The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-03
FOUR UGLY ROBBERS CAUGHT.
POLICE RAID THE LOUISVILLE
ROAD GANG.

city Before Daybreak-"Tap" Ben
nett, Leader of the Gang, Gave
Way the CrOVvd-NO Trouble Ex-
perienced in Making the Arrests
with the Exception of Henry Ed
wards. Who Was Shot Through
the Arm-FOur Men Robbed During
the Night and the Plumber Found
in the Houses-The Robbers Iden-
tiled by Their Victims.
The best piece Of work that has been
done by the police in a long time was ac-
complished yesterday morning in the ar.
rest of the four negro highwaymen who
have been terrorizing the section west Of
the city and robbing people right and left
for weeks and probably for months
Many people who read reports Of these
occurrences in the newspapers doubtless
thought they were exaggerated, but PEG
pie living in the vicinity in which the
robberies occurred say that the state of
affairs was bat family pictured. Not
one-half the robberies which occurred
were reported, they say. and it had got
ten to the point where people In that sec
ton, both black and white, were afraid
to stir out of doors at night.
Chief McDermott might have justly said
that the robberies occurred out Of his
jurisdiction and that it was none of his
business. He is not that kind, however.
Although the crimes were committed out
side the city the interests of the city
were directly affected. The chief first
located the house of the leader Of the
gang, which required some very good de-
tective work, and then laid his plans to
catch the gang. Acting under instruc-
1tions from the chief, Detectives Scully,
Godbold and Barrett and Policemen
Woods, Collins, Eivers and T. ]. Farrell
left the barracks at o'clock yesterday
morning for the scene of the robberies.
They had a hot trail to work upon. A
negro man who had been robbed at 10
o'clock the night before and three white
men who had been robbed shortly after
midnight had arrived at the barracks and
related their experiences, which tailed
with that of others of recent occurrence,
as did also their description Of the rob-
bers.
The raiding party proceeded out the
Louisville road to the Four mile hill, where
they left the wagon in which they had
come, and struck out across the country
to the back of the Telfair place, about
mile and a half south of the railway juno
tOIs 10 lne CdDln OF lap Bennett WHO'LL
they knew to be the leader of the gang.
At that early hour Of the morning persons
were found stirring in the cabin, having
probably not yet gone to bed. The detec-
tives were aided by a very heavy fog,
which was so thick that a man could not
be seen at a distance of twenty steps.
Under cover Of the fog the cabin was
surrounded rush was made. and before
Bennett knew what had happened he
was in the hands of the police A lot of
the stolen plumber was found in his house,
and even the shirt he had on was the one
stolen from j. F. Mathews Thursday
night.
Bennett saw the jig was up and told the
detectives where the other three members
of his gang were to be found. Joe Green
and Henry Edwards were found at sepa-
rate cabins in the same neighborhood.
They were taken by surprise in the same
manner as Bennett. Only Edwards at
tempted resistance. When the detectives
broke in his door and called upon him to
surrender he dashed for his musket. De-
tective Scully was about to shoot him
when Edwards old mother sprang in the
way. Detective Godbold, who was on the
other side, fired as Edwards reached for
his musket, putting a ball through his
right arm. Edwards swore that he would
die before he would be arrested, but when
he saw the number of pistols pointed in
his direction he succumbed
Abner Stevens was found In his cabin a
mile further south. The detectives were
surprised to find that Stevens had rugged
up tirst-class burglar alarm arrange
ment In his house, with the evident pur-
pose of preventing a surprise by unexpect-
ed visitors. A large bell had been swung
from the center of the room and wires
running from this bell were attached TO
each door and window. The detectives
knew they had bad man to deal with
and they burst in the doors of the cabin so
suddenly that neither they nor Stevens
discovered whether the alarm worked or
not. Stevens jumped out of bed to find
himself confronted with Winchesters from
each door and window, and promptly sur
rendered. He is said to be a bad citizen
and his looks bear out his reputation.
Inc detectives returned to the police bar
racks with their prisoners about O'clock
The prisoners names were entered on the
docket and the case were called in police
court at O'Clock. The Investigation was
continued until this morning however. in
order to make the evidence more complete
All the prisoners have confessed to partic-
ipation in the crimes with which they are
| charged. Bennett and Stevens were iden-
tilted by the three white men as being in
the party which robbed them yesterday.
The prisoners were seen a the police
barracks yesterday by Morning News
reporter Bennett is a large, powerful mu-
latto, with face badly pock-marked and a
cruel expression. He has already served
two terms in the penitentiary for highway
robbery. He acknowledged to having had
hand In the robberies west Of the city.
but said that holding up people and rob-
bling them was common pastime with
the negroes west Of the city, and all OF
them there had had more or less OF hand
in the robberies. Bennett had on the shirt
stolen from Matthews.
Abner Stevens, powerful black, was In
an adjoining CELL He claimed that the
robberies Tuesday night were the first he
had had a hand in but when contradiced
| by Bennett recalled that he had also had
a hand in the Winters robbery Friday
night He had on a blue sweater which
| had been taken from Winters.
Green, who is a youthful negro, had lit
tie 10 say. Henry Edwards, the negro who
was shot, claimed that the robbery Tues
day night was the first In which he had
| participated. He said that Stevens met
him In the market the Saturday before
and told him that he could make plenty
| OF money by going out with tho
1 gang. Edwards was Identified bv
| the three white mon as tho man