The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-04
MORE HIGHWAYMEN CAUGHT.
ALL THE LOUISVILLE ROAD GANG
NOW IN THE Tolls.

Expeditions Work of the Detectives.
Peter and "BOisy' Bacon Surprised
in Their Homes West of the City.
Five of the Six Members of the
Gang Acknowledge Their Connec-
ton with the RObberies--A Speedy
Trial and Conviction Expected.
Two more highwaymen were added to
the four already under arrest at the police
barracks yesterday morning This was the
result of another piece of good work by
the detectives, the two men being captured
in the same manner as their accomplices
on the morning before. The two men ar
rested are Boisey and Peter Bacon, both of
them well known to the police, having
been members of the old ''brckyard gang"
and engaged in many difficulties. The po-
lice have been looking for ''Boisey'' for
some time on the charge Of assault with
intent to murder.
The squad which made the arrests was
the same that had done such good work
the morning before, being composed of
Detectives Sculiy, Godbold and Barrett
and Policemen Jer. Eivers, Woods, Col
Inns and T. ]. Farrell 1t left the city
about 3 o'clock, arriving at the railway
junction, four miles west of the city, be-
fore daylight. The two Bacons lived about
half mile from the junction, occupying
separate houses some distance apart.
Each house was surrounded in turn, and
the man whom the detectives sought was
captured.
The manner of procedure was very effec-
tive. When a house had been surrounded
a man was placed at each door and win
dow, and at given signal the doors and
windows were burst open and a gun thrust
into every opening. The dazed occupants,
awakening from their slumbers to find
guns pointed at them from every direction,
were too much surprised to resist. The de-
tectives knew the desperate class of men
they were dealing with and took no risks
Fore God, boss, I thought de earth
quake come back" remarked Boisey Ba-
con to Morning News reporter yesterday
in speaking of his arrest. Both men ac-
knowledged having had hand in some of
the robberies, which have taken place in
found in their houses.
The six prisoners were arraigned before
Recorder Hartridge. With the exception
of Henry Edwards, the one, who was shot
through the arm, they acknowledged to
having participated in the robberies. The
others claimed, however, that Edwards
had taken part, and he was identified by
one OF the white men, who was robbed as
being the man who went through his
pockets. John, commonly known as Tap"
Bennett, the acknowledged leader of the
gang, talked freely and gave an account
of several of the robberes, in which he
and other members of the gang had par
ticpated. He said that all the members
of the gang had been captured. They were
all turned over to the superior court by
Recorder Hartridge on the charge of rob-
berry by intimidation
Solicitor General Osborne has been re-
quested to push the cases and a meeting
of the grand jury to investigate the charg-
es will probably be held Monday. The six
men were taken to Wilson's photograph
gallery yesterday afternoon, and their pic
lures secured, both in group and SEPARATE
ly Their descriptions were also recorded
in the book kept for this purpose at the
barracks
A feature of the case is that three of
the six men under arrest on this serious
charge Abner Stevens Joe Green and
Henry Edwards, have never been arrested
before, so they say, and the police know
nothing to the contrary. All three have
been known as Woodworking negroes, and
formerly worked upon the Central rail-
road wharf. They seemed very much cast
down. From what they said to a Morn
ing News reporter, while their descriptions
were being taken at the station house
they had come to the conclusion that high
way robbery was a simple matter; in fact
sort of pastime, with some profit at
tached, which might be engaged in with
out fear of serious consequences. High
way robberies had been going on in that
neighborhood for some time, they said
and they had been led into ii as an easy
way to pick up a living
The section west of the city including
Woodsville, West Savannah and the Tel |
fair place, is thckly populated with ne
groes, many of them of the toughest class. |
Officers of the law are rarely seen there, |
hardly once or twice a year. and the ne |
groes there know practically nothing of |
the law except when they run against the |
city police. The spirit of lawlessness al |
ready existed and 1t only required a lead |
er TO develop il into highway robbery. |
and even murder. There is hardly any |
doubt but that Capt. Berry of Effingham |
county was murdered by some of these |
people.