The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-06

over to Pocahontas. Va, and Bramwell.
W. Va, to survey the situation for us
he going as a crippled beggar on crutches.
We had first intended to raid Pocahon-
tas, but the information from 'Blackie'
was not favorable, so we abandoned
that raid. We put up at Yards, Va,
and went over to Bramwell ON the night
of the 9th. but ON account of the cleo
trio lights being turned on at the station
house. we went back to Yards and
waited for the next night. We got out
Of that office about $500 in stamps and
about 500 III money.
inspector Gregory saw Big Mike
last April at Basic City. He was the
man who Inspector Gregory searched
with me at Basic City as a suspicious
character. on the afternoon of April
10TH at which time we fooled him right
badly as to our real business, but we
were not the men he was looking for.
| was in Ohio and Kentucky during the
summer.
Mike and j got with Jim at Roanoke.
After getting into the vicinity of Brain
well and finding we could get no tools
there. we got tools from the carpenter
shop at Yards On seeing a light in the
station the night of March 9th, we
watched to see whether there was a
night policeman coming out. After
watching for over an hour l looked in.
but decided something was wrong, and
SO | put it off for Il night On the night
of the 10th, having come back from
Yards, after midnight, | forced, an en-
trance into the postoffice by means of u
chisel
After examining the safe / concluded
| would not have to drill. | took a
monkey wrench, twisted off the handle,
pulling out the gut with it, blew in the
powder, and then touched it off. After
the door was blown off, | carried out
the money drawers from the safe,
stumbled off the steps and spilled the
money, but gathered up most of it.
II have blown safes before and learn
cd the business from people | associated
with 'Blackic' left us ut the scene OF
the robbery. and was to meet us in
Roanoke and help to drink up the
stuff" He was not to receive an equal
share of the spoils, only Il big time.
Mike, jim and | went across the country
to Hinton, as we thought they would look
for us along the railroad. We ac-
eidentally met Johnson and Hern there,
and had not known them before.
THE stamps were divided at Hinton.
was to take my part to John Turner S
for sale, while the others were to take
theirs to Baltimore and then join me at
Roanoke / talked with Lenwood Turn
er about getting Joe Jones out of South
Carolina jail We thought If we could
get a couple of 'briers' (saws) to him,
we could help him out. | sent him
money at different times.
This confession. Mr.. Gregory says,
proves that there is honor even among
thieves. Kennedy made it simply and
solely for the purpose of preventing the
conviction of his associates. He was
the leader and they the members of his
band; and besides. their arrest had been
caused by certain things Kennedy
said while on a drunken spree i'll Lynch
burg. He knew the confession would
get him several years additional, but he
was willing to make it IN order to tighten
the sentence of those he had got into
trouble.
Many a man claiming to be better has
done worse.
He got five years, the others got three.