The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-23
ROBBED DOZENS OF HOUSES.
THE POLICE CAPTURE a NOTORI-
OIS CRAFTSMAN.

of His Last Robbery-PnrticuIar al
whose Houses He Visited-IIis Big
EeSt Haul - From Banker Weeds
Trousers PocketS-TIns served Fiji
teen Years in the Pcnftentiary and
Is Likely 10 spend the Balance of
His Life There.
Ned Green. an old and slick burglar. IS
behind the bars and the residents Of the
southern section OF the city and the neigh
borhood Of the park can now rest com
fortabry in their beds al night without APP
pretending the visit of a burglar before
morning. Green has the record of having
robbed the residences Of more prominent
people and obtaining less for il than any
other burglar who ever operated in Sa-
vannah. He made one venture too many.
Gen. A. r. Lawton's residence. at Aber-
corn and Huntingdon streets was entered
about o'clock yesterday morning and
that ended Green's burglarious career for
while, at least The members Of the fam
lily were aroused by some one moving
about the house and in the confusion the
thief escaped. He had made his entrance
first floor on the south side of the house
and raising the sash. He then went up
stairs, and ransacked bureau, evidently
in search Of money He had pocketed a
number OF small articles most OF which
were of little value, when his presence
was discovered. Before ne could be To-
Gated he had escaped.
The policeman in the park was notified,
but the burglar had put some distance
between himself and the house when the
officer arrived. Policeman Hodges was on
duty in the Tenth precinct. AT Gordon
and Abercorn streets he met a negro
moving along in a suspicious manner He
had a bundle on his shoulder and the Off
Ger at once concluded that he was a
thief and called on him to halt. Instead
of stopping, the negro broke into a run.
Hodges pursued and as the fugitive did
not halt he opened fire on him, firing
three shots in quick succession. The
negro ran like a deer, pursued by the po-
liceman who followed him TO Charlton
street where he saw him drop down by
the wall of the Guards arsenal He pre-
tended 10 be asleep. but a rap on the
head from the policeman's club awoke
him in short order. He had dropped his
bundle which was afterwards picked up
on Abercorn street.
At the barracks Green pretended to be
both deaf and dumb and was locked up
for further investigation. In the police
court he tried the insane dodge. His bag
contained a fine set of burglars tools
There were several punches, a jimmy, a
diamond glass cutter and a strong case
knife. The latter was used for inserting
between window sashes and pushing back
catches. Chief McDermott and Detective
Wetherhorn took Green in hand later and
succeeded in getting his whole story. The
officers were astounded. Green confessed
TO nearly every house robbery which has
been reported to the police In the last three
or four months, including some which have
puzzled the detectives severely Green Is
little, old, harmless looking fellow and
the last man in the world to be picked out
for a burglar. one Of the police spoilers
when Green was pointed out to him ex-
claimed: Dat old scoundrel. Why, been
talkin' to dat niger every day for tree
MONTHS
Green confessed to Chief McDermott
that he was sentenced to ten years in the
penitentiary for robbing the Chatham
Academy about fifteen years ago. After
serving this sentence he was convicted of
robbing the house of Mr. John Neill at
Drayton and New Houston streets for
which he got five years. He hasn't been
out quite year and had resumed his old
occupation. He will get such a sentence
this time in all likelihood as will last him
the balance of his life.
When Green visited a house and liked
it he had a way of dropping in there two
or three times a week, if for nothing else
but to get a meal. This was why he Wis
tied the houses of Mr.. Gorham and Mrs.
Holt on Whitaker street so often, and puz-
zled the police so badly because they could
not understand why any burglar should
come so frequently to the same place when
he knew the inmates were on the watch
for him.
For she purpose of learning Green's
methods of working and satisfying the
people who had been robbed that the right
man had been caught, Chief McDermott
made round of the city with Green and
had him point out the houses which he
had robbed and describe how he entered
them. He was taken into several of the
houses and explained for the benefit OF
the inmates how he secured entrance.
Green seemed very willing to display his
knowledge of his art and gave in detail
his manner of entering each house and
what he did there. He always visited the
second floor and entered the bedrooms, but
his presence was rarely detected. He
looked for money chiefly and only took
such small articles as struck his fancy.
He was very unsuccessful from a finan-
cial standpoint, however. Although he
visited the houses of many prominent
bankers and merchants, the largest
amount OF caSh he ever obtained was 81
which he took from Mr.. j. d. Weed IS
trousers pocket.
At Capt. John Flannery's house which
was robbed recently, Green got a table
cloth and bedspread. At MIR. H. NJ
Corners he got a box of ribbons; at Mai
=. w. Meldrim's a pocketbooI; at Mr. Jo-
seph HulTs two poeketbooks, containing
some small change; at Mrs. Warnings a
photograph; at Mr.. w. p. Schrm's some
handkerchiefs and $3.50 in cash. at Mr.
George J. Baldwin's a Smith & Wesson
revolver and several other articles; a Mr.
Aaron Ferst's a Turkish rug and some rib.
bons; al Mr.. L. L. Neidlinger's two rugs
at DR.. Hops two table cloths and some
rugs; at Capt. John r. Dillon's a pocket
book and some school books; from Mr.
A. l. Alexander a bunch of keys and
silver knife. other houses robben by
Green were those of Col John Screven
Mr.. ]. A. G. Carson, Mrs John Ham
Snond, Mrs. H. r. Holt and Mr.. JOSEPH
Gorham on Whitaker street Mrs. j. Guer
ard Hayward, Mr. L. A Mccarthy, MIR
S. Meinhard, Mr.. l. Lippman, Mr. S
Herman. Mrs. n w. Park Gen A. r
Lawton and probably others
Green said that he always selected
houses with wide stooDs where he cont