The Savannah morning news., 1901-07-07
EQUITY" BENNETT CAUGHT.
One of the Most Notorious Thieves
Ever i'm savannah.


Guilty" Bennett. one of the smoothest
and most notorious sneak thieves that
ever operated in Savannah. was captured
yesterday. and is now in the barracks.
Bennett had just robbed a house near
jefferson and Waldburg streets. when he
was caught. He was seen leaving the door,
carrying the stolen goods, by a young
clerk in nearby store. The clerk and
another man gave chase and captured the
thief. who put up so hard a fight that his
captors were forced to give him pound
ing before they could manage him.
James Lane. ST., who lives in the vicin-
ity, and who was drawn to his door by
the seuffie going on outside, pulled the
Gamewell box for the patrol wagon, and
then Patrolman Conner of the Plant Sys-
tenn force arrived and took charge of the
prisoner.
Bennett when taken to the barracks
gave the name of jim Walker Detec-
tive Frank Wall, who was at the bar
racks when the prisoner was brought In,
thought that he had better have a look
at him and so went to the station
house. Bennett, as soon as he caught
sight of the detective. pretended that he
was drunk and pulled his hat down in
an effort to hide his face Wall caught
on to the trick and, pulling the hat off,
Immediately recognized the alleged
Walker to be Bennett. At first the
prisoner denied his identity, but Wall was
so positive, and recited to him so many
of his past misdeeds, that he finally de-
cided that further sham was useless and
acknowledged that he was Bennett.
The prisoner was raised in Savannah
and spent all his life here except the
last three years or so. The fact that he
has not honored Savannah with his pres
ence during that time is because he was
sent to the chaingang for some of his
mideeds. and, having escaped, decided
that this vicinity would not be especially
healthy for him.
His speciality was that Of a hall thief
and he was so bold and operated with
such success that during his entire life
here he was a source of endless trouble
to the police department. One of his
most celebrated exploits was the THEFT
from the County Court House of the
hat, overcoat and cane of the late w.
w. Fraser, then solicitor general At
another time he stole the overcoat of
Louis Muhlberg and pawned it at his faith
er's shop 1t is related of him, also.
that On several occasions he took a SUI
per's place with theatrical companies,
and in each case before the play was
half over decamped with practically all
of the actors clothes, or anything else
that he took fancy to.
Upon the question of Wall as to how
long he had been here, Bennett said that
yesterday made one week. The detective
doubted this, telling the prisoner that he
didn't believe him, as had he been here
a week some of the police or detectives
would have seen him. oh answered
Bennett, nonohalantly, II was keeping
out 'er you'se way" The detective also
asked him where he had been all the time
he was away from Savannah. But Ben
nett was non-committal, merely remark
ing that he'd been fall around"
The detectives are very much pleased
that they have got such a troublesome
character safely locked up and with so
little trouble to his credit before he was
captured. They think also that, censid-
ering his past record, his present crime,
and the unexpired term on the gang, when
his case is brought up in court, it will
result in his getting another sentence that
will keep him out of mischief for a good,
long time to come.