Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-16
was George Thomas. while his mother

| dead, and he saw his mother last ABOUT
<wo years ago In Petersburg. He said ne
was called The KID" and that he had
been ip jail in the Cockade City recently
for stealing gas-stoye. Thomas re-
asserted that he had nothing to do with
tho Manchester robbery. When asked
what he was doing In that city at so late
an hour. he remarked that he had gone
over there to take train for Petersburg.
In another breath he said that he went
to Manchester two days before Being
crcss-questioned by some OF the police
officers, Thomas admitted that he was in
Providence Forge on Wednesday night.
but declared that Powell was not with
him, and that he did not attempt 10
break into Mr.. Richardson's store there
that night, although. 1t is said. he was
identified as the person who did make
such an attempt.
Speaking Of his past history, Thomas
said that he had lived for long time In
Lynchhurg, and had lately been living In
Petersburg. He said the first time he
came to Richmond was during the fair
last year, but that he had been here
several times since. He is a simple
looking negro. thoroughly ignorant, and
not at all OF the desperado appearance.
He did not appear to be at all alarmed
or exercised over either his crime or his
arrest.
TAKEN TO THE CITY JAIL.
Later in the evening the authorities
deemed 1t wise TO take Thomas to the
city jail for safe-keeping. and he was
soon incarcerated there. He was placed
in the cell occupied by "Gold-Brick'
Parker. Major B. +. Howard. Chief OF
Police, returned to the city last night
from Pittsburg. Pa, where he had been
attending the national convention OF
chiefs of police, and he went at once
to the JAIL having heard that Thomas
had been carried there. He ordered
detail of fifteen officers to do guard duty
around the prison through the night.
City-Sergeant Claiborne Epps also, upon
learning he was to have the custody
of the prisoner went at once TO the jail,
where he remained all night, In order
to take all possible precaution against
even an attempt at lynching. Thomas
was put in separate cell from that
occupied by Powell, and while the case
of the latter has been continued in the
Police Court until the 18th instant, the
two men will be carried before Justice
Crutchfed tomorrow morning.
MIR. MINORS CONDITION.
The condition of Mr. Minor. who was
so dangerously shot by the negro Thomas.
was regarded as favorable TO his re-
covery last night. Drs c. w. L. Brock
and Joseph A. White made an exanina-
ton of his injuries about o'clock yester-
day afternoon, and found that the bau
had passed through the left temple and
eve and lodged Just back of the right
eye. In order TO definitely locate and
extricate the bullet. the right orb VIII
also have TO be removed, but this Will not
be done for several days. 1t Is not
thought the sight Of this eye need neces-
sarily be totally impaired. Everything
possible Is being done for the comfort
and convenience of the afflicted officer.
AT midnight Colonel Henry G. Jones,
commandant of the First Virginia Regi-
ment, was at the Armory with large
number of the soldiers, whom he told
to remain for q few hours, to see IL their
services would be needed.
A MANCHESTER OFFICERS ESCAPE.
Policeman Alexander Wright, Of the
Manchester department. had escorted
friend across the Free bridge Friday
night. and was returning between u and
1 o'clock when he met two negroes gong
towards Richmond. He suspected some
thing wrong, and would have placed
them under arrest as suspicious charac-
ters had 1t been within his Jurisdiction.
The policeman, on reacnnB the Aahcnes-
ter Station-House. told another onioer
OF having met these negroes. and they
were talking the matter over when the
telephone bell rang. 1t was the Rich
mond officer, who said stolen goods had
been found on the person of a negro man,
who said ne had come from Manchester.
On finding that the goods stolen were
hardware, Policeman Wright went imme-
dlately to the store Of Walden & Co., and
found that the front door had been broken
open.
1t was good luck for Officer Wright
that he did not meet with officer Minors
fate. He saw Powell at the Richmond
station Yesterday morning. and the prl-
soner said to him.
1--WE met you on tho bridge last night,
and IL YOU had attempted to arrest US
you would have been shot"
Mr.. Wright said IL he had met them
on the Manchester side he would GER
tainly have attempted the arrest.