Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-02-14

ma, which has since been secured by In
spector Gregory.
The postmaster telephoned to Wax
haw, n. c., to have information con-
cerning the capture Of the men tele-
graphed to Inspector Halverstadt, while
Messrs. Hyatt and ]. c. Starnes, OBJ
serving extraordinary diligence walked
to Catawba, S. c., aroused the tele-
graph operator and wired Inspector
Halverstadt the news of the capture
from there. Inspectors Halverstadt and
Gregory were in Columbia on the 9th
and the news Of the capture reached
them at that city and they left imme-
diately for Lancaster.
On the morning Of January 9th the
prisoners. in charge of Messrs. Hyatt
Thompson and J. c. Starnes Of the
posse, were driven to Springdale, sta
tion on the Southern railway, where
the train was boarded for Lancaster
the men being lodged in the county jail
at that place to await the arrival OF the
government inspectors, the arms, am
munition, safe cracking apparatus, etc,
being delivered to the sheriff. Inspec-
tors Gregory and Halverstadt reached
Lancaster about $50 that night and
proceeded with the examination Of the
men. which lasted until about o'clock
the following morning.
The prisoners were brought before
the inspectors. one at O time, In low
er room of the Jail. stripped and exam
ined and questioned as to their places
of residence, recent movements, etc.
each man after examination being re-
moved to a separate cell, where ne
could not communicate with his COM
panions. Before they were returned tc
the heavy steel cell in which they were
at first placed the cell was thoroughly
searched, q razor being found secreted
behind the cage. a pocket knife under
a pillow and another knife in the pad
ding of the bed quilt.
| The officers asked each man II he
had been to certain towns in South
berries had been committed by the
blowing open Of safes, and all entered
positive denials. Leonard and VIII
liams were stubborn and answered very
few questions. Hallan did considerable
talking, but refused to say in what
towns or cities he had recently been
and said he could give no references
which would do either himself or the
inspectors any good. He said he had
been tramping since November 1st and
had had no occupation save that OF
selling lead pencils.
| When Shaw was brought in Inspec-
tor Gregory Immediately recognized
him and said, "Why, hello, Frank,
didn't expect to find you here" The
recognition was mutual and Shaw re-
piled, "And / didn't expect to see you
here, either, Mr.. Gregory" Inspector
Gregory had on a previous occasion
been interested in securing the convic-
ton of Shaw, under the alias Of Frank
Short, and the latter had been out OF
the South Carolina penitentiary less
than one year after having served g
seven year term for blowing a safe al
Peak, Lexington county, S. C. Shaw
talked very freely, swearing that he had
only got with this gang the day before
his arrest and said that his intentions
were to go on to Atlanta as soon as ne
/ to1, tro q that QftaT
finishing work on the government piel
at the jamestown exposition in August
he worked for street car company un-
til the middle of November and that he
remained at Norfolk until after Christ
mas, when he left to come south. II
was learned that he had for months
been hanging out and getting his meals
at one Of the most notorious joints In
Norfolk, a regular "stall' for crooks
the proprietor himself being an ex-con-
vict and had been indicted two years
ago for conspiracy to burglarize a post
office in Virginia.
Shaw was tried at the February
1900, term Of the criminal court at Lex
ington county, S. c., for blowing safe
| in the depot at Peak. He was given
seven years at hard labor in the South
Carolina state penitentiary. During his
Imprisonment he made an effort to es-
cape by cutting through the bars in
the knitting mill at this prison, fol
which act he forfeited all claim fol
Communication Of sentence under the
good behavior rule. He was discharged
from the penitentiary on February 23d
1907, but was Immediately arrested up
on warrant sworn out by PoStof1ce
Inspector Gregory charging him with
burglary Of the postoffice at Plymouth
n. c., on June 18th, 1898. He was turn
ed over to Sheriff W. j. Jackson Of Ply
mouth, and taken to that place FOL
trial Shaw, or Short, managed to play
upon the sympathies Of the people o1
Plymouth to such an extent. by tell
ling them that he desired to Straighter
up and lead an honest life in the future
that they raised a purse for his de-
fense and local sentiment was so strong
in his favor that the warrants against
him were withdrawn and he was al
lowed to go. Before his discharge Shaw
promised Inspector Gregory that he
would henceforth lead an honest life
and that he would never again have
occasion to bring him before the courts
He later wrote Mr.. Gregory several let
ters, confirming his promises. and 1t Is
said that Shaw has since been present.
ed with an overcoat by Mr.. Gregory.
Scanlon. the last Of the men to be
examined. refused to come down stairs
and had to be brought down by main
force. He answered but very few ques-
tions, principally denying that he had
visited any of the towns called off to
him by the inspectors in which recent
burglaries had occurred.
| All of the men wore fairly good
clothes. although their shoes showed
signs of rough living. All had watches
and money. Private marks on the va
rious articles of wearing apparel show
ed that they had visited Charlotte, At
lanta, Greenville. S. c.. number OF
Georgia towns, New York city, and Vir-
ginia cities.