The Washington times., 1905-03-08
SHORTY IS HELD
FOR GRAND JURY
James Bailey Accused of
Helping to Rob Bank.
TRACED By BEGGING LETTER
Derby Hat Lost by Robber in Sandy
Spring Was Purchased in
Baltimore.

ROCKVILLE. Md, March s.-James
Bailey. alias ''Con Shorty" is in jail
here. in default of bail in the amount o.
s.. coo, to await the action of the Mont
gomery county grand jury on March 20.
on a charge of attempting to rob the
National Bank al Sandy Spring, this
county Bailey was given a preliminary
hearing here before Justice Of the Peace
Joseph Reading.
The prisoner was arrested in a work.
house in Cincinnati by Effective Peter
Bradley, who was sent to Rockville by
Captain Pumphrey of Baltimore From
the testimony OF the detectives produced
at the nearing. Shorty is one of the
most noted OF q band of yeggmen upon
whom Captain Of Detectives A J.
Pumphrey, of Bsl ltimo-s, descended III
December last in the latter city. He ia
wanted on a dozen charges of safe
blowing in this State, Virginia and the
Carolinds, but specific charges have been
made against him III connection with
the blowing Of the safe of the First Ma
tionai Bank of Sandy Spring, Montgon-
cry county, and the robbing OF the post
office N Ellicott City.
Got Only Small Amounts.
The robbers did not get large amounts
from either place. The prisoner has all
ready been indicted on the charge of
blowing a safe in Manassas, Va, and it
is thought he may have been connected
with the La Plata robbery last fail,
when g, 900 was secured
In the hearing before Justice Reading,
the citizens of Sandy Spring testified a <
of May last by an explosion The
moon was shining and they saw several
citizens hurriedly armed themselves and
made a rush for the building but the
robbers ran. about forty shots were
fired by both sides.
Lost Derby Hat.
Four men escaped down the road to-
ward Washington. IN their hurry one
man lost his black derby hat The tools
found were from the shop OF Black
smith NARROW. at Ashton. and we're iden-
titled by the owner. The ma & Shorty
was identified by several citizens as
having been seen in the neighborhood
Of Sandy Spring a short while before the
bank robbery.
The derby hat which was dropped by
one of the men was given TO Leonard
Weers who took it to Baltimore. to the
store of the merchant who sold it. The
salesman was George Z. Cross, a halter
who testified to having sold the hat tc
/ the prisoner a short while before the
bank robbery at Sandy Spring. AT the
time of buying the hat Shorty said fe
When the hat was put on his head II
was sufficiently large
Mr Cross Positive.
Mr.. Cross testified positively that tht
prisoner was the man who bought the
hat in exhibit The hat is number ~
and was purchased on April 81 last.
Samuel I. Bushman. a postoffiee in.
spector of Baltimore, testified to having
received letter for one of the yeggmef
arrested in December last, which was
postmaFked in Cincinnati This letter
was opened by him. 1t was from Con
who was in the workhouse at the lattel
city. and he asked the yeggman for as
sistance. Upon this evidence Detective
Bradley went to Cincinnati and brought
Shorty TO Baltimore, and thence TO this
place today,
The prisoner was taken TO Baltimore
yesterday afternoon. where he will wai
in laii until the action OF the grand Jury
of this county at the next sitting.