The Savannah morning news., 1901-03-28
BURGLAR IN TOLLS
JIM SMALL ARRESTED By CHARLES
TON POLICE.
BURNED HIS WAY TO LIBERTY
ESCAPED LAST MONTH FROM SA-
VANNAH POLICE STATION.

Pawnshop-Robbery Was a Daring
One and Negroes Escape From Sta
ton Caused Sensation in Police
Observation-Disclosures in Charles
ton for Stealing a Ride ON a
Freight Train-He Wrote "A Letter
to Detective Murphy and Wants to
Return to savannah for Trial.
Says That He Was Coming Amy
hOw-The Negro WeII-Known to
and His Arrest Has Caused Re
joicinE i'm the Department.
James Small, the badly wanted negro
burglar and second-story worker, is I'M
der arrest in Charleston, s. c., and will
probably be brought back to Savannah for
trial.
Small was arrested by the Savannah de-
tectives on the night of Feb. last. and
was charged with several burglaries.
There was an epidemic of robberies at
that time, and the officers had every rea-
son to believe that Small had been do
ing a greater portion of the nefarious
work. Ii was Saturday night. and the
prisoner was placed in 1.-THE big room on
the second floor of the police station. Sun
day morning, shortly after the reliefs had
been changed, Turnkey Brantley discov-
cred that Small had made his escape.
The negro had burned the wood from
around the nails that held the transom
down and had no trouble in crawling
through the opening and to freedom. He
had beap enpa omit tvuo dovs when a LOFT
ter was received from him by City De-
tective Murphy, in which he stated that
he was innocent of the charges, but that
circumstances were so strong against him
that he had decided that he had better
skip out. The letter from the burglar
was published exclusively in the Morn
ing News at that time
Monday Superintendent Reilly received
a letter from the Charleston police say
ing that they had a man under arrest
from Savannah whom they had reason
TO believe was Small. He had been taken
in custody for stealing a ride on a freight
train, and was held on that charge. A
letter was addressed to the chief at that
place asking that an accurate description
and photograph of the man be forwarded.
Yesterday morning Detective Murphy
received a letter from the negro himself.
Small stated that he had been arrested
on a freight train by the Charleston po-
lice and expressed a desire to have the
officer go for him. The burglar says that
he intended to return to Savannah and
was beating his way on the train for
that purpose.
Small asks that Detective Murphy lose
no time in obtaining the necessary papers
and says that he would prefer to come to
this city and stand trial than to remain
in the Charleston prison. The negro
states his willingness to make the trip
without requisition papers if the South
Carolina authorities win release him. He
asks the detective to write him in the
name of James Shaw at the Charleston
Jail, and says that he has used that name
since his sudden departure from this
city.
Small was arrested by Detectives Muir
ply and Wall for burglarizing the loan
office of Samuel Blumenthal, on Jeffer-
son and St. Julian streets. A large
quantity of jewelry and several revolvers
were taken from the place and much of
the property was recovered by the off,
GERS
The burglary was committed a week be-
fore the arrest of Small and was one
OF the most daring in recent years. Blu
menthal lived with his family over the
pawnshop and Small entered the dwell
ing by cutting through a pane of glass
in the dining room. The burglar went
quietly upstairs and into the room in
which Blumenthal slept. The pawn
brokers' trousers were at the foor of the
bed and Small went through the pockets
until he had secured the keys to the store
and show cases. He disturbed nothing else
in the room. and returned downstairs
where he opened the front door on JEFF
ferson street. After selecting as much
jewelry as he could very we'll carry, the
negro left through the Jefferson street
door, and did not even close it, The open
door and the robbery was discovered by
a patrolman walking that precinct some
time later.
The detectives were given a description
of the stolen property, which they fur
nfshed to the loan men. Just one week
later Small made an effort to sell one of
the watches, and was detained by persons
in the place. Murphy and Wall were
only a few yards away and arrived in
time to see Small putting up a hard fight
against his captors. At that time the
negro denied all knowledge of the rob-
berry.
Lieut.. Reilly is in correspondence with
the Charleston authorities. and will make
an effort to get hold OF Small He is of
the opinion that the authorities at that
place can be induced to surrender the
negro, and he will probably be brought
to Savannah by Sunday.