The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-14
FVLON AND CITIZEN.
SOMEBODY cor COY. ROOSEVELT
10 REINSTATE DIVE KEEPER.
while Dealing In white women for a Busl'
ness, Negro Has since Been Active
in Negro Democratic Politics white
Women VINO Died az Sally Benefits.

In looking int the record of Bob Spriggs,
the negro who is accused Of keeping dis
orderly houses In which white women
were prisoners, the District Attorneys
Office learned yesterday that Spriggs was
restored to citizenship by Gov. Roosevelt
after serving a term in Sing Sing for felon-
ious assault. This developed after the
District Attorney had been told that Spriggs
had been voting forthe last six years.
1t is known that Sprigge had considerable
political influence. He was one OF the
leaders of the Colored Democracy and on
friendly term 3 with at least a couple Of
district leaders. 1t was in 1889 that Spriggs
assaulted Charles Mayo, a horseman, in a
saloon in Grand street. Mayo was cut
pretty badly about the head. Recorder
Smyth sent Spriggs to Sing Sing for three
years. When he sentenced Spriggs Re-
cordsr Smyth wrote on the back Of the
Indictment: THE defendant and his father
keep a most disreputable place, which
should be broken up by the police"
When Assistant District Attorney Caravan
and Murphy and Chief Clerk Henneberry
Of the District Attorneys office began to
get evidence against Spriggs one Of the
first things they were told OF was SprlgRt's
prison record. Not long after. that they
were Informed that Spriggs took an active
interest in elections and voted every year.
As a person convicted Of a felony. loses his
right to vote they began to make inquiries.
Yesterday they received word from J. G.,
Joyce, the Pardon Clerk at Albany, that
Sprig z was restored to citizenship by Gov.
Roosevelt in 1899: spriggs served his full
term, however. There was nothing to show
from what the District Attorney received
who Endorsed %Spriggs's application to the
Governor.
BY degrees the District Attorneys office
Is running dow the story that two white
women we're murdered in q house kept by
a negro. 1t came out yesterday that the
women died in a house kept by Sallie Ben
nett In West Twenty-sevent street about
two years. Sallie Bennett is the negress
whose house, within four doors Of the
Tenderloin station, was Taided by the Dis
triot Attorneys office a couple OF nights
ago. She il said to have had a close BUSH
ness relation with Spriggs in the tratf1c
in white girls.
The two white girls died within twenty
four hours of each other. A negro doctor
undertaken buried the women in the Mount
Olivet Cemetery. Both the doctor and the
undertaken were examined yesterday by
the District Attorneys office. The doctor
said that his part in the transaction was
perfectly legitimate. He declared that
the women had been i'll for some. time and
that they died from a combination Of al
ooholisn, nephritis and cirrhosis OF the
liver.
The undertaken said that there was
women were buried in Mount Olivet Gene
terry. He said that a number OF white
people had been buried there. In the
case Of at least one Of the women Sallie
Bennett paid the undertaker's bill.
Sallie Bennett was arrested in 1888 for
ofa hhtn Mathilla A Hamilton at IQt
Blocker street. The Hamilton
was in the hospital for several months.
When she recovered she appeared against
the Bennett woman, who was convicted
and sentenced by Judge MARITIME to four
years in Auburn Prison.
Both Spriggs and the Bennett woman
will probably be indicted to-day. Spriggs
is already under indictment for assault,
abduction and keeping a disorderly house.
He ia held in s $500 n to-day he will be re-
indicted as a second offender. II con-
victed he may get double the maximum
punishment for assault.
Sallie Bennett will be indicted for as
eault, also as a second offender. She is &C.
cused Of beating a white girl who vas found
in her house when it was raided. She
also be indicted for abduction. Sew
eral witnesses were examined by the Grand
Jury yesterday
In the latter part of last July Spriggs
was arrested for keeping a disorderly house
In IOTnelld SITHeI. Ill WIS DtIu ~ hldkS-
trate Wahle in the Jefferson Market police
court for trial in Special Sessions. A month
later he was convicted and paid 500 fine.
When the prisoners taken in the raid made
by Assistant District Attorney. Caravan
late on Monday night on a house in Broad
way near Forty-seventh street were ar
raigned before Magistrate Wahle in the
Centre street police court yesterday morn
ing the Magistrate said
Il remember the testimony Of the police
officers III the raid on %Spriggs's Cornelia
were not only held in the house but white
men we're not allowed to enter it even to
collect e bill. The police found that the
women had nc clothes and to get clothes for
them had to break into a thing that looked
women had been locked up. held priggs
for Special Sessions, where he was con-
victed
Five prisoners were taken in the Broad
way raid of Monday night. Marie Smith,
who is said to be the proprietor, was held
were discharged. Teesie Austen, a white
girl, and a negress we're held on a technical
charge Of vagrancy and committed TO the
Tombs. The Austen girl is wanted as a
witness against Spriggs.
Spriggs Ia said to have been in partner
ship with several other Tenderloin ne groes
in running negro clubs; Some OF the men
mixed up with him have been Johnny
johnson and Harry B. Harris, well Known
in the Tenderloin. A white man cannot
get into the clubs unless he is introduced.
Lucky Joe Boggs, a negro who was
employed In one OF the Cornelia street
houses run by Spriggs. was picked up
yesterday by two OF Inspector .Hogan's
detectives. They took him to the Jefferson
Market police court, where they said that
Lucky Joe was wanted as a witness by
the District Attorney. He was taken
town and examined by Assistant
Attorneys Caravan and Murphy.
They said that there was nc charge against
Lucky Joe, but that they simply wanted
went away In an hour, saying that he would
come back If he was needed.