The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-07
STOLE THE SOLICITORS HAT.
THE THIEF To SPEND TWELVE
MONTHS IN CHAINS FOR 1T.

Caught. Convicted and Sentenced
Within Fifteen Minutes From the
Theft Was COmmitted-LIvely De-
tective work and Quick Justice.
The Third Time the Solicitors Of
fee Has Been Robbed.
Solicitor General Fraser's hat, cane and
overcoat seem 10 have a fascination for
petty sneak thieves. For the third time
within a month or two a raid was made
on his office yesterday.
While Mr.. Fraser was in the city court
prosecuting Richard Jarvis for the larceny
Of half a dozen cups and saucers from
James S. Silva, Israel Small. one Of the
spoilers went into the court room, AID
informed Detective Morgan that the So
licitor's hat was missing. and that he had
seen a negro Of suspicious mein going down
the court house stairs.
When the detective and the spotter
reached the court house door the negro
was making his way through the square
and toward Broughton street lane. He
darted down the lane and toward Whita-
ker street with the hat concealed under
his coat, but Detective Morgan was ready
for him at the Whitaker street end, while
the spotter blocked the way in the other
direction. When the negro saw his predic-
ament he turned into an alley way, where
he was caught He was carried directly
TO the city court room, where Mr.. Fraser
was still engaged in the prosecution of
the Jarvis case. Detective Morgan held
the negro with one hand and the hat was
in the other. The hat was placed on the
table before the solicitor. while the negro
was put behind the railing with the other
criminals Mr.. Fraser at first did not
know what to make Of the situation, but
II was soon apparent what had trans
pired.
Jarvis trial was soon over and Judge
MacDonell gave him twelve months on
the chaingang. An accusation against
Sam Ferabee. whom the hat thief proved
TO be, was soon drawn up with Mr. Fraser
as prosecutor, and as he was an interested
party the court appointed Mr.. T. S. Nor
gan to prosecute the criminal and Mr..
W. y. Morris to defend him. The only
defense was the negros statement to the
effect that the spOtter who assisted in
catching him, had given the hat to pawn,
but this hardly tailed with the other testi-
negro's guilt. Judge MacDOnell gave
him twelve months on the changing and
remarked, in sentencing him, that he was
very sorry he could not send him out for
a longer term.
The trial occupied only a few minutes,
and as a sample of speedy justice this
would take first prize. 1t was not half
an hour after the negro had started off
with the hat before he was on his way
to the Jail under sentence to hard labor
on the gang. The sentence seemed to en-
rage the negro. As soon as 1t was passed
and he was placed within the railing
with the other prisoners, his first move
was to endeavor to open q window, il
seemed, with a view to jumping out. He
was caught at this and handcuffed 10
the railing. He fought and scratched
the officer who went to handcuff him,
and only desisted after he was given
couple of good raps over the head with
billy.
But this was not all. The negro did
not want TO go to jail and insisted that
he would not Usually all the prisoners
from the city court are handcuffed to-
gether and carried back to the jail after
being sentenced, to await the arrival Of
a guard, who carries them out to the
gang. Ferrabee made a stubborn resist
ance when an attempt was made TO carry
him to the Jail, and it took the officers
some time to subdue him. There was
no other way to get him to the Jail except
by calling the police patrol wagon, and
when this was brought he attempted to
overturn the seat. to which he was hand
cuffcd. He had to be chained with his
hands stretched wide apart and the off,
GERS had as much trouble in getting him
from the wagon into the jail as they die
in carrying him out of the court house