The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-04
STORY OF SAUNDERS STEAL.
GUILTY MAIL CLERK MAKES A FULL
CONFESSION.


the Trip on which the Money Was
Taken.
Atlanta. Ga, Feb. S.-In view Of the
many conflicting accounts printed about
the arrest Of L. L. Saunders, for the
express robbery al Social Circle, the ohi-
Gals of the company to-day gave out
statement of the facts connected with the
case.
This. statement is accompanied by part
Of Saunders confession of the crime IN
which he is said to have denied that 1t
was he who sent back the mysterious
package of $500
The money in the packet was that
stolen by Saunders, but according 10 this
part of his alleged confession, he mad MOTH
ing TO do with its return, some one else
having discovered it where he had secret
ed it and sent il TO the company. The eX-
press officials 40 not confirm this part
of The story, and it is believed 10 be rather
fshy.
In reference to the arrest of Saunders,
the statement of the express company re-
cites that when the officials were notified
of the robbery they at once communicat-
ed with the Pinkerton National Detective
Agency. asking that Assistant Superin>
Iendent H. w. Bearce of the New York
= office be detailed upon the case.
Mr.. Bearce came at once and commenced
an Investigation He found that the mes
senger was badly ratified, and did not have
a clear recollection of the events of the
trip. He also found that the mail COM
partment was in the same car with the eN-
press matter. and that door to TINS com
partment opened almost on the express
company's safe: that there was large
hole in the door of the mail compartment
through which letters could be pushed and
through which any one on the inside could
see the greater portion of the interior OF
the express compartment he also round
that when in the mail compartment voices
in the baggage or express compartment
could be readily heard. He questioned
Messenger Butts and found that he left
his car unguarded and went to the eX-
press Office, leaving Lucius l.. Saunders,
the mail clerk, the only person al that
time in the car; that while Butts was
searching for the money, together with
Capt. F. C. Moss, the conductor OF the
train and Carse Moss, one of the train
crew, Saunders returned to the car He
did not show very much surprise at the
money being gone. and while the entire
train crew and the messenger were very
much excited, Saunders was cool, calm and
calculating.
Mr.. Bearce, In questioning Messenger
Butts, found evidence of generalization on
the part of Saunders. Ne found that the
messenger. a mere boy had been on the
line only eight days that he knew very
little about the work, and that he asked
Saunders, who had been mail clerk for
some time previous, for advice in the
handling of his express matter.
Mr.. Saunders very kindly told him that
the proper thing for him to do on arriv-
ing at Social Circle was to leave his car
and go to the express Office and instruct
the transfer crew about taking his express
matter from the main line Mr. Butts. on
arriving at Social Circle that morning,
adopted that advice and went to the ex-
press office some 300 feet from his car
leaving his safe unguarded. This is con-
trary to the rules of the company. When
he returned the money was gone.
Mr.. Bearce also found that Saunders
went with the mail car on its trip back to
Winder that day, which was an unusual
occurrence, and after the train arrived at
Winder, although it was behind time and
his home some distance from the depot,
he ran from the train TO his house and
back again. On this trip they did not
carry mail, and il wasn't necessary for
the mail clerk to ride in his car.
On his trip back from Winder Saunders
pumped the messenger and found that he
was badly ratified, and didn't know wheth-
err when he left the car at Social Circle,
the safe was locked or not. Saunders inn
pressed upon him the idea that he had bet
tunately Mr.. Butts was too high-minded
and truthful to make this statement srg-
gested to him
Mr.. Bearce spent some months in the
vicinity of Gainesville, Winder, Social Cir
Gle, Atlanta and other cities in Georgia in
his Investigation When it was completed
and submitted to the officials of the South
ern Express Company there was little or
no doubt that Lucius L. Saunders was the
guilty party, and Bearce was instructed to
press the investigation to the end, and
when sufficient evidence was secured to
cause Saunders arrest.
Mr.. Bearce was very particular that
neither Saunders nor any of his relatives
or friends should become aware of the
fact that he was suspected. Nevertheless,
some of the more intelligent people resid-
ing the line of the Gainesville, Jeffer-
son and Southern Railroad had their sus-
picions about Saunders, and it was whis-
pered about Saunders became cognizant
of this, and being the guilty party,
it worried him. He applied to
The United States postal authorities for
transfer 10 the West, and then Mr. Bearce
made further preparations for his surveil-
lance from the time ne left this section
until the time he was apDrehended
Day and night so faithfully were his
movements recorded that Saunders finally
became convinced of the fact that his
every movement made on the street and
on the trains were known Finally he
saw Mr.. Bearce in the streets of Cincin-
natl and it could be plainly seen that the
man was breaking. When Mr. Bearce
thought the proper time had arrived he
went to Saunders room and had an inter
view with him, and Saunders confessed
that he robbed the express company at
Social Circle of S4.04777. He accompanied
Mr.. Bearce TO Munroe the county seat
of Walton county, where he appeared be-
fore Judge Lawrence and stated in the
presence of numerous persons in the
court that he was guilty, that he desired
10 plead guilty and to waive an examina-
ton, and his honor held him in bail of
$3.50 and set the time of trial for the
third Monday i'm February Saunders has
made a public confession.
The statement concludes: And it is
believed that the express company will
not be disposed TO proceed with any undue
severity in his case on account of his
previous record. and out of consideration
Tor his family and friends, who are deep
ly distressed by his downfall
ROME'S GAMBLER CLUB.
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