Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-22
A NOTED HORSE THIEF
SKETCH OF RoMAyTIo CAREER OF
GRANVILLE MoNTELLE.
)UTLAWED BY YIRGINIES GOVERNOR
He Figured Conspicuous1y I'm the
Criminal Annals OF Richmond n
Generation Ago-ubiquitous and
Daring, But No sISuilser.
written tor tie plspateh.l

| dailies during the war, and shortly aiter'
| filed their columns with reports of his
daring in various fields OF adventure:
| Granville Montelle was well known TO
the police Of that day. who laid trap
after trap to catch him, but usually with
! fruitiess result.
Ny friend, John Wilder, the literary
barber, tells me that he knew Montelle
well-that he was the son OF an honest
| butcher, whose cattle-pens were situated
| a srace or so beyond Bacon's quarter
branch.
From his boyhood up Granville was fond
| OF horses-so fond. indeed, as to care
little whether the horse he rode was his
I own or another's. Neither as boy nor
man was be altogether vicious, but at
! times jolly good fellow, who could give
! and take in kind even though 1t came 10
/ blows. Though a man OF powerful frame
and addicted to brawling and skylarking,
/ he was easily handled and overcome by
/ a determined adversary.
Like Robin Hood. he was more likely
| to commit a theft under the eye Of a
sheriff than to resent an injury by a
stroke in the dark.
GOOD-BY, DARLING.
The man was fertile Of expedient in
| situations which might have appalled, the
| brayest.
1t is said that once during the war
| Sam. Macubbln, supported by two stall
wart detectives. surprised him while he
| lay in bed, and ordered him 10 hold forth
/ his wrists for the irons. Granville, In
| spite Of the firm nerve and ready pistol
/ Of the officer. very coOlly remarked:
you'll let me put on my close fust, won
your Upon being allowed TO fasten MS
| trousers he took advantage Of the ruse
10 make a sudden spring through an
! open window TO the ground beneath. 10
mount his horse, tethered In secret
place. was the work Of a moment. When
the officers descended by dubious steps to
the open, Granville's hooking cry was
heard by them as he swept the road at
breakneck speed: "Good-by, darling"
This remarkable criminal led the police
q merry dance. appearing suddenly here
or disappearing as suddenly there as If
on the noiseless wing Of a night bird.
A PERSONAL "REMINISCENCES.
CAPTAIN P-s, when young man. was
wont to do the town at all hours Of the
night. In one Of his rounds he met the
notorious horse-thief I'm a certain hostelry
Of this city and should not, in all prob
ability, have made his acquaintance, buN
for a ludlcrous incident that happened
whilst he was engaged with stranger
in a game OF cards.
At a stage of the game the stranger
missed from pile at his side of the card
table 500, and boldly charged the Captain
with the theft.
P-s, who is usually sudden and quick
I'm quarrel particularly when his honor
4 ff.. a xrif
blows.
"And about and about they went,
Like two wild boars in a chase.
Striving to aim each other TO MAIN,
Leg, arm, or any other place"
Chairs. pokers, spittoons, decanters,
and other handy implements of warfare
were used with effect by the combatants,
who appeared 70 be evenly matched.
Granville for awhile was a seemingly
careless spectator of the ARRAY. but fear
. ing as the sequel Will presently show,
that the Captain might be worsted, or,
more likely, because Of a natural itching
for brawling rushed in 10 the support OF
the latter, and with well-aimed ticks
doubled up the stranger in shorter time
than IL takes 10 say "Jack Robinson
The doors being now closed by the pro-
prietor, in wholesome fear Of visitation
from the police, parley ensued, If parley
IL may be called where one side is tho
roughly vanquished and the other as
thoroughly triumphant. Granville was
first TO speak. He confessed that he him
self had purloined the strangers money.
and justified the theft with the plea that
he had only come by his own. lie said
to the fellow. who was Of the like kidney:
"You borrowed a hundred dollars from
me, didn't you? and forgot to pay me
back / am now quits wild you!
A MIDNIGHT CONFERENCE.
Upon another. but much later. occasion,
whilst the Captain was at home in bed.
he was reused by some one knocking at
his front door. As IL was past midnight,
his wife. who was also up. and much
alarmed. suggested that her husband be
extremely careful I'm answering the CAL,
lest some prowling burglar or other VII
famous rufIian might get the better Of
him. Buckling round his waist q six
shooter. and fixing a convenient Bowie
I'm his belt. he, thus armed, sailed forth
To interrogate the unknown, when, % his
great surprise, Granville Montele stood
before him.
The first words were spoken by the
mysterious night bird. Captain" said
he. "Tve called to axe you TO take a walk
with mel mean bZness." What busi-
ness. GranvilleH
"Wait and see. Twill be 70 your ad-
vantage, mebbe, and mebbe 20 mine"
The two men walked out towards the
West End, by the way Of Oregon Hill,
until they came to an opening in the
fence Of Hollywood through which they
passed, over mOunded graves, 70 a point
designated by Granville for the confer
ence.
This was the old Harvie section, so well
known 10 the local antlquary as the
family buriaI-ground Of that Colonel John
Harvie who In the last century was one
Of the great landed prOprietorS OF the
western suburbs OF Richmond.
1t is a weird spot sheltered by forest
oaks and walled in with bushes OF
century's age.
Leaping the low wall the twain sat
together on one OF the fat-polsed tomb
stones talking business.
A PLEA FOR PARDON.
Before proceeding TO an understand
ing, Granville inquired Of the other II
he were armed.
'"To the teeth" was the instant reply.
you are just the man / should like to
have as a pardner-there's money TO be
got by a brave. clever man Ike you. IL
we two kin only agree. But Wen TAX
more Of that after a little favor L now
axe you TO do for me-"
what favor can L possibly do for you,
Granville?'
"This-go to Governor Walker, you
knows him intimately as a politician.
and present 10 him a petition for my
pardon. The Governor. I'm told. is a
kind-hear;ed man. and will help me out
OF bad fix, II you'll only plead with him
as hardaas you would for brother"
The Captain then said: IF you VIII