Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-10-30
BETRAYED BY
HIS WIFE To
POLICE
Or. R. n: THOMAS, CHARGED
WITH NUMEROUS CRIMES,
HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY HIS
VICTIMS.

MS VIE. AF. X n 1lQllaS TOW OCCUPIES
q cell in the state ward at police head
quarters, charged with forgery. rObbing
the United States mai and being the man
who went 70 the Majestic Saturday and
BY a clever ruse robbed Davis & Freeman.
jewellers. OF three valuable diamond rings.
The wife SAYS she married Thomas think
ing he was an honorable man. When she
found he was not she reported the matter
TO her father and later 10 city detectives
ia Atlanta through her friend. Miss Vista
Black
Thomas has been positively identified as
the nan who worked the Majestic game
and who passed a number Of forged checks
on various business colleges and on Cap
tain Lyman Hall. Of the Georgia School Of
Technology. Hrs. Thomas is being held at
headquarters as a witness.
Thomas says Il Is a case Of mistaken
identity. and denies knowing anything
about the charges He says he never stop
ped at the Majestic hotel, nor az any hotel
quite 50 fine He denies having passed any
checks. bogus OF otherwise. and says the
parties who have Identified him are sim
ply mistaken as TO the man.
The career OF Thomas in Atlanta has
not been euualied by any criminal with
whom the officers OF the law have had 10
deal in wears He first passed a number of
bogus checks. Later stole letter contain
ing a check from the Kimbah house. He
DISAPPEARED for time During his absence
he worked the same ring game in Birming-
ham that he worked at the Majestic. He
from time 70 time was known BY various
names At the Majestic he was known as
Or. Stevers. Before he had been s. F.
wilkins, e J. BOSNIAN and William
Franklin
The capture Of Thomas was entirely due
70 his wife. He had passed his bogus
checks and been able 10 return and work
the diamond game without being caught,
while the officers had IN their possession
a picture OF him. Mrs. Thomas, when she
learned Of the check business. told Miss
Vista Black a young woman who works
in the English-American building. TO tell
the officers who the guilty party was This
Miss Black did and gave 20 the detectives
a picture Of Thomas This was before the
diamond robbery took place. From the de-
scription Of the man furnished by the
jewellers and the hotel people Il was seen
at once that he was the same party who
had 50 successfully passed the worthless
checks.
Notwithstanding the officers were SUI
posed 70 be keeping a watch on all trains.
he was able 10 get 10 Winjsr. the home
Of his wife's parents. Saturday night after
the robbery. Both DIT. and Mrs. Thomas
returned to Atlanta and left again MondeY
night. the night he was arrested in Ath-
ems. Detectives watched the train and rode
out on Il as far as self Jun~tion- When
had two tickets TO Winder- She thought
the officers would telegraph ahead for
Thomas arrest. she says. but they were
not disturbed At Winder she persuaded
her husband 20 80 on 70 Charlotte, and
got tickets TO that point
Before reaching Athens. Mrs. Thomas
made the conductor OF the train acquaint-
ed With the facts In the case. She had
already furnished the officers with in
formation concerning Thomas and she
says she was afraid TO go with him
further.
i knew II he found out 1 had given
him away be would Kill me-" she said
al police headquarters. In explaining her
act i told the conductor the man must
he arrested. ! was afraid Of him and be-
sides 1 did not want him TO get aNay.
did not want IL thought 1 rs connected
with his work. The conductor then had
him arrested at Athens At the time I
did not know OF the diamond robbery.
Tuesday afternoon. though. he admitted
that to me also. OF course. he don't know
Yet ] have given him away. I know he
viii kill me. when he finds II out. II he Is
ever released You know that Is what ]
dread. his getting out some day and
harming myself or my child"
AIRS Thomas Is decidedly the most in
.teresrinE OF the two she Is good looking.
dressCs styllshly and Is a very entertain
ing ulIker. She has rather large wide
open eyes that look straight at the per
son 70 whom she chances TO be talking.
She is about twenty years OF age and has
q child three years old. She has been
twice married
Mr.. Thomas is from winder. but mas
spent much OF her time In Atlanta. She
attended the Capitol Female college ard
in that way gained large local acquasnt-
ance- Last year she attended the con-
servatory OF music in Nashville. where
she took vocal lessons and graduated with
high hOnors- She met Thomas there in
Nashville. where he was studying medi-
cfre. She SAYS she frequently went TO the
river bank with other girls 10 study her
music Thomas went TO the same place
with other students They met, liked one
ianother and love story followed. JUS
before the close OF school. she says, she
sprained her ankle and the kind atten-
tons OF Thomas. while she was sick. en-
tirely won her heart She graduated and
the two started towards her home togeth-
er. In Chattanooga. they decided 20 mar
~ and did 80. They then went on TO
Windsr and were vel received BY her
family.
Il hope no one viii blame me for what
] have done" says Mrs Thomas Il could
not 20 on living with him and let IL Iye
thought that / was a partner in mis-
crimes ] never had anything TO do with
any Of them except a proposed kidnap
ping. This was never carried out. but I
had consented 10 help him in this. He
threatened 70 kill me and said he would
i<idnap my child II ] did not He said
the caild lived out on Peachtree and be
could get $4,000 ransom for il. He neN-
er told me who the child was. His plan
was 20 get the money for the child. skip
OF % Cuba and later come back and 10
IN business in St Louis, He told me f.
did not help him he would kill my cLlld
and that money or nothing else would ev-
er get him hack. After he got the diamonds
he had 20 skip and I guess he gave up
the kidnapping plan.
As soon as I learned about the forgeries
] had IL reported TO the officers. I
thought Thomas was all right when /
married him and did not propose 70 have
people lose By him"
Thomas says ne did not assernpt to XIII
himself in Athens when taken into Gus
tody. II was alcohol and not carboIic
acid IN the bottle he attempted 70 drink
from. he claims. A vicious piece Of glass
was found In his cell this morning By
Cali Oficer Snradlin. although the place
was searched last night. II is thought at
police headquarters that he intended TO
kin himself with a..
Mrs. Thomas maiden name was Lottie
POSTER. Later she was Mrs. Morrison.
she says she married Thomas in June.
Her wedding ring is engraved with July.
this We1r hur she saws il was 4 mistake