The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-04-06
1T COST HIM TWO YEARS
THEY WE'RE TRIED HERE LAST
WINTER AND ACQUITTED.
CONVICTED LAST WEEK IN WEST VIRGINIA
One of Them that Escaped There viii Be
Brought Back Here for Trial in May.
Charged With Robbing Ply.
mouth Postoffice,
mouth Postomce.

United States Postoffice Inspector Ii.
I. Gregory, was i'll the city yesterday.
Mr.. Gregory was formerly located at
Greensboro. but recently he has been
transferred to Altoona, Pa. Last week
he went to Charleston, w Va. as Il
witness in some important cases tried III
the Federal court, and this week he has
been at Greensboro where court is in
session.
He was summoned to appear at the
last named place as a witness in the
Black postoffice case from Carthage.
This cause. however was not heard.
Judge Purnell, previous to his appoint
ment as judge, having been of counsel
for Black, declined to try the case and
removed it.
At Charleston, w. Va, Mt. Gregory
was witness in one of the most inter-
esting and sensational safe-blowing cases
ever tried in the history of the Federal
court in West Virginia. The trial lasted
ali week, commencing on Monday. The
defendants were John Kennedy. alias
John Collins; James johnson, Charles
Hern. alias ''Dutchy," and John O..
Dandrell, alias John Q. O'Donnell. The
crime of which they stood charged, and
of which Kennedy, Hern and johnson
were convicted, occurred on the night OF
August 10th. 1898. The postoffice ut
Bramwell, Mercer county, West Nir-
ginia. was broken into, the safe blown
open, and $500 in stamps and 500 in
money stolen.
The officers who were principally in
strlimental in securing the arrest and
conviction of these men We're United
States Postoffice Inspector III. I. Greg
DRY and j. III. Irving.
Kennedy, the leader of the gang, was
sentenced to the penitentiary at hard
labor for five years and fined 500.
johnson and Hern each received senten-
ccs of three years at hard labor AMI
were fined $1o0.
In view of an Indictment pending in
North Carolina against Dandrell, for
robbery of the postoffice at Plymouth,
n. c.. June 18th, 1898, and the jury
having disagreed on his case, a mol
pros was entered and he will be trans
ferred for trial at Raleigh.
1t will be, remembered that these same
offenders, all except Kennedy. We're
tried and acquitted at the last Federal
court in this city for robbing the post
office at Aberdeen.
The Plymouth, postofiice robbery and
Swallowing occurred on June 18th, 1898.
This case was worked up by Inspector
Gregory, who traced them from Eden
ton across Albemarle Sound into Ply
mouth, GAINESVILLE, Williamson and
Windsor, and finally after their prospect
ing tour, back to Plymouth, were they
committed the robbery; thence across
.Albemarle Sound back to Norfolk, from
which point they fled as soon as the local
Officers had learned of their presence.
Their career and behavior on their raid
tolPlymouth was an interesting one.
Kennedy says he was born in England
and has been in the business since he
was IA years old, and that he is now
So. He claims to have operated
in England, Canada and the United
States. but declined to say what safes
he has blown. or which was the first.
johnson claimed TO be from New York;
Hern claimed to be from Germany, aud
Dandrell from Philadelphia. Ali ace
knowledged having led roaming lives
claiming to have been peddlers, but
johnson and Dandrell have the marks
of professional begSars. Iney dehs an
completely in the robbery
Kennedy, the leader of~thc gang. Went
on the witness stand and told the fol
lowing story Of the Bramwell robbery
and the gangs method of operating:
Il participated III the robbery At
Rramwell, w. Va. The three men IN
dicted with me were not in that robbery
Nv associates were Big Mike and jim
Pitts or 'Pittsburg Jimmy Our 'stall
was Wisconsin Blackie.' We sent hin