The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-04-13
ALLEGED
ROBBERIES
CASE OF FOUR TRAMPs HEARD
IN UNITED STATES COURT.
Suspected of Blowing Safe in Post
Office at Carriers creek-Three
Bound Over and One Dis
missed.

Interesting evidence was introduc-
ed in the hearing of the case of John
Cook, Lewis Craig, alias T. w. Moore.
Joe Lenehan and George Barnes, the
four tramps arrested on suspicion of
robbing the post office at Carter's
Creek several weeks ago, which was
up before United States Commission
er E. L. Doak at Nashville Monday.
| A number of witnesses were exam
ined, the trial lasting from early morn
ing until the afternoon. and being con-
Guided with the Commissioner bind
ing Craig, Lenehan and Barnes over
to the April term of the United States
Court and discharging Cook. Much
of the evidence given indicated that
Cook was not with his companions at
Carter's Creek and on his strenuous
denial of his presence there he was
dismissed.
The men presented rather a for
lorn appearance as they sat in group
before the Commissioner. They ap-
peared rather worried, but not too
much so to enter a number of inquir-
les upon various points advanced dur
ing the progress Of the trial. These
inquiries were generally made by
George Barnes, who did some close
cross questioning of the witnesses,
his direct questions and unique man.
ner of putting them evoking amuso-
ment in the court.
The entire case was thoroughly
gone over in the morning, several wit
nesses for the Government being
heard. United States District Attor-
ney A. NJ. Tillman questioned the wit
nesses and Post Office Inspector w. A
Greenway was present.
Details of ROBBERY.
]. w. Jones, Assistant Postmaster
) at Carriers Creek, gave a complete
history of the details of the case as
he observed them and his reasons for
J attributing the commission of the
crime to the four men. He
! said. that a clerk in the store
was the first to discover that rob-
berry had been committed soon after he
reached the store, finding a twelve
pounds sledge hammer, large monk
ey wrench and a crowbar beside the
; blown safe One hunderd and sixty
five dollars in money orders, $3.50 in
. postal funds and $1S5 in stamps were
taken He said that he had first
known of the mems presence in the
ternoon and bought a sack of tobacco.
He then ordered that no one entire
the store until bloodhounds were Sc
cured and put on the trail. He said
the bloodhounds took the trail and fol-
lowed the route the men later admit
/ ted going. The hounds, he said, led
to a stock pen, where were found the
money drawer of the safe and sew
eral coppers. On the men being
brought to Carriers Creek after their
arrest at Franklin, the hounds, it was
stated, were put on their tracks and
followed them directly to the place
where the men were held.
Deputy Sheriff w J. Goad, of Maury
County, testified largely the same as
Mr.. Jones. He suspected that the
men had gone to Franklin and tele-
phoned there to have them arrested.
The men, he stated had been in Co,
lumbia the day before the robbery.
and one had sold him a pencil. He
related the way the bloodhounds had
taken to the tracks of the men.
Inspector Greenway.
Inspector Greenway stated that on
his reaching Carriers Creek he could
not enter the postoffice because the
bloodhounds had not rived. He SAID
they were soon on the ack. He said
. the men walked from Columbia to
: Carter's Creek, remaining there I'M
til after dark to get a freight train on
which they went to Franklin He re
lated the circumstances he had learn
, ed of on inquiry, being much the same
, as told by the other witnesses. The
Inspector had had pictures Of the men
J taken and will send them with full
, description to every place in this sec
ton where robberies have been com
mitted recently. A humorous feature
of the trial was the appearance OF
witness from Carriers Creek called
Jack, the Bear. He was negro Of
: unusual size and appearance. His ties
timony with that of several other neg
7 roes was that the men had been seer
! walking along the railroad track the
!, night of the robbery.-Nashvillt
j American.