The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-17


Joe Jones as "Joe Brooks" at one
time made Raleigh his headquarters.
and with his pals made several raids out
into various portions of the State. pur-
chasing teams for his trips and selling
them afterwards at a discount.
The case against the safe-blowers is
an interesting one, showing what slight
clues often result in bringing these bold
marauders to justice and how they show
their guilt in their appearance and move
mentS.
On April oath Reid, Wright and
Miller were seen approaching Winton, ".
c.. by C. w. Parker, who followed them
through the town TO the river, becoming
convinced that they were crooks. He in
formed DIR. $. s. Daniel, mayor of Win
ton. who directed S. +. Parker, town
officer, to procure the necessary assist
ance and bring them to him. Before
this could be done the men had disap-
peared. but they were soon found in ra-
vine further down the river. On being
searched by ID. A. Owens, jailer. assisted
by Messrs. Daniel and Taylor. memor-
andum book was found on Reid con-
tanning an inventory of postage stamps
TO the amount OI 'NODb.to, anu DionSS .
to the amount of S264.15, all of which
showed division into three portions. "A
pocket map of North Carolina was also
found on Reid, which had tracings with
pencil along various railroads in East
ern North Carolina.
The parcels supposed to have CON
tanned necessary safe-blowing equip
ments). which they We're known to have.
had disappeared. as had also myster-
Gus companion, who had been with them.
DR.. Daniel committed the men to jail.
and wired Post Office Inspector II. T..
Gregory Mr.. Gregory, upon his arrival,
pronounced the inventory of postage
stamps to be practically an inventory of
the stamps taken from the post office
at Aberdeen, and q two dollar bill found
upon Wright to be one that was in
closed in one of the registered letters
stolen from the Aberdeen office.
Miller claimed to be brick mason
from Memphis. Tenn: Wright a coal
miner from Cumnock mines, Chatham
mason from New Orleans, La. All of
these claims were of course ascertainei
to be false.
Inspector Gregory then traced the
men; found they had camped near
Southern Pines on April 23rd and oath;
were also in and out of Aberdeen, Pine
hurst and Southern Pines, and, on the
afternoon of April 18th, went along the
railroad track from Southern Pines to
Aberdeen. where they were seen that
night under the water-tank.
After mid night the post-officc at
Aberdeen was broken into and the safe
blown. The safe was an old-fashioned
key-lock affair. Three holes We're drill
ed into it. The first explosion merely
ripped up the top of the sheet iron; the
next explosion was from Il hole in the
door. This did not entirely open the
door, but it was forced open with chisels
and a gun. so that third explosion was
not necessary. In the prizing the gun,
which was the property of Postmaster
H. III. Powell, was broken. The safe
having been opened, the burglars carried
off all the money, stamps and registered
letters-nearly $500 in postage stamps,
and about S265 in money.
No clue was left by the burglars, eX-
cept that the usual crippled beggar, was
hobbling around Aberdeen that day, ex-
hibiting leg covered with artificial
sores. and soliciting aid upon a printed
card, headed, "A Railroad Boy in Hard
Luck"
The burglars appeared in Southern
Pines the next day, then struck across
the country to the railroad and on TO
Wilmington. From that city, on April
9th. Reid mailed letter to Joe Jones,
in Jail at Barnwell, s. c., informing
him that he was coming south.
From Wilmington they headed north
to dispose of their booty, going TO
Alexandria, Washington and Baltimore.
They were in Norfolk, Va, a few days,
between April 18th and Dist; then head
ed out of Norfolk for another raid into
North Carolina, which had been mapped
out, the contemplated offices being about
Albemarle and Pamlico sounds, and
along certain eastern railroads. They
proceeded along the Seaboard Railroad
from Norfolk to Boykins, Va, thence
down the Tar River Railroad and across
via Murfreesboro to Winton, to which
point they were preceded by their sup
posed advanced agent or guide, one
Henry Clarence Wilson, of Washington,
ID. c., who was engaged in selling solder
done up in the shape OF wire loops. lie
had pocket map of North Carolina with
pencil tracings along the same routes in
North Carolina as were on Reds map.
He had been noticed on the scene of two
robberies in Virginia and was locked
| mp at Crewe, Va, when that office was
| robbed.
Wilson is about fifty years of age,
| above the average size. He has gray
| hair and beard, yellow spot on the
| left eye and green spot on the left
wrist, or arm. He is plausible talkel
| and heavy drinker.
| While in court Reid, Wright and
| Miller kept their hats over the lower
| portion of their faces nearly all the
| time as if they feared some one woulC
attempt to get snap shot at them will