The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-01-25
Freight CARSROBB!D'
BY RAILROAD B: ! D men.
Prominent Employees Of G. & O.
.Arraigncd III Charlottcs-
VILE Court.
spAc,ul M rhe ,rl,nsa. plspatah.l

CHARLOTTESVILLE VA. January
GA drama In which whisky and,
lax morals figured In their worst form
was unfolded In tile Police Court this
morning. when four white employees
and two coiored employees OF the Cl,es-
apeake and Ohio Railway we're arr
raigned before Justice Watson on the
charge OF robblng freight cars Of large
quantities OF whisney.
Thomas w. Marccllus q yard conduc-.
tor, and well-knoWn In Charlottesville
as an aspirhnt at one time for foot
ball honors on the university team,
confessed on the witness stand to
succession OF robbaries covering
period OF several month"; in which he
Implicated Conductor w. q. Tree. En-
gineer Roy Goolsby, Tom Clarke, an
negro named Flcmming and another
negro brakeman named Press Scott.
The robberics extend over period
OF several months. The arrest OF the
men was at the instance of Detective
Duke, Of the chesapeake and Ohio de-
Elective service. and Lieutenant Otie
NJ. Wood. OF this city. Marcellus was
arrested in Richmond, where he had
gone q few days ago. after being laid
returned to Charlottesville without re-
distance, and stated In court to-day
that his voluntary confession was not
made upon the promise OF the Common
| wealth that he would secure Immunity
for his acts.
Confession In Detail.
His statement In part Is as follows:
IT was yard conductor In the day
time On January 9TH ! saw car with
whiskey In It on the yard. The door
was open. ! took case OF whiskey.
| MIR. Trice, Press Scott. Tom Clarke
and myself took some wl1iskey from
q car In December. Two OF lis went
inside and two stayed outside to watch.
Another time found a car with whls-
Likely in IT. Mr.. Goolsby was with me.
| Robert Flemming to take them to my
room. Another time took two cases
,,ot whiskey. and Tricc and divided
It UP. Hc put the empty cases In u
car going west. Another time. when I
got whiskey from u car, Trice and I
took 1t In buggy out near Fry
/ Springs. where we cmptied II from the
bottles to jugs. and then broke the
bottles"
On cross-exau1inatIon witness said
he could hnd the place where the
broken bottles were left. Marcellus
states. that as far us he knew Clarke
,ionly participated In one robbery.
II Prtt, Scott, coIored brakeman.
Il stated that he had been In the employ
u OF the railroad company for number
OF years. He confessed to participation
In the robbery. duplicating Clark, Trice
and Marco Illus.
:. Robert Flemming. colored. said there
was some talk OF needing Christnas
whiskey. and pretty soon after that !,c
came through the yards and found q
car open. Marcellus was inside ana
tGoolsby stood outside. Marcellus told
him to take case Of whiskey to his
home. and after he had done II Goolshs
told him to carry case to hts Goods.
by's) house. He did so and left It under
the. porch.
Messrs. Harmon and Walsh appeare.
for Trice and Goolsby and Mr.. c. w
; Allen represented Press Scott. Marcel
lus and Clarke had no attorneys.
Neither Trice nor Goolsby were pu
. on the stand, and Clarke. after being
y told that there was no Jaw making
, him testify. decided that he would no
: tell OF his connection with the affai
> until he could consult an attorney.
Justice Watson held the men in til,
/ Trice. and $500 for Clarke.
i Prominent in Railroad Life.
tho courtroom was crowded at TIL
preliminary hearing this morning. Tn,
: men have been very prominent In rail
= road life In Charlottesville for years
!, and are probably known to every maj
on this division OF the Chesapeake ant
II Ohio.
/ According to tho police and the de
= tectives the robberles had become a
. bold and open that every energy o
9 the railroads detective force had beel
: called into action. The company wa
Il called upon to settle for hundreds !,
Z dollars' worth OF whiskey. and the de
y tectives worked day and night until
r by process OF elimination they ha
e reduced the points OF possible thief
to this city. AS soon as II was estah
e lIshed that the rohberieg were com
- mitted In the Charlottesville yards til
d vigilance OF the officers war centred o
!. the night and day forces there. Til
II police allege that even without til
.e conf ession OF Marcellus and Scott the
- are In possess Ion OF evidence whlc
.e will secure the conviction OF the mu
u. jorlty II not all Of the men now unde
,foto Il Z ~