Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-09
SAFE-BOWER IN
SUBURB GETS
$500 LOOT
Safe in Mill Store Blown-Pal
Of Kirkwood Bandit Now Is
Under Arrest,

J. J. Crawford. arrested by At
lanta officers Wednesday morning on
the suspicion Of having cracked the
safe In the Scottdale Mills Store
Company building and taken $500 In
money, was released in the afternoon
on evidence that the story he had told
Of his movements Tuesday night were
true in every detail.
Crawford was taken from a Georgia
Railroad train on his return from
visit to Scottdale. Later in the day
he was taken to Decatur by Sheriff
J. J. McCurdy. who Investigated his
story and released him.
Hoyt Garner, with whom Crawford
stayed Tuesday night in Scottdale,
also was arrested by Sheriff McCurdy
and later released. This leaves the
authorities with no one under suspi-
cion for the robbery.
Crawford, at first rather vague In
regard to the purpose Of his visit In
Scottdale, later told Detectives Black
and Billiard that he went there to
visit friends, a Mrs. Garner and her
son. The detectives are at a loss to
grip containing a blackjack, a glass
cutter and two razors on a friendly
visit of a few hours.
He admitted that he had known
Walter Turpin, who, blew the Kirk
wood postoflice safe, since Turpin
was released from the Federal Prison
and that he had roomed next to the
ex-convict at the Union Mission.
234 1-2 Marietta Street
Visited Turpin at Jail.
He explained his visit TO Turpin at
the DeKalb County JAN on Tuesday
by saying that a pair Of his trousers
had disappeared and he went 10 see
If Turpin had taken them.
The burglar who blew the safe Of
the Scottdale store made no effort
10 steal anything other than the $500
in cash, which was In the safe. lie
escaped after an encounter with J
w. Meyers, the night Waterman Of
the mills, who ran 10 the store upon
hearing the explosion OF the nitro
glycerin.
The safe cracker effected an en-
trance into the store through the front
window, after breaking the plate
glass with a rock covered with cloth
to deaden the sound Of the crash.
At o'clock he fred the first and
only shot OF explosive. blowing tho
hurting it across the room.
Meyers was making his rounds in
the mill nearby when he heard the
explosion.
The first thought that struck me-"
said Meyers, when ! heard the ex-
plosion was that safe robbers were at
work. / listened a moment, but heard
no other sounds Then | slipped
quietly out OF the mill and started
toward the store
Covers Waterman.
Il crept around the corner Of the |
mill, and as l neared the store | |
saw a man cautiously open the front |
door and slip out He closed the |
door after him and stood for a mo-
ment, listening. Then he started TO |
creep silently but hurriedly around |
the corner Of the building. keeping In |
the shadows.
y ran after him. shouting at him
to halt, and tried to draw my re- |
vOlver as | ran. The hammer Of the |
weapon caught on my clothing. and |
] could not get the gun out Of my |
pocket. ! kept on running and yell |
ing at the man, and he suddenly |
turned. In a moment his hand few |
to his hip and he had me covered |
with a revolver. ] had been unable |
TO get my weapon out Of my pocket, |
and ! threw up my hands
He then threatened to kill me II |
I made any noise, and with his re- |
volver pointing at my heart forced |
me to walk backward into the mill |
As ! entered the mill he acted as |
though he were coming In after me, |
but suddenly turned and darted /
around the corner / ran out and |
saw him going IN the direction OF |
the railroad station