The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-29
HUMMEL IDENTIFIED.
A West Virginia Express Agent Says
West Is the Man.

HeSt Is UDe NAN.
The alleged cracksmen of the Southern
Express Company's safe at Ravenel finds
himself in more trouble. The man is J.
f. West, alias ]. c. Hummel, charged
with the robbery last week at Ravenel.
r. H. Cook, an agent of the Southern
Express Company, came down yesterday
morning from West Virginia and identified
Hummel as one of his clerks who had
gone wrong. When he saw West at the
Jail he recognized him at once. He spoke
to him. but West was surly, as he has
been ever since his arrest. He would not
talk at all, and said he did
not know Mr.. Cook. The latter greeted
him with a Hello, Hummel." to which
the latter surlily responded Hello" with
real or pretended ignorance of the
identity of the one he was addressing. He
said he did not know Mr.. Cook, where
upon the agent told him who he was.
Those looking on said that, when Mr..
Cook mentioned Williamson, Vests nerve
seem for a moment to desert him. He
fatered, but was ready at once to stoutly
insist on his ignorance of the place, say
ing he didn't know the agent and that
he had never been in Williamson. Moth
ing more could be gotten out of the pris-
oner and Mr. Cook left him.
he agent lSll III the dLlClllOOA LII w III
hanson. He tells a story of Vests crook
edness, while in West Virginia, that adds
the crime of forgery to the charge of
safe cracking that he will answer for in
Colleton county, South Carolina in which
Ravepel is located. Hummel, as West
was there known, worked for Mr.. Cook
at Williamson about year ago,
he says. He was in the office
for only about ten days, but
during that short time he trumpet up a
claim that got 50 on a loan out of the
agent, worked the combination of the
office safe. getting money therefrom, and
stole five blank express company orders,
which he afterward filled out and secured
$500 upon.
MIR. Cook says he was called up one
night by one of Hummels fellow clerks,
who showed him a telegram Hummel had
received from Roanoke from his sister
This stated that his mother was dead, and
asked him to come on at once. Hummel
did not have enough money to go, his
fellow clerk said, and wanted to borrow
So from the agent to help him make the
trip. His sympathies were readily touch
ed by the tale of woe and he came up with
the So. He had not seen Hummel since his
leaving Williamson till yesterday and in
the meantime. he learned that the tele-
gram had been forged.
Since Vests arrest he has been iden-
titled as the man employed as operator
by the Plant system at Ravenel. which he
denied. He will be taken to Walterboro,
Colleton county, as soon as the sheriff
arrives with the governor of South Caro-
lna's requisition for him. he officer is
daily expected.
A new feature of Vests case is his
forgery of a pass over the Plant system
He signed Master of Transportation Ma
Toys name. it is said, and rode on the
pass from Ravenel to Savannah the night
of the robbery, though he had $S2 he had
secured from the safe of his person at the
time.
West will be tried for grand larceny in
South Carolina. If the charges do not
stand there he will be taken to West Vir-
gnia and tried there