South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-10
.SCRUGGS IS GIVEN
FOUR YEAR TERM;
MIGRANTS LIGHTER
Judge Anderson Sentences
Negro to Year and a Day
Austin Also Sentenced.

] INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. May g.
Daniel Ingram. colored. and George
ScrugEs. white. principals in The
SlOO.0O Tommy O'Conncr" mail
+ robbery at EIkhart Ind. four months
ago. were sentenced 10 terms OF one
and four years respectively. In I.eav.
enworth prison by Judge a 3. An
derson in federal court here Tuas-
day.
According 10 the story told by IN
gram IN court. Scruggs suggested the
robbery 20 him. while Scruggs denied
/ this statement and declared that In
gram said they could pick up some
easy cash by stealing a mail sack
which was sure TO contain several
Thousands OF dollars in money.
Ingram Tuesday morning changed
his plea from one OF not guilty 20
1 that OF guilty. His sentence was a
+ yesr and day Scruggs testified on
the stand that he had been paro- ed
( from the federal prison at the time
OF the robbery. He was returned
after serving four months OF a year
and a day sentence. This sentences
+ was the result OF a conviction on
charge of receiving goods stolen
from interstate shipments.
The two men stole a mail sack
from the New York Central station
at Elkhart containing more than
/ 500, 600 worth OF non-negotiabie Sc
curities. The robbery occurred
shortly after the escape OF Tommy
/ O'Connor Chicago's notorious bandit
and at first it was believed that
/ O'Connor was responsible for the
theft.
Signed ''Tommy's' Name.
This theory was strengthened az
the time by the bold tactics OF the
robbers who showed practically all OF
the bonds secured beQeath a post
office stamp window with a note
reading: Here's your bonds. Tom
my O'Connor."
Investigation Of the case by Elk
hart police and federal authorities
resulted in the arrest of ingram and
/ Scruggs in Michigan a short time
later, however
Scruggs' wife Il at present in jan
at Detroit. being held under investi-
cation. She was apprehended about
a week ago. His three children are
at Jackson. Mich
Lorenzo Austin Of Aishawaka.
Ind, a farmer clerk in the South
Bend postofice. was also sentenced
10 a year and a day on charge Of
having taken several hundred dol
lars from the mail. He pleaded
guilty, saying that he planned 20 use
the money on his wedding trip
Chester Czarnecki south Bend
drug manufacture. confessed 10
/ MISLEADING, a violation Of the pure
food and drug act. and was fined
$500 and costs.
Fay Ward arrested by L 5.
Deputy Marshal Frank s Ream I'm
South Bend three weeks ago for
alleged mutilation Of bank notes and
government currency in changing
bills Of 81 denomination % $40. viii
stan dtrial within the next few days
I Instead Of being required 20 face
. the more serious charge OF counter
feiting. the case against Ward
names the raising of bills
Augustus Stephenson Of Evansville
who was also charged with black
mail. was sent 10 his homo after he
had beer held in jail for more than
six months
Nelson A Byrer OF Fort Wayne.
formerly a clerk I'm the postofnce
charged with stealing from the malls
was sentenced 10 serve one year and
one day. Benedict r. NoI and A.
bert Nol. whose bonds were default
+ ed yesterday because Of their failure
10 appear and enter a plea pleaded
not guilty Of selling pareg0r,c 20 adj
diets this morning The court re-
manded the men 70 Jail until they
got a new bondsman
Ben I. Heady and james ". Old
ham, both former postmasters az
Griffen Ind CPcsey county,. were
sentenced 10 serve two years each
in the federal penitentIary for en-
bezzlemeEt Heady is alleged 70 have
taken more than 500 and Oldham
mora sL,-