The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-01
LED THEM A WILD CHASE.
col. HOBBS TOOK DEPUTY DAYTON
INTO CUELER SWAMP AFTER
A STILL.

uor-Col. Hobbs Thought He Had IA
BONANZA in Rewards for Violations
OF Internal Revenue Lnvvs-Hobbs
Found Guilty of Obtaining - From
4. =. Green on the rauduIent IRE
tense That lie Was "A Deputy Mar
shal--He l. Recommended 10 the
Mercy of the Court.
col" Charles Hancock Hobbs. as he
styled himself on the occasion of his adj
vent to this city, was convicted in the
United states court yesterday of obtain
ing money from a. r. Green by fraudu-
lentIy representing himself TO be a United
States deputy marshal Hobbs took his
conviction indimerently and had nothing
10 say about il TO those around him.
Hobbs came 70 Savannah in the early
part Of January and put up at the screven
house. He lived quite high for a while
rode good horses ON credit. ran UP bills at
one place and another. but from that time
until now has never been able to give any
satisfactory explanation Of his presence
here nor OF his conduct When some OF
HIS creditors began TO push him, they came
TO the conclusion that he had been making
fraudulent representations. and he was
arrested by Deputy Marshal Dayton. on a
warrant charging him with fraudulently
personat,ng United States officer He
strongly denied the charges, but never
explained his conduct. lie was defended
by William Pease Esq, who made a
general plea Of not guilty. though many
believed Hobbs Of unsound mind on GER
tain points.
The most interesting feature brought
out in the trial of Hobbs case was the
wld-goose chase on which he led Deputy
Marshal W. A. Dayton. Deputy Dayton
told the story himself on the witness stand
! during the trial.
Shortly after I met Hobbs" the deputy
marshal said, "he told me that there was
stin out on Dick Grimm's place in
Cuyler swamp. He said he had positive
Information as to the location of this IL
licit dlstlllery and though he had never
been there he could put me within 100
yards of IT, lie went before United States
Commissioner NJ. A. Connolly and made
an affidavit against Richard Grimm, on the
strength Of which a warrant was issued.
1T was on Jan. Is, about o'clock, that
we got a buggy and drove out to Sackvlle,
taking two officers with us. The location
of the supposed stnl was just back OF
Sackville, In the midst of the swamp.
Hobbs went a little way with us, but was
very careful not to get wet. 1 waded I'm
up to the waist searching for the still, and
one of the raiders went into the swamp
up to his neck. so that he had to be pulled
out but we found no signs of any still.
Hobbs then said he would 20 back TO
/ Thunderbolt and get the map, showing It's
/ location. When the map was brought it
was found that the point he had indicated
/ was not within 500 yards of where the stin
| was supposed to be. We then went to the
! point where the map located the still. This
| was about the intersection of the old and
! new Casey canals. just north of where
/ the Savannah. ThunderbOlt and Isle OF
] Hope railroad crosses the canal But after
a thorough search i'm that locality, no sign
| of any still was found, and we had our
tramp for nothing"
Deputy Marshal Dayton was asked what
led him to believe there was still in that
4 section
"Hobbs told me that he had positive in
formation" was the reply, and said he
got it from the barkeeper of the Acme
house at Thunderbolt."
"Who was this barkeeper?" asked the
court
"His name was given as Ahren."
"Evidently he was trying to put up a
job on the defendant" Judge Speer said.
II seems that Hobbs was told that such
distillery was in existence and was
I shown a map whereon il was located. This
was the map he afterwards carried to
/ Deputy Marshal Dayton.
did you take the defendant for a United
States ofiicer?" Deputy Dayton was asked
by Maj. Gary.
"No. 1 did not" was the reply. "I met
him on Jan. IS, and it was Jan. IS when
asked him if he was a United States Off
GER He told me very frankly that he had
been connected with the government in
some such capacity, but was no longer
so"
George Beckmann's story was an inter
esting feature of the case. He said Hobbs
came into his place every day or two. and
on one occasion told him that he knew Of
the existence of seventy-hve barrels Of
contraband blackberry brandy at Thunder
bolt He suggested to Beckmann that he
buy some of the brandy, and said that he
would pay him for il, report the case,
and that they could "divvy up" on the
reward.
what was your reply when he made
that proposition? Mr.. Beckman was
asked.
u said well colonel I'm much obliged
to you, but ! am not in that kind of bust
ness
Mir. b. Dub of the screven house said
that Hobbs came to hoard at his hotel,
and paid his bill for the first week but af-
forwards remained there for two weeks
and did not pay any board.
Ibid you take him to be a United States
deputy marshall" he was asked.
Il saw his card with that printed on it,
was the reply. land though 1 think he in
tended for me to see it, he did not ex-
pressly show it to me"
Ibid that have anything to do with your
extending credit TO him?"
THAT may have had something to do
with it," was Mr.. Dub's reply.
A. Z. Green. storekeeper, said Hobbs
got money from him on two occasions, on
the pretense that he was United States
officer.
Il asked him." Green said, IF he were a
United States officer. He did not make a
direct reply. but said: Why, how did you
dnd that out?'
Green said Hobbs told him story about
having been out with posse of men on a
raid one of whom had been murdered an
other dangerously wounded, and he him
self. had been shot through the hat Green
said he lent him S. on one occasion and
took a check signed by his wife as
security. Hobbs, he said. promised 10 re-
I tfTT.l this in twenty minutes but revar