Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1921-06-02
LEE COUNTY CLERK
HELD AS GANG MEMBER.

ALBANY, June 2.-Another sem
sational turn developed in the auto
mobile theft case when G. A. c'Ber-
ry') Wallace, clerk of the Superior
court of Lee county, was arrested
in warrant charging him with COM
plicity in the alleged theft ring. Chief
of Police w. T. Lockett stated that
he felt sure he had evidence suf-
ficient to convict Wallace whom he
believes to be one of the real lead
or of the alleged conspiracy.
Wallace made bond in the sum of
$4,000 and was released. He is a
prominent man in. his county, a
neighboring county to Dougherty,
but is not unfamiliar with court ex-
periences, having been convicted in
Federal court here last January of
sending obscene matter through the
mails and drawing a fine of $1,000.
W. o. Griffin, one of the original
five arrested in the case, made bond
Tuesday night and was released from
custody until the grand jury meets in
September. B. 0. Mcdonald, M. j.
Kidd and w. J. Lawrence, the other
three defendants are still in jail,
having been unable thus far to furn-
ish bond. A. C. Oliver furnished
bond Monday night and was released
from Jail.
Chief Lockett stated that he is
still working on the case dav and
night and will probably be able to
announce other sensational develop
ments in the next few days. He be-
lieves that he will be in position
to begin identifying the cars on hand
in short time. This feature of
the case has been allowed to rest
temporarily, he stated, because he
felt that it was more important to
recover the automobiles and arrest
the parties alleged to be guilty.
Judge de Graffenreid, in fixing
the bonds for the men, construed
each separate theft as an individual
felony and required bond in the sum
of 81 900 for each charge, except
one against Kidd involving only the
theft of the cushions from a car.
Chief Lockett and other officers
located another car, which he con-
tended was stolen from DR.. Darby
shire. a Bainbridge veterinarian, and
Iaft in a swamp near Leary Satur-
6av night by Griffin, who was met
there early Sunday morning by Law
,once who was using a Buick auto
mobile belonging to Oliver. The chief
of police believes that the car was
hidden by Griffin and Lawrence be-
cause they were being closely press
cd hv the officers. DR.. Darbyshire
,,1a+ The officers at Leary Monday
niobt. about midnight and carried his
anfomobile, which still had his tools
and papers in it, back to cambridge.
Chief Lockett contends that he Sc
cured in connection with the discoV-
erv of DR.. Darbyshire's lost car the
most damaging evidence yet brought
10 Eght and succeeded in establish
;no definitely the first owner of
=. stolen car. He says he was in
formed by 8. Il. Justice, white man
living on a farm owned by Griffin S
mother, near where the car was
found, that Griffin brought 1t there
late Saturday night and left it; that
he had been there May % with an
other car. a practically new 5-passen-
oar Ford, which he stated he intend
ed to leave. but did not leave.
Griffin informed Justice, Chief
Lockett stated. that the first car was
one which he had bought on time and
on which he still owed 500, pay
able Nav Is. and that the owner was
pressing him hard and that by wait
inc a few days he could raise the
money, this being his motive for hid
inc the car. The 5-passenger car
was not left in the swamp, however,
Chief Lockett says he learned from
Justice. but when Griffin returned
Saturday night with the roadster he
fold Justice that it was the same car;