The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-10
GUARDED THE BANKS
PLAN TO TAP THE CHATHAM WAS
REPORTED.
STRANGER GAVE A TIP
POLICE DID NOT CREDIT 1T, But
TOOK PRECAUTIONS.


Bank Robbers in Charleston
Overheard The Chatham Bank
Was Named and This Fact Was
Remembered by the Man Who
Heard the Talk-When He Reach
ed savannah He Told His story
to the Bank Officers and Then to
the Detectives - Both Jewelry
stores and Banks Watched.
For several nights the banks and
jewelry stores have been closely watch
ed by patrolmen and detectives. in an
ticipation of an attempt at safe-blow-
ing. One of the banks was given
"tip," and while it was not credited
by Supt. Reilly, or the detectives, as
a matter of precaution a close watch
was kept on all the banks, as well as
on the jewelry stores.
The detectives were never inclined to
the officers of the Chatham Bank, and
acted only as a matter of safety. They
are now quite certain that they were
right in their first theory, and that
there was nothing in the alleged plan
to rob the bank. A detective
spent all of his time around the
bank at night without seeing a sus-
picious character. Since then there
has been no extra guard and none IS
considered necessary.
A stranger walked into the Chatham
Bank a few days ago and an
nounced in a confidential tone
that he had information of i'm
portance for the officers. He stated
that while in Charleston he
had overheard several words of a plan
that was being made to rob
the bank. The man stated that
he never gave the matter a second
thought until he reached Savannah,
and found that there is a Chatham
Bank here. 1t occurred to him at
once that the conversation ne over
heard in Charleston referred to the
Savannah bank.
Immediately upon his arrival in the
city the stranger went to the bank
and told the story. He felt sure that
he was right in his theory, although
he had heard little and could not tell
who the men were who were scheming
for the robbery. The bank officers
deemed 1t the better policy to notify
the police, and have the stranger re-
peat his story to the officers. The city
detectives were sent to the bank and
to them the story was repeated
The officers reported to Supt Reilly,
and after a consultation it was decided
to place a man on special watch at
the Chatham Bank the first night, and
have the jewelry stores and other
banks closely watched. This was done
without any result, but the matter was
kept quiet for day or two in the
hope that there might be something in
the theory advanced by the stranger.
There were several reasons why the
police did not credit the story, the chief
one being that the Chatham Bank had
been selected as the place for the rob-
berry. The banks location does not
make 1t an inviting place for robbery,
and this was why the detectives We're
so sure that there could be nothing
in the report. The express office is on
the north of the bank, an all-night
restaurant on the south, fruit stand
on the west and a cab stand on the
east. No other bank in the city is SO
situated and at any hour of the night
or morning there are persons within a
few feet of either side of the build
ing.
The report of the stranger would
have gone by unnoticed by the bank
officers and the police, but for the fact
that there are a large number of
strangers in the city, in attendance
upon the State Fair. They did not care
to take chance and ignore the re-
port, although the probability of it's au-
tenticity was remote.
The detectives have put in extra time
since the Fair opened, and have tried
to keep tab on every suspicious
stranger who has put in an appear
ance AS far as they are aware, there
are no real big crooks in Savannah
and a bunch of grafters is the worst
that citizens and reputable visitors
have to fear. They have been held in
place by the officers thus far and no
crimes of any consequence have been
reported at police headquarters since
the city has been filling up with
strangers.