The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-15
CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD.
DUPLICATES TWO OTHERS IN
HIS GUILT.

son, Two Brothers, Who Are said
to Have Been the Head, Front and
Brains of the COnspIrncy-They
Are Hiding Out Near G1enwOOd,
where Officers Have Been Unable
TO Discover Them-NeVv Evidence
Accommodating Daily Against the
COnspiratOrs-POstO InVestiga-
lion show other Similar Frauds I'm
This Section.
United States Commissioner Lewis con-
tinued yesterday morning and afternoon
the preliminary investigation of the case
against J. T. Hammond, who is under ar
rest upon a charge of using the mails
for fraudulent purposes. A number of
witnesses were examined, and at the con-
cIuson of the hearing the prisoner was
remandec% to jail, in default of bond in
the amount fixed by the commissioner at
the first hearing Wednesday morning
Among the witnesses examined by the
commissioner were the station agents of
the Georgia and Alabama Railroad at
Glenwood and Mt. Vernon between which
the goods secured by Hammond and his
confederates were wont to gravitate. An
other of the Witnesses was Walter T. Chan
NELL who is now in Chatham Jail, under
sentence of death, for the murder of
Postmaster Thompson, at Glenwood The
evidence given by the witnesses showed
clearly a conspiracy to defraud on the part
of Hammond and j. H. and w. E. Hutch
inson bearing out the statement made by
Hammond at the former investigation At
fhaf inc Faa hQf a
Hutchnsons had induced him to
permit them the use of his
name for the conduct of the BUSH
ness, by a promise of a salary of $25 per
month and half of the profits. He swore
that they never discharged any part of
the obligation thus incurred and that they
neither paid the salary or whacked up the
profits. He swore further that when the
Hutchinsons and the business world be-
came tired of the name of Hammond for
the reason that it had been worn out and
was good for nothing without the cash,
they determined to give him the slip. That
is they were TO slip out of the business and
he was to slip in the penitentlary.
The hopeful trio, as Hammond tells 1t,
had been engaged in the purchase and sale
of liquor. In accordance with their plan
of mourning no greater expense than was
needed, they did not go to the trouble of
taking out a license, either with the state
by the way, did they pay for the whisky
that they bought and sold. Hammond had
been In active charge of the tiger, and his
allies determined that it would he a good
plan to hand him over to the state author
tiles and get him out of the way.
This course was followed. Before Ham
mond knew what had happened or was
about to happen, he had been placed in
jail for the sale of liquor without a Ii
cense, and three indictments are now
pending against him on this charge.
The way in which he has been treated
by those who he asserts were his confed-
crates and partners in crime and fraud
has not made him feel kindly towards
them and he announces himself quite
ready to tell all that he knows about the
whole transaction, or series of transact
tons, and especially about that portion
of the scheme and its developments in
which they were most interested. Accord
ing to his story, he was but an under
ling, never wrote a letter or knew what
was happening in the line of business. His
duty was to get the consignments away
from the station and turn them over to
one of the Hutchinsons. They did the
rest.
All sorts of articles came over the line
consigned TO Hammond, for the use of h M
self and friends. A two-horse wagon is
now in the station at Glenwood, waiting
there for the want of some one to pay the
charges, and number of telephones. OBJ
tanned in the cheap and inexpensive fash
ion that Hammond and the Hutchinsons
affected, are said now to be doing good
duty about the country, and to have done
their share towards the temporary escape
of those who are charged with being the
ringleaders in the plot and conspiracy to
defraud the brothers Hutchinson. Even
the Standard Oil Company fell an easy vic
tim to the wiles OF the schemers and has
been among the most clamorous of the
correspondents who have been asking for
a remittance in full or On account.
The Hutchnsons have taken warning by
the arrest of their confederate, Hammond,
and were not to be had when recent efforts
We're made to arrest them. An officer who
was trying to make the arrests, saw the
wife Of one of the men and asked as to
the whereabouts of her husband.
well, he's nowhere about this place"
the woman replied.
But when will he come back?" the Off
Ger queried.
Just as soon as YOU go away" was the
cool and frank reply and the officer, after
this, did not stand upon the order of his
going. The birds he was trying to snare
were exceedingly wary ones. and he was
quite well aware that they could not be
caught with chaff
The manner in which the Hutchinsons
are seeking TO avoid arrest is almost vir-
tual acknowledgment of their guilt. Postof-
flee Inspector Peer, who has been making
thorough investigation of frauds of like
character in this section. stated yesterday
that much other evidence against Ham
mond and the Hutchinsons had accumula-
ted since the former hearing. showing the
extent of the frauds which they had COM
mitted.
1t is stated also that the same scheme
has been in operation by a number of
other persons, in number of other small
towns whose stock in trade consists of a
typewriter and a store of ella borately litho-
graphed stationery. Armed with these
business weapons they have swindled firms
in all parts of the country. There are in
dications of the fact that one man is at
the bottom of the whole scheme and that
the plot to make money without giving
anything in exchange originated in his
fertile brain.