The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-01-14
elM Of BgRaLARS GAPTURE5.
Bin Haul Made By tie Police Of
Columbia.

Columbia, January There has
been considerable excitement here over
series of arrests. The police are
satisfied that they have gang OF safe
blowers. They think they have ar
rested the gang that robbed the post
cHces at Cameron, Enoree, RoWesVlite,
Hartsville, Hineman, Prosperity,
Mount Morency, Batesburg, Renno,
and got into the bank at Mullins and
made general raids Throughout the
State. AT Mullins the safe robbers
got S. 600: at Cameron and Enoree
81. coo each and at the other points
smaller amounts.
The arrests were made by Chief DAILY,
with TIE active cooperation Of Post
Office Inspectors Gregory and Pulcifer,
and they are satisfied that they have
| the right men. Two. of the men ar
rested are known to be professional
eracksmen and a complete set OF
burglars tools was found IN their
| rooms. Their fast life, utter extrava-
gance and living with negroes attract
ed the attention of Chief Owen DAILY
and made him notify Postofnce In
spectorse Gregory and Pulsifer, who
work in this State. of his suspicious,
and then the work was done.
The evidence will be developed in
detail, but meanwhile the men will
wait in Jail. The pestof6ee inspectors
are likely to experience difficulty in
getting detailed evidence, but Mr.
Gregory and Mr. Pulsifer are active
and successful workers, and Mr..
Gregory is so eminently successful in
| his work and knows Howard so we'll
that theexpectation is that the details
will soon be available.
The four men were formally arrested
today and warrants sworn out by In
spector Plslifer, before United States
Commissioner Lide, at Orangeburg,
in which they were charged with, on
or about November s, 81, 29 and %,
1902, and December ID, Is, l9 and 20,
breaking into the postomces at Came
ron, .Enoree, Rowesville, Hartsville,
Hineman, Montmorenci, Batesburg
and Renno, and did take various sums
of money and postage stamps. At
all Of these places, it is alleged that
the safes were broken into and money
taken. Most of these posto6dces are
in stores, and in most cases postofice
money was taken, together with pri-
vate funds. The postefhce inspectors
had nothing to do with such >robberles
as those at Mullins and other points
where no potso6ice funds were inVolV-
ed. The men we're arraigned before
Commissioner Lide, who deputized
Chief DAILY to make the arrests, and
each of the men was held in default of
$40, 600 bonds. They were held at
police station tonight, and tomorrow
60 to the county jail. They will be
given their preliminary examination
before Commissioner Werner, of Co
lumbia. The police department man
aged It's end of the line well, and the
postofice inspectors are loud in their
praises of Chief DAILY for the successful
manner in which ne engineered the
matter, and for the cooperation Of
Officers Strickland and Thackham.
Postofice Inspectors Gregory and
Howard had met before, and it was a
curious meeting when Howard was
presented to Mr.. Gregory. It was in
the case that resulted in the conviction
OF Howard and his sentence of three
years in West Virginia, that Inspector
Gregory appeared as witness, and
Howard aad just finished that sentence
and did not like the idea Of meeting
his nemesis in Columbia in another
lsafe-bloWing case.
Noland and Duggan claim that they
made their savings while here at
gambling, and Duggan boasted of hav-
ing lost $500 in a game here in a single
night. Howard claims to have been
engaged in the restaurant business,
and Mckinley was not quite sure
whether he did anything but gamble
for a pastime. Howard, OF Hearn, or
q Dutch,'' - as he is called in the pro-
fession, is quiteea young man and, No
Ian is the Oldest man in the party. He
is man of about 43, and Howard. Els
only about 2s. All of the men have.
employed counsel, and viii make the
best fight that they can, but they seem
to be up against active and alert men
and have rough road ahead.