The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-30
ROBERTS AND RAGAN
 ARE TAKEN ID JAIL
Anniston EmbezzlerS Unable to
 Make Bond
COME FROM FAR WEST
Both Seem In Good spirts-Roberts Arrested Defending a Woman. Fourteen Deputies Were
 Sent After Ragan.

After a journey of 250O miles United States Marshal s. V. Youngsworth ar rived in the city yesterday morning. hay- Ing in charge Frank Roberts the registry clerk who absconded with funds amount ing to nearly $500. It will be remembered that Roberts was registry clerk under J. NJ. Ragan in the Annlston postoffice Roberts fled to California and secured employed in Los Angeles as d shelter He was apprehended there and orders were given for his removal to Birmlng- ham. Roberts is buts 2S years old and in appearance Is no older than a school boy. He was dressed in grey suit and wore cap on the back of his head Roberts denied his guilt and said that he had not even been aware that he was accused until he received a letter from Anniston stating the fact.
 He said he was captured while defend- ing a woman in the street. He described 1t as follows:
 "One night when big carnival was going on in Los Angeles l was walking down the street and came upon q crowd pushing and crowdng to get look at a woman who had tainted. told the crowd to stand back and one of the men in the mass cursed me. 1 struck him in the face twice, and a policeman arrested me. Two detectives followed me to the station, and when was searched a clipping from Birmingham paper was found In my pocket. They asked me If 1 was not the Frank Roberts wanted in Anniston 1 wanted to get home at once so I admit ted my identity"
 Roberts was recently indictment by the federal grand jury and his bond fixed at $500 In default of this he was placed in the Jefferson county jail.
 Hardly had Roberts been placed safely in the keeping of the Birmingham au- thorities than United States Marshal Long received a telegram from Deputy Marshal Clarke of Colorado stating that he would arrive in Birmingham at D. m. in charge of J. NJ Ragan. Ragan was potsmastcr of the Anniston postoffice in which Rob erts was registery clerk. Ragan is az cused of embedding funds to the amount of $SO77.
 Ragan was captured Tn Pueblo, Col He was running a theatre in that place when a former resident of Anniston recognized him and caused his arrest. Ragan was not handcuffed when he arrived here but Deputy Marshal Clarke said that he slept with Ragan on the trip with one of his hands handcuffed to one of Ragans
 Ragan seemed to be in good spirits and retained his nerve all the time. EIe entered the marshal's office and shook hands with several of the men whom he knew, as if nothing had happened
 He refused to give out any statement, but he made several remarks, from which 1t was gathered that he intends to plead guilty. He said:
 T intend to plead guilty at once If the law will permit. By doing this my sentence will start at once instead of six months hence, when the fall term of the federal court meets"
 Ragan also said that the report that he had disguised himself as woman in order to escape was false. He said: "The people in Colorado thought I was a dos- perado. When the mrashal received or ders to arrest me he sent fourteen deputies to perform the feat"
 Ragan could not secure bail last night and was therefore placed In the Jefferson county jail for the night He will prob ably receive hearing before Judge Hund- ley today.