The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-26
POSTOFFICE ROBBER
U. W. JOHNSTON HELD ON A sERI-
 OUS CHARGE.
Young Man Accused of Attempting to Hurglarizo once at Thorsbys~ Brought to Montgomery by
 Postmaster Bice,

John W. Johnston, a young white man, is locked up at the county Jail with the serious charge of 'breal<ing into the postoffice at Thorsby, Ala. with intent to commit larceny there in" lodged against him.
 Johnston was brought to Montgom- cry yesterday morning, handcuffed and shackled. after his arrest, by Jonathan Bice, postmaster at Thorsby, who made the capture by means of a neat bit of detective work
 Mir. Bice speaking of the postoffice robbery said that he had noticed John. ston lurking about the postoffice at night. He had his suspicious regard ing the young man and confided these suspicious to Joe Gabard, a personal friend of MT. Bee and a man who
 worked in lumber yard with John- ston. Gabard secured the confidence of Johnston who unfolded a plan, 1t l is said. whereby Johnston intended to l,enter the postoffice soon after the last train had passed for the night and as soon as Mir. Bice and young man, who keeps a store in the same build- | ing, had gone home.
 Gabbard told Johnston he would assist him in his enterprise and it was agreed that Gabbard should keep watch outside that abbard should keep watch outside the building Wnlie JOnnStOn entered ana completed the work.
 Mir. Gabbard informed Postmaster | Bice of these arrangements and also that the attempted burglary was to
 take place Friday night, and Bice, to-
 gether with five other men, includin 6
 John l.. Robinson, the town marshal,
 armed and concealed themselves in the
 building to await developments. Mean
 time, to prevent the use of explosives,
 MT. Bice left a set of figures, which
 purported to be the combination of the
 safe. on his desk where they were dis
 covered by Johnston.
 After the gentlemen had been hiding
 for some time, Johnston, according to Mir. Bice, entered the office by a rear
 window. He was later found to be un- armed and his only tools were a dark lantern made out of a tomato can, which had been vanished on the inside, | a candle giving the light, and a bunch of keys with which it was thought he intended opening the inside door of the safe after the combination had been worked.
 Johnston, upon entering, struck a few matches and after many precau- tions went to the safe. It was then that the men in hidnng made their presence known by 1ash-light which Mir Bice had ready and the command
 throw up your hands or you are a dead man." came in unison from the arresting party. The marshal hand cuffed the prisoner and he was brought to Montgomery on the earliest train. sJohnstons bond was fixed at $500,
 pending a hearing before United States Commissioner John A. Fillmore at 10
 o'clock Monday morning.
 Johnston recently went to Thorsby
 from Oklahoma and is said to have
 borne good reputation heretofore. He
 Is 25 years old, clean-shaven and rather
 heavily built.
 pathetic side of the case came to light when it was learned that he had only two weeks ago married a young woman of Tborsby. His newly made
 bride is true to him, having come to
 Montgomery with the officers to be
 near him in his trouble.