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

seen ON the road. known as "Portlan,
Ned and Missouri Shorty" BY then
IL was proposed that the lad ioin In,
ranks OF cracksmen, and they agree,
10 Initiate him. As AN apprentice 4
would be his duty To travel about an,
look up suitable places for robber,
and report back TO the principals
When the job was undertaken he wal
10 ACT as an outside man and give an,
Information or warning which Nigh
be necessary. The trio went TO Nor.
ialk. va. where the recruit was intro.
duced TO the highest circles OF 'yegg.
uon. There ne was schooled In hi
work.
He was informed that after he hal
selected n suitable postofiice or banl
II was his business 10 find out II IN,
establishment had burglar alarm. Il
there was any night watch In III,
town, the make OF the safe which was
10 be cracked and the best way To gel
out OF the place at night II II was moi
on the main line OF railroad. In
fact. he was 10 discover everything
which would be of value In breaking
the safe, and then fix ON the best way
To elude discovery In getting away
with the proceeds of the robbery. He
was told that towns OF from 800 To L.
400 people were represented us para
lytics, others had no night watch and
the postoffices Were almost sure 10
yield from 5000 10 $1,000 In cash and
stamps.
Stamps were easily disposed of al
the rate OF so cents on the dollar. They
We're sent or taken To the saloon OF 1,
former yegg on the Bowery In New
York and by him turned over to a de-
tective ON the police force, who hand
ed them TO an employe of the New
York postoffice, by whom they were
sold at par. Mccarthy says that from
$4,000 to $4,000 worth year were
disposed of i'm this way, and that the
New York gang was always ready to
take all that could be furnished. If 1t
was thought not desirable to get them
to New Yorks there were plenty of
crooked brokers in other cities who
would accept them at the rate of rs
cents on the dollar
The lads actual criminal career be-
gan Feb. 6, 1898, when he left Norfolk
for North Carolina. supplied with.suf-
ficient money to travel about the state
and select promising postoffices or
banks for robbery. He was then in his
18th year.
Ten days later the apprentice re-
turned and reported that he had
found two places which offered prom
Using outlooks for successful robbery.
The first was Murfreesboro. n. c., Il
town with about $50 population in
Hartford county, on branch of the
Seaboard Air line and about rs miles
from Norfolk. The other was Ply
mouth, n. c.. in Washington county,
on a branch of the Southern railroad,
about so miles from Norfolk. In both
places he reported that the safes were
old fashioned. that the buildings were
not wired, and that there was no
watchman 1t was decided to make
the first attempt at Murfreesboro.
The trio left Portsmouth, across the
river from Norfolk, a few days later,
and arrived at Boydton, the junction
point on the Seaboard Air line. from
which Murfreesboro is reached, at
10 O'Clock. They then covered the six
miles to the latter place on foot, get
ting to the place about 10: 80 o'clock.
A locksmith's establishment supplied
the heavy tools they needed, and no
difficulty was encountered in entering
the postoffice AS an apprentice, II
was McCarthy's duty to act as outside
man, notifying the men inside If any
one approached and giving the signal
that everything was all right when the
proper time for the explosion came.
Hardly had he tapped on the window
glass that everything was 0. K. than
he heard the tinkle of banjo up the
street, Immediately followed by the
tuneful chorus of three negroes voices.
The lad did not know what to do,
and he lodged behind tree waiting
for the singers to pass. Just as they
reached spot opposite the postoince
Mccarthy was frightened, because
he feared capture, but the negroes
were convinced that the end of the
world had come and the lower regions
were opened to receive them. The
tupeful chorus ended abruptly ana
was succeeded by a combination OF
groans and shrieks as the frightened
darkies fled precipitately up the street.
The noise was not conducive to sue
cessfu safe robbery, but the running
negroes led the startled residents 10
believe there was nothing more serious
than a drunken row in town, ana there
was, accordingly, no occasion LOT tne
haste with which the robbers collected
the cash and stamps in sight ana de-
parted for Boydton. At that point an
early morning freight was poarueu 90
If steamed up to the Junction, ana
davbreak found the three safebreakers
secure in Norfolk dividing $500 as the
Profits of the nights work
This was McCarthys first taste Oh
crime. and the experience was ol
nature to whet his appetite Tor IiloIe.
II had proved successful, despite tne
FRIGHT given him by the negroes, anu
he felt that it would be most satis-
factory existence for him to follow.
II was decided by the gang tnat !.
would NOT be wise to make the atteiiip'
at Plymouth, N. c., just at that tl,ne'
and a few days later Trip was 'ane AM,
70 Clarksburg. Va, Where sooo III ii,
and $3.50 in stamps were securSu w. 49,,
nut great difficulty, no one IN ihe .9Mn
~ 80, aronsed and no unusual excite
ment heightening the interest," Vi NV
men at work. ,,,ont on
the same night to brakes Branch, ~
lilies distant. There little dlfncuity
was experienced in entering the pos'
ofice hut the first explosion was not
sufficient to break the safe' aiG VIII
,nranaring for the second McCartny'
~ was outside heard footsteps APP
30 ching He called to his compah-
nns to come out and they needed NJ
second invitation. The steps Vi t th
,vatchman could be heard, pu. III
darkness nothing could be seen ~
I'm, and the party spread apart 10 pc
readv to fight or run. Suddenly tns
sound of a revolver was heard, ana
tbick and fast the bullets came ,iy, the
,hont them one going through me
a ,rown of McCarthy's hat. From the
sound the yeggs knew the watcni aiiu
vas across the street, and they niIa,s
deserted him behind tree. nrine e,,, or
fast as he could bring ms o ro for
,,to NAV. There was no cnafce foi
mo apa PIN return fire. but the SAFE
an a e discharged few shots IN
pr 1Ie'H airection of the courageous town
, ne r d and then hustled up .ne