The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-17
TYSON TRIED TO TEMPT HIM.
watts Claims to Have Been APP
nroached by Alleged Chief Con-
nirafOr,

nroached by Alleged Chief Con-
spiratOr.
The alleged conspirators to defraud
through the use of the mails are being
troueht into Savannah at the rate of Two
nav. The couple arrested yesterday are
= 3. Wilkes of Covena, and Charles j.
watts. alias H. B. Watts of Adrian. The
arrests were made by Deputy Marshals
George White and Cason.
The men were found at their homes and
we're arrested without difficulty. Both
af hem deny vehemently all completely in
,ba fraudulent scheme, say that they are
and have been absolutely innocent of any
orong. and both of them gave bond in the
rsouired sum of $500, when they were
brought into the office of the clerk
~ the court Yesterday Phillips and
Picks. two of the men who had been pre-
yously arrested, gave bond also, so that
bur one of the defendants, j. T. Ham
n.ond. still remains in jail.
Watts real name is Charles j., but for
some time he has been using the initials
nj his wife Harriet B. Watts. in the bust
ness that the government contends was
fraudulent. Watts took all the blame on
his own shoulders, if blame there was to
he and stated that his wife had never
mad ANYTHING to do with the business
which he conducted in her name. He says
he is innocent of any completely with Iy-
son. or the other men who have been in
dicted. in any scheme to defraud through
fine use of the mails or in any other way.
He told the officers, though, that he had
been approached by Tyson with a propo-
sitiou that he should embark in just such
an enterprise, but that he had refused
the offer Indignantly. Since the indict-
nents we're found Watts says, Tyson has
come to him and told him that warrants
had been issued for his arrest, and ad-
yised him to flee the country. This prop
ositon, also. Watts rejected, telling the
tempter that he was perfectly Innocent,
and that he was quite ready and willing
to stand trial on any charge that might
be brought against him.
The deputies who have been working the
country through which the frauds were
committed and where all of he defend nts
have their domicile says that it s re-
ported tehre that w. L. Jones, one of the
men indicted, has left for parts unknown.
II is said that he was furnished with $50
nv the alleged chief conspirator, no in
formed and advised him that the health
lest locality for him was that one stu ed
f3rthes from the place where the District
Court of the United States for the South
ern District of Georgia holds its sessi ms
il is further believed, with regret, that to
This adfnlraDl6 ADVICE JOil6S luIiltN a VIII =
ing ear and that he acted upon it at once.
AT any rate he is not to be found.
Tyson, Jones and Wheeler are the three
defendants that the officers are particu-
arlv anxious to find and that they have
not found as yet. All of these are known
10 have strongly protested their innocence,
Vet the officers cannot help regarding it
as a lrihe strange that if this be the act
ual fact they are still at large and have
never surrendered.
Jones is Teputed to have been Tyson s
RICH and man and to have lived with h m
at Vidalia. He is the man The officers have
heen making so many Efforts to find and
that for the last day or two they have
ceased even to hear of occasionally. Ty on,
on the other hand, is heard of everywher q,
but il always happens hat he is lie er
present in the vicinity of the place where
Inc deputies are maxi their search. So
widespr, ad are he connec MS of The al
legged criminals throughout he part o. the
country in which they are said 10 have
operated that it is difficult for an officer
Of the law to get within twenty miles of
the man he wants 10 arrest, without he
latter being promptly appris ed OF he pres
ence and intentions of the former The
long distance telephone lire that was blu 1t
by Tyson, it is charged by means of the
plact es that have finally involved him
and his confreeres with the law, aids fire.
Quently in getting information from one
member of the gang to another in an ad-
Joining town