The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-24
MESSENGER R0BS
TELEGRAPH OFFICE
----------------
Traced to His Home, Arrested,
Confcsses and Money Is
Recovered.
HOUSE IS SET ON FIRE.
Flames Break Out at Two Places
AT Same Observation-Disclosures
Citizen Dead.
HOUSE is SET ON FIRE.
l.speeLn, 70 Tho Times. plspatei,

I..peclni to Tho Times Dispatchj
PETERSBURG, VA. December 20
n. r. Rayburn, the western ChloH
Trlerrapl Company,s Petersburg man
aser discovered on entering his office
,bis morning that his desk had been
forced open. tho cash-boS broken, and
ssE in bills stolen. He at once reported
the robbery to the police, and in about
Two hours Chief of Police Ragland and
Detectives Eanes and Heelan arrested
Richard Staples. one of the small mes
scrger boys. at his fathers residence,
~ Blandford. Staples confessed, and
slid he had given the money to a
Young white man named George Alley
for safekeeping. Alley, when found
By the police at first denied having IL
but afterwards acknowledged posses
sion of the money. most of which was
recovered
Investigations in the telegraph Office
which is on the street floor of the
odd Fellows building, on Sycamore
Street. show that the office was en-
tered through the rear door. which
must have been opened by staples,
while he was on duty yesterday after
noon, the robbery occurring probably
between AMI 3 o'clock, while the Office
was closed. The Ratchet with which
the boy forced open the roller-top desk
and broke the cash box was found In
the place.
An Inccn,liary Fire.
Fire, apparently Of incendiary origin,
was discovered about hulf-past o'clock
last evening In two parts of the frame
residence on Ryrne street, owned and
occupied by Edward l.. Stokes, colored.
stokes and his wife. who were the only
occupants of the house. were at church
al the time, the fire being discovered
by passersbv. who investigated the
cause of smoke from the building and
round a blaze in u hall closet on the
first floor ana in a room on the second
floor. Quick work by the fire depart
laent saved the building. with only
:he less of a bureau and the soaking
Of the household effects. The loss is
covered by insurance.
Two Deaths.
Mr.. John Williamson died last night
n. the home of his stepfather, Mr..
Walter a.. Quarles. in this city, after
an Illness of several weeks. Mr.. Will
Hanson was in his tifty-second year.
aud was formerly wellknown and
popular baseball player. He left Pc
tersburg for Newport News about ten
or, twelve years ago, and was n member
Of tic police force in the latter city
for a number OF years, returning to
Petersburg about year ago. He is
sh.vived BY his mother and stepfather
end by one brother. j. G. Quarles.
Mr.. William Henry Harrison died
early yesterday morning at the resi-
dcnce of his sister. Mrs Maria Tyler.
on Grove Avenue. from heart disease.
Mrs, Tyler heard him breathing very
heavily abou. ! o'clock in the morning
and on entering his room found him
unconscious Death resulted in short
willie. Mr.. Harrison was forty-nine
years old, and was well-known en-
rioye OF the Atlantic Coast Line Rail-
road Company. He was Il member of
The Second Presbyterian Church. and of
Naomi Lodge. knights OF Psthias. The
funeral took place this afternoon from
Tie residences, the Rev. William McC.
White, assisted by the Rev. j. T. Bos-
nan, conducting the services.
;Tntum-ISurton.
Mr.. James David Tatum and Miss