiary authorities Of South Carolina would
hardly pay for the trouble. Previous TO
that, however, Adams passed through
Savannah on his way north in March.
He kindly sent Chief McDermott word
days, but did not intend to do any work.
He got out Of the city before he could
be picked up, but the chief has been on
the lookout for him ever since.
Primus arrived in Savannah last week
and the detectives were informed of the
fact shortly after his arrival. When Mr..
Keck's house was robbed they thought
OF Primus, but they knew that he was
money thief and seldom stole anything
else, while there was a lot Of clothing
taken from Mr.. Keck's. Chief McDer-
mott asked Primus last night why ne
took the clothing. Primus admitted that
Il was unprOfessional in him. but said
that he had had a rough time Of II on
his trip south and needed some new
clothes. He had on some Of Mr.. keck's
clothes when arrested. He also had Mr..
Keck's fine non-magnetic gold watch in
his pocket. The watch was Identified by
Mr.. Keck.
Detective Wetherhorn arrested Adams
at, the corner of Alice and West Broad
streets about O'Clock. A Morning News
reporter saw him at the barracks He is
a short stumpy, gingercake fellow, with a
pleasant and very shrewd expression.
Where were you on the gang lastY'
he was asked.
II don't get on the gang" he replied
somewhat Indignantly. when 1 does
anything II means penitentiary.
We'll, how many times have you been
In the penitentiary2 he was asked.
II don't know: lots of times"
You appear to be bound there again"
That's all right; they can't keep me
there" he replied confidently.
Primus' assertion that he can't be kept
in the penitentiary appears to be well
founded, Judging BY his record. He is in
for another long sentence from Chatham
county anyway.