The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-19
.R0BSCAR AT
full, SPEED.
Capture a Most Remarkable
Frelght.Car Pirate.
HE USED A ROPE LADDER
Climbed over Side Of Running Train,
& Opens Door ard Throws OF Such
Goods as He Desires - Contract
Let to Deepen Canal.
Especial to Tho r,mes.D,spa tch. I,

.tsI.f Especial 10 Ina 1lUcSsll&pntcOsIt IN
PETERSBURG, VA. Aug. 1S.-Thc
tracing nrm OF scottsyillc, Va. have
been awarded the contract FOR complet-
Ing the work Of widening aid deepening
the upper Appomattox Canal for the
Virginia Passenger and Power Company.
They have begun the work, and Will
push II speedily to completion Consid-
cradle blasting will have to DO done In
necessary. rho canal is to DO made 40
feet wide and feet deep for distance
OF seven miles. This Lane Brothers.
Company will have nothing to do with
building the large dam
WONDERFUL CAR ROBBDR.
John Hagan alias Higgins alias Willie
Epes alias Willie Williams alias Willio
Lewis, whose real name is Willie Lewis.
the large, tall, dark negro, arrested BY
Lieutenant Donahue and Officer Cole
man few evenings ago. proves to be
the most daring freight. car robbcr in
the South. He is wanted in Norfolk
county alone on twelve ~ charges, and
Deputy Sheriff w. 9 H,Iybert and spc..
cial OFcer George r. ". Alnsworth, Of
Norfolk county, Identified the man this
morning and returned to Norfolk with
him this afternoon.
The negro has confessed to some Of
the charges against him. Officers have
been trying to get him for eighteen
months, and this is the first time he has
been arrested during the time The Of
flccrs IN this city arrested him on sus-
picion because Of some talk he was In
dulging in at the bar-room Of Finn. on
Old Street. sltt5f
He was put In secure cell and early
that night tried to make his escape by
cutting the steel netting that enclosed
the window. He had been carefully
searched before being put Into the cell
and was searched again after the at
tempt to cut the bars. but nothing could
be found on him.
/. ROBBED CARS AT FULL SPEED.
F. Lewis would rob freight cars while the
trains were running at a speed OF thirty
miles an hour This he did by means OF
rope ladder. which he used to let him-
self down by the side Of the door &
After breaking the seal and opening
the door he would enter the car. throw
out such goods as he desired. and at the
next stop would get out Of the car and
20 back to collect his booty. Tho negro
had been shot at several times while on
his rope ladder. but always escaped un-
injured. He said in Petersburg that he
was not afraid to go anywhere except
to Norfolk county.
The condemnation cases Of the Black
stone and Southern Railroad came up In
the Dinwiddie County Court yesterday,
but were postponed till the October
term. Mr.. ". B. Mcllwaine. who rep
resented the land owners, said the prices
allowed by the commissioners were far
too small. Mr.. 9. F. Epes. OF Nottoway,
represented the railroad company.
JAILER INDICTED.
The Dinwiddie jailer who had In charge
the prisoners who recently escaped from
jaIl has been indicted. During the abb
sence OF the jailer the men made their
escape by cutting through the top Of the
building. One OF the prisoners who es-
capped was sentenced to hang for MUIR
der. Nothing has been heard from them
since the escape.
The Degree OF Pocahontas. the Ladies'
Branch Of Red Men, will hold their first
annual fair at Ferndale Park one week
beginning August cath.
The Gilneld Baptist Church, one OF the
largest colored congregations in the
State. Will celebrate its one hundredth
anniversary In October. ARA ngements
are now being made for the celebration,
which will be one OF the most notable
events in the history Of the colored peo-
pie Of this city
The Grove and Hardaway tracts Of
land in Nottoway county belonging to
Mrs Ida Eanes. have been sold to J. M.
Abernathy for $500.