The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-12
BELIEVE RODGERS
IS MAN WANTED BY
MANY RAILROADS
Detectives Declare They Have
Made Important Capture of
Baggage Thief.
MAN REFUSES TO TALK
New York Police Asked to Look
Out There for Supposed
Confederates.

Lewis Rodgers, young white man,
purporting TO hail from New York, was
arrested at the Southern depot at 3
o. clock Thursday afternoon, and now
faces the charge OF having stolen. with
confederates yet unknown, thousands of
dollars worth of baggage from the
Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad and from
other large and important trunk lines
OF the country
Rodgers was nabbed at the station by
Detective Scherer, of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad, and Detective Ser
geants Forrest Bailey and j. l.. Wilt
shire as he was in the act N shipping
two trunks which had been brought to
Mrs. h Mcclure, at 2i3 Seventh Avenue,
New York City. Checks for the trunks
We're found in his possession, and two
other trunks known to have been stolen
from Chesapeake and Ohio train at
Gordonvile, were also found by the de-
tectives on another dray, supposed TO
have been shipped by confederate OF
Rodgers This confederate was not dis
covered. He may have been in the
crowd and seen the arrest of Rodgers.
and then made his escape, or he might
not have arrived at the depot when
Rodgers was placed under arrest.
Warrant Sworn Out.
In all, four pieces of baggage We're
discovered. One was checked from Miami,
Fla. TO Chicago; one from Pinehurst, N.
G.. to Munsie, Ind; another from Phila-
delphia to Hot Springs and still another
from Rocky Mount. y. c.. to Harrison
burg. Va. The trunks left this city on
the No train on "Wednesday, January
9th At Gordonsville. it is alleged, the
checks were changed while the trunks
We're in transit on truck from one train
TO another; false checks We're substituted
in place of the proper ones; the baggage
was shipped to Charlottesville, and thence
10 this city. yesterday. The trunks were
shipped to the lower depot at Charottes-
Vile and taken thence by drays to the
Union Depot, whence they were checked
to Richmond.
The train on which the trunks were
first properly checked had to wait at
Gordonsville for an hour, and the checks
could easily have been changed by men
who knew how to work in the dim light
ut that station without being detected
All would have gone well had not Mr..
Scherer received notification that the
trunks We're missing, and been asked to
look out for them. Tire detective knew
that in like robbery 81 year ago the
trunks had been checked TO Charlottes-
Vile, and thence to Richmond, and acting
on the Huppositon that the same plan
would be followed out in the present in
stance, at once put himself on the lookout
for the men in Richmond. He, with De-
tectives Bailey and Wiltshire, Went TO
the Southern depot about twenty minutes
before the train was due. and arrested
Rodgers as he was exchanging checks
with the draymen.
Mr.. Scherer sworS out a warrant yester-
day morning before Squire d. j. McCar-
thy, charging Rodgers, alias H. Mcclure.
with unlawfully and feloniously stealing
and carrying away four trunks Of bag
gage. valued at $4,000. Rodgers appeared
IN the Police Court on the charge of be-
'ns suspicious character. and had his
case postponed for hearing to January
Nth, Mr.. Harry Glenn was retained as
counsel
The detectives report that since his
incarceration Rodgers has received a tele-
sram stating that he may rest assured
OF every assistance in defending himself
against the charge with which he is ac-
cused. Mr.. scherer, however. feels pretty
we'll assured that he is the right man,
and intends prosecuting the prisoner Wig
orousiy. Rodgers says that he halls
from New York. but lie las the accent
of a southerner. lie Is about five feet
eight inches tall, about twenty-five years
of age, weighs about 100 pounds, has
dark hair and complexion ami at the
time of the arrest wore a dark suit OF
clothes and dark raincoat,
Detective Scherer has arranged TO worI,
the New York end of the case, having
niready teleeraphed the police there 10
be on the lookout for The other man"
Important Capture, They Say.
II is believed by the detectives chat
Rodgers Is one of ii gang that has been
operating on the big railroads with much
Euccess for the last year. Many thou
fands OF dollars have been stolen by the
rlleck-changng method, After chang
Ing the checks aud substituting others
IN their place, 1t was easy for the men
80 have the baggage Forwarded to other
destinations.
Mr. G. Lorraine, general baggage agent
ot the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
has many checks which have been sub
Htitited for the proper railway checks.
and has In hts possession the Very checks
which 1t ~ alleged THAT Rodgers used