Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-07-14

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Norfolk. The Lynehburg police heard
resort, capturing Noble with sis5
worth OF stamps In his possession, Mo-
bile refused to tell anything, but the
officers finally induced Turner. the
owner Of the saloon. 10 divulge the
names OF the other parties, and as the
three stepped on the train at Norfolk
they We're arrested by two detectives
as suspicious characters. Postoffice
Inspector Gregory called on the men
and endeavored 10 secure some infor-
nation In regard To the Bramwell rob-
berry. but was unsuccessful. yet the
men were held ON charge Of break
ing the safe AT that place. When the
United States grand jury came In at
Charleston, w. Va. indictments were
returned against them for that break
and al the same time IA grand jury
nj Raleigh. ~ c., indicted Ned and
Mccarthy for the offence AT Plymouth,
n. G.
Dec. 10, 1898. the three men We're
taken from Norfolk TO Charleston. w
Va. and two weeks later Noble was
removed there from Lynchburg. The
quartet was pretty blue, and devised
means of escape, Mccarthy AT last
wrote In desperation 10 the proprietor
of a yegg saloon in Wilmington. Dell
asking him II he saw Jimmy Pitts To
call on them and bring along their
friend. John Briar" John Briar meant
saws but the keeper OF the jail did
not know that, and the communication
reached its destination In a few days
word was received that Pitts would
call and that he would bring along
John Briar with him.
Several DAYS later he came and he
passed John Briar through the cell
door from his sleeve when the Jailer
was not looking. and he also put In
$50. which the disheartened robbers
sorely needed.
With saws and money. matters
seemed easy for them TO make their
escape. but the first night they made
an attempt they were doomed to dis
appointment-the saws would not
cut. Either they were too soft or the
bars were too hard; II was useless TO |
try to do ANYTHING. and finally hope In |
that direction was dissipated as one
nv one the pieces of metal broke.
March ., 1899 the quartet was ar
raigned pennsylvania Noble as
James Kennedy. Texas Dutch as
John Hearn, and Portland Ned as /
Charles Johnson Kennedy was gwen
five years and Hearn and Johnson
three each in the state prison, whiie
the Jury disagreed in the case OF NC
Carthy
1t was agreed that he should be dis
charged If he would go back to Raleigh
and stand trial for the Plymouth break
without objection, and he agreed.
April /. 1899, the three convicted men
went TO the state prison at MOUNDS
willie. while Mccarthy went to Raleigh
Insna1fnr v.
He remained two months In jail, and
was then tried and sentenced 10 two
wears in the North Carolina state pris-
on. II
In prison he found a number of i
young men. nearly all serving tins. for
breaking postoffice safes. He found
the warden sympathetic and kindly
disposed. who told him he was too fine
a looking boy to be making bricks ana
gave him place in the mattress SHOP, 1
much to McCarthy's satisfaction. He
made one attempt to escape and re-
ceived a strapping for II, an expert
ence he never will forget and which L
he hopes will never be repeated. He
was caught trying to get through the 4
guards and was sentenced to 80 lashes.
His hands and wrists and ankles We're
tied and a black cap pulled down over
his head. Then his shirt was removed
and his trousers pulled down. A strap
about five feet long, four inches wide
and half an inch thick was then ener-
laid on by husky and Wen
developed official. Mccarthy could
not sit down or lie in comfort for q
week. When in later years he escaped
from a 13-year sentence the thought
that troubled him most was the strap
ping he must undergo II caught rather
than the 10 years he was still due 10
serve.
He was discharged Dec. 10, 1900, and
went to Delaware. gradually working
1nce more down into North Carolina,
where he was again captured and sem
fenced to a term of Is years in the /.
state prison. From that place he es-
,aped and eventually came to New
England, where he was caught for the !
Newfane case. His experiences from |
he time of his discharge in December,
1900. until he was captured in Brattle- I,
1oro. VT. are by no means less inter- !
asting than his previous ones, and Ger
ainly stamp Mccarthy as one of the
most daring of his class of criminals.