Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-01-17
BURGLAR GANG
HUNCOVERED
CHANCE HERE
Frank Andrews Suspicious Un-
doing Of Negro Pair--Con-
fessicn Follows

When Frank Andrews, an employe
of the Americus Automobile COM
pany, took charge of a Ford car ON
Hampton street yesterday, after his
suspicious had become aroused that
the negroes whoSwere driving it had
stolen it somewhere, he didn't know
he was uncovering a gang that had
been working through this section OF
Georgia, but that is what he was do
ing, subsequent developments proved.
AS result, Tom Lockett, a negro
formerly well known here, but miss
ing for three years with warrant
for cheating and swindling standing
against him, and his wife, Mozelle,
are on their way to Fitzgerald in
charge of Sheriff Dorminey of Ben
Hill county, and Sheriff Jarman, of
Worth county, and the police and
sheriffs of two or three counties are
attempting to round up others impli-
Gated in various crimes by Lockett,
who made detailed confession last
night to Chief of Police Bragg.
| Lockett, his wife and another ne
gro reached Americus last Friday in
Ford car. They procured gasoline
several times from Mr.. Andrews.
Shortly before noon yesterday one
of them appeared at the filling sta
ton for gas, stating that the car had
given out on Hampton street in front
of the Dixon Trimming shop. Mr..
Andrews went to the scene. He heard
the negroes quarreling among them
selves over the possession of the car.
He looked in the rear and found a
| satchel and papers bearing the name
| of DR.. Dorminey, of Fitzgerald.
| About this time one of the negroes
jumped out of the car and ran
through the trimming shop, disap-
pearing, The other, with the woman,
got out of the car, grabbed suitcase
and started off. Mr.. Andrews secur-
ed car key and drove up the street,
finding Officer Worthy, and they set
out to find the fugitives. Lockett
was finally located and arrested.
Going back to his place of busi-
ness, Mr.. Andrews called Dr. Dor
miney at Fitzgerald and found the
car was his and that a $50 reward
was offered for its return.
Last evening, Sheriff Jarman, of
Ashburn, arrived, trailing the same
negroes, reporting that a car had
been stolen there by them not long
ago. This morning DIR. Dorminey and
his brother, Sheriff Dorminey, arrived
from Fitzgerald by auto and identi-
fed the stolen car. They then set
out with Chief Bragg and found
| Lockett's wife after considerable
search. Both were taken back to
Fitzgerald at noon.
Last night Lockett told Chief
| Bragg he wanted to tell the whole
story. He admitted the theft of the
car in Ashburn and also the bur-
glary Of several stores, and the TAX
ing of the car in Fitzgerald last
Tuesday. He confessed participating
in the whole store robbery in Ro-
chelle also last Tuesday night in
which white man was the leader,
he said, an auto load and "a one
horse wagon load of goods being stol-
en-. He also told of other depreda-
tions.
Lockett has been missing from
Americas for three years. He fled
in 1919, when warrant was taken
by C. C. Hawkins for cheating and
swindling after Mr.. Hawkins had
advanced $25 to him and he failed to
work as agreed. He admitted he had
served twelve months on the Tiff
county chain gang and showed
shackle marks to prove it. He also
i admitted serving month at the city
stockade in Atlanta.