The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-05-22

ybery or not?''
= Yes: he was with me all night"
St3s"Yes."
<SlEs:s.What were YOU doing there?"
.issts wv ent there for a good time"
S3ls6i11Did you have any beer at the gas
mouse the night OF the robbery?'
,%xiEsAt this point the counsel for the prs
SonerS objected to the question being an
$sWered, and q legal squabble followed.
drew the question
y The question arose as to whether or
pot Linn was a competent witness, as he
was indicted by the grand jury for the
THE Judge decided that he was COM
Detent2wtness.
What time did you leave the gas
house the time Of the robbery"
Doleman and myself left between 10
and II o'clock
Linn then made his confession as fol-
lows: On leaving the gashouse Dole
man proposed to me to break into Davis
grocery store, TO which I agreed. We
walked around the square about four or
five times, possible more. We then at
tempted to break the back door open,
but In this we were unsuccessful. We
then went through the lane to the side
door. where we forced the panels Of the
upper part out with our shoulders. Z
entered the house first and coleman fol-
lamp turned down low and sitting on
the meat counter in the back part of
the store. l Went and got the lamp and
turned 1t up higher SO that we could see
what we were doing. l placed the lamp
on he.counter, which was on the other
side of the store. and left coleman at
the meat counter while I looked for
other things, and opened the cash draw
er and got out 10 cents, which consisted
In three cent pieces and four pennies.
RI tJ1hSa fn, ni.r 4fr,- ,I
tobacco. There were two boxes partly
full Of tobacco, which l emptie1 into
one box.
lie then took the Ratchet and started
off with the bag full of meat. Which was
too heavy, and we left it behind Dole
man came out OF the store first, and as
was coming out heard some one ho-
Ia Murder" or something that sound
ed like that to me. I afterward heard
the same voice say, "Shoot him, papa,
they are robbers In going from the
store through the lane we dropped
some Of the tobacco, as It was too
heavy to carry. We also had q box
containing fifty packages of cigarettes,
the top being off the box we lost several
packages on the way to Fort Lane gate,
which we went through on our way to
the Green street gate, thence to gas
mouse lane. We went home; put the
Ratchet and several other things in the
closet under the stair steps. We then
went back to Hatton's field and SAT
down under the trees. We heard a col
ored man who; was searching for the
goods say that here is some Of the things
mat they dropped. We then became
frightened and ran. In running l lost
my bottle Of beer. which I had in my
pocket, but did not go back to look for
1t, 1t was then about l O'Clock We
then came down to Stanwood's bar and
got q, drink. Linn then slated that the
NJ nnS,o l,
both returned home about $50 o'clock
In the morning. This ended the confess
sion. and the following questions were
asked Linn:
Where did you and coleman get your
beer? III
Mr.. cosgrove the engineer of the gas
house. gave me fifty cents to get twelve
bottles Of beer at Hundley's bar.
knew that Mr.. CosErovcs name was
good for credit at Mr.. Hundleys, so I
kept the fifty cents and got a crate Of
beer, and charged 1t to Mr.. Cosgrove
We took twelve bottles out Of the crate
Just before we reached the gas house
and threw the empty crate over
backyard fence: carried Mr.. Cosgrove
twelve bottles. and kept the other twelve
hotties for ourselves. We hid them in
the field and drank them when we got
ready
Mr.. Linn were there any shots n*Na?
store We heard some one say. "Shoot
him. papa" At this coleman fired
three shots, and we broke out in IL
hard run.
TO whom did the rusty pistol belong?
To me. The light one was Doleman,s.
You did not care what you took, did
sou?
No. we did not care. We took anv
old thing.
Did you take any Of the plug tobac
60?
Yes. sir; l swung onto two, plues Of
H@hnapps and several packages Of plug
'iIt tobacco?
We're YOU offered any Inducements to
..,alte this confession?
Nnt exactly. ! would have made Tho
:Gnirssion before the grand jury, but
Thought 1t best to send FOR the LAWYERS
snr the Commonwealth, to whom made
The confession. Then they promised me
not to try me for my neck nor to give
me more than fifteen years. also
naade a statement to Mr.. Siverson. who
b