The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-15
THREE SAFE
ROBBERS LANDED
Placed in the Penitentiary
Here.
THEY ARE OLD OFFENDERS
SENT FOR ROBBERY COMMITTED
IN SOUTH CAROLINA.
OPERATED IN THE SOUTHERN STATES
They are Guilty of Safe Blowing and Post
Office Robberies in North Carolina
One is a Mere Youth.


Three burglars and safe-blowers were
placed in the penitentiary ut TINS place
ON Saturday, under sentence from the
United States court in South Carolina
for robbery of the post office at Wills
Ton, 5. c., during the night OF DecelliDer
Z 1897. The two eldest were gwen the
maximum sentence of five years each,
while the Youngest received TWO years.
The head of the gang who has had
unite n successful career is known as
Joe Jones, about 30 years old. lie IS Oh
French extraction, claims to be a native
Of Louisiana, and came South from the
West: some of his aliases are -
Brooks. Sr.." and &c. II. Brooks. The
second man. Dan Murphy, is about -
wears old, a native of Ohio. Some vi
his aliases are Frank Smith, "trenchy
Smith," Toledo Dawny," Henry John
SON. and "A. st. Clair"
Murphy has been sailor and was AZ
forwards one of band of crooks operat-
ing along the Great Lakes and known as
the .Shore Gang" He was convicted
and served two years-1S95 and 1856
in the Columbus, Ohio, penitentiary. lie.
with another crook, was indicted for
murder in Beaver county, Pa, but lie
succeeded in eluding capture until ar
rested in South Carolina, after which
the party Jointly indicted with him, wai
tried and acquitted, hence he was never
tried for the murder.
The third man is Rennie Galloway.
of Lynchburg. Va, who is Il mere boy,
about 10 years of age. His aliases are
"Charlie JONES'" &C. Brooks, Jr.," and
Edward Brooks" He was taken from
his home at Lynchburg a few years ago
by Joe Jones, trained up in his pro-
fession," and has proven an apt scholar.
These three men, together with
fourth, We're at Wilson, \. g., about
the middle of October, 1897. The fourth
one was confined to jail for an affray,
but owing to his being the son OF 4
prominent citizen of this State (now
dead, and the representations of him-
self, Judgment was suspended upon pay
ment of cost, which was paid by Joe
Jones, and the party left the town.
There are some circumstances to con-
meet them with certain professional post
office robberies, which occurred within
a month and a half after their departure
from Wilson In one of these they Were
foiled, owing to the local authorities
having caught on to their advance
agent" and placed a man to watch the
post office He frightened them off as
they were in the act of entering the Of
flee. Had he been furnished with suffi-
cient force, he could have captured them
in the act of the robbery.
They drifted into Charleston, s. c.,
about the close of November, 1897
They drank and gambled freely. While
carousing on the street between mid
night and day, the fourth man was shot
in the calf of the right leg by fakir.
He lay in the hospital for ten days, then
left ON clutches.
After the accident to the unfortunate
'pal," Jones, Murphy and Galloway left
the city on professional business" On
December 4th, 1897, they spent the
night at hotel at Blackyille, S. G. The
following night they stopped at a hotel
in Williston, S. c., where they all regis
tered from Wilson, n. c."
The next morning after prospecting"
about the town post office and stores,
they went west along the railroad toward
Aiken, S. G. The next afternoon de
cember 7th), they were passengers on
the east bound South Carolina and
Georgia train. Leaving the train about
4 o'colck p. M, at White Pond, about
four miles of-Williston, they continued
walking toward Williston. After mid
night they broke into the post office and
also Il store near by CRountree Bros.),
blowing a safe in each building. From
the safe i'm Rountree Bros. store they
secured $130, but by singular circunl-
stance they failed to secure anything in
the post office A new postmaster hal
taken charge of the office and on that
very night December 1th), all of the
funds and stamps were transferred from
the large safe of the outgoing postmaster
to n smaller safe of the new postmaster.
The buglars blew the larger safe, which
alone was in use when they were "pros-
pecting" in the post office. Hence they
made a dry haul. An exploded and an
unexploded fire cracker, found on the
office floor, showed the manner Of fuse
used by them.
On the afternoon Of December 9th,
they appeared at Batesburg, S. c., about
forty miles across the country from Will
liston. engaged board at hotel, and
lurked about the railroad section house a
good deal. When interviewed they made
contradictory statements. Suspicion
continued to increase, until that night,
when the officers went in search of them.
The burglars attempted to get away, and
being close pressed. drew their pistols
and would have shot the officers had not
several young men come to their assist
ance. They rushed upon the burglars
catching them with pistols cooked in
their hands. They all denied having
been at Wiliston, S. c., and only had
upon them about thirty dollars in silver
and a few fire-crackers and a pocket
map of South Carolina. But subsc-
quently a satchel was found, which had
been hid by them in the neighborhood
and containing their drills and other
equipments for safe-blowing. The roll
of money which old Joe produced in the
barbershop that afternoon, he hid about
the section house, and afterwards sent a
tramp telegraph operator, ]. r. Evans,
to find it for him.
The three men were committed to the
Barnwell S. c., Jail on December 10Th.
1897, to await trial in the State courts
for robbery of Rountree Bros. store.
On February 18th, 1893, Butler, guard