The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-06
CHESTNUT COOK
TELLS OF THEFT
ADMITS TAKING THE MONEY.
STRENUOUSLY DENIES HUSBAND
KNEW OF THE ROBBERY.


She Gagged and bound Herself
just as She Was FOund-Had Been
Helping Herself TO Gold Coin
Previous to Robbery Saturday.
Thirty-five dollars in gold and $3.50
in small change, the missing link in
the evidence of the Chestnut robbery,
was turned over to the police last
night by Jane Lindsey, the negro cook,
who made a full confession to Mr..
Chestnut in the presence of Detective
Murphy.
The woman successfully concealed
the small channels bag about her per-
son during a thorough search at the
police station, conducted by several
negro women. Immediately after being
placed in prison Saturday afternoon.
Every garment the woman had on was
taken off and searched without result.
The woman confesses she had the
money even while the search was be-
ing made.
In making her confession, she COM
pletely eXhonerated her husband, but
the police can not figure how she could
have so completely tied herself up as
she claims she did. and Grant Lind
sey is still being held.
Ready TO Confess All.
Shortly after 6 o'clock yesterday
afternoon the woman sent word to
Detective Murphy that she wanted
to speak to Mr.. Chestnut and tell
him the whole truth about the rob-
berry.
Detective Murphy went to the cell
where she was confined and told her
he did not want to send for Mr.. Chest
mutt if she merely wanted to tell the
same story she had first told, but II
she would tell the truth about the
matter he would send for her employ
en- She stated she would tell every
thing.
Mr.. Chestnut was sent for shortly
before s o'clock, and on his arrival at
headquarters was shown to the Wom-
ans cell. She Immediately COM
menced telling the same story she
had told Saturday night, with the adj
dition of several details. and De-
tective Murphy waited patiently I'M
til she had finished. Mr. Chesnutt
then told her he could do nothing for
her if she persisted in making the
same false statement, but f she would
tell him the whole truth he would do
what he could for her. Then the wom-
an broke down and said she would
tell the truth about the case If the
detective would. leave the cell. De-
tective Murphy stepped outside, where
he could overhear all that was said.
Claims She Tied Herself.
81 did it all. Mr.. Chestnut" she be-
gan. land my husband had nothing
to do with it. l tied myself after l
had got the money out of the drawer
Il brought the diamonds down so
that I could show that l had saved
them for Mrs. Chestnut. and keep
them from suspecting that had the
money.
81 guess the devil got into me. I
had gotten some of the money be-
fore. Five dollars of it is under a
slat in my bed at home, and the
other / spent"
She told Mr.. Chestnut where she
hid the money while she was being
searched. After the search she placed
il in the reservoir In the lavatory. In
proof of this she went to the room and
returned IN a few minutes with the
bag of coin.
Her story Not Credited.
Her story of having tied herself was
doubted by the detective and he queS-
toned her closely. She stated she tied
her feet first, after having gagged her
self. She then tied her hands, and
her body.
The manner in which she was tied,
however made her statement very inn
probable In fact, it was discredited
by the detectives. Mr.. Chestnut stated
that it had taken several minutes for
him to free the woman, and that the
gag was tied so securely around her
head he did not see how ii was pos
sible for her to have tied 1t on her
self.
Neither is the woman's statement of
her intentions as to the diamonds be-
lieved. The bag was found underneath
her when she got up from the floor
and she gave a little start of surprise
when they were picked up by Mr..
Chestnut. Also the fact that the bag
was laying in such a position as TO
suggest that it had fallen from the
bosom of the woman's dress is sugges-
tive of her intent.
Had stolen Gold Before.
In her statement the woman ac-
counted for the discrepancy in the
amount of gold coin which she deliv-
cred to the detective and the original
amount in the drawer at Mr.. Ches-
NUTS home before the robbery. She
stated she had taken IS out of the
drawer on two or three occasions be-
fore, leaving a remainder of $35, two
$40 pieces and three S. pieces.
Since their incarceration the woman
and her husband have been separated
and not allowed to speak to each other
AS soon as the wife had made her
confession it was planned to face the
husband with the confession. and see
If he would not admit his completely
Tile was approached in his cell and
told that his wife had told all, and a
demand was made for the money that
he had. Lindsey expressed great sur
prise, and declared he knew nothing of
the matter. He stuck to this state
ment throughout.
On investigation yesterday Detective
Murphy found that Lindsey's state
ment about his wife promising to as
sist him in some scrubbing at the
Board of Trade building was fiction,
as no women are allowed to do scrub
bling in the building No one could be
found who had seen him return to the
building and the elevator man said he
did not remember Lindsey returning
and asking If his wife had been there
after he had left the first time.
Money Found Under bed.
superintendent OF Police Garfunkel
and Detectives Murphy and Wall WIS.,
tied the home OF the Lindseys last
night, and on searching under the bed
found the S. gold pieces under the Stats
just as had been stated by the woman.
The greatest surprise In the entire
case was the success with which the
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