Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-27
THREE MACON BOYS
CONFESS IN DETAIL
s ATLANTA HOLD-UPS

The story of how he left his home
In Macon three months ago on
stolen money because he liked to
dance and there were no dances
there" of how he failed to find work
here and took up a career of crime,
engaging in six daring robberies
here, and of how his career termf-
mated last Saturday in an attempt
to hold up a railroad paymaster in
Macon and steal a $4,000 payroll,
was told in detail Monday by Leland
Harvey, 1S-year-old Beau Brum-
mell' bandit. Two of his confed-
crates, Roy P. Webb, 20 years old,
and M. C. Willis, 81 years DID, also
of Macon, are held
Harvey and Willis were arrested in
downtown cafe here Saturday
night, while Webb was taken into
custody Sunday in Macon and re-
turned here Sunday night. All three
made full confessions to the Atlanta
police Monday.
According to the three confessions,
Harvey and Webb left Macon three
months ago on money obtained in
the hold-up Of Rogers grocery
HI lIldL pldCS.
Sought Work, He Says
1--WE didn't intend to keep up the
robberies," said Harvey, the spokes-
man for the trio. 1--WE were looking
work and came here to get it. We
wanted to leave Macon because we
liked to dance and there were no
dances there
But we couldn't find work and
we had to live, so we held up the
Rogers store at PIP South Pryor
street. That was the first Job we
pulled in Atlanta and we intended
that it should be the last. We walked
the streets every day. looking for
work and every night we went to
church: wherever church was held,
we were there. And sometimes after
church we went to dances.
The other robberies followed
somehow; we just had TO have
money. We robbed the Rogers store
on Pryor street again and then an.
other. Rogers store at IT'S Wes$
Peachtree street. We also robbed a
Greek store at Z North Broad street,
and Webb and l together stu TX up
the Schultz cigar store at the corner
of Broad and Marietta streets. After
that Job Webb went back to Macon
10 take job and l stayed here.
later stuck up the Schultz store by
myself"
Sick of 1t, One Says
II got sick of it ALL Webb put in.
u told Harvey | was going to quit
and go back home, and 1 did But
am glad it's over; I'm glad we were
arrested"
After Webb went back to Macon,
Harvey said, he (Harvey) met Willis
in Atlanta and, although the latter
was employed, told him of a chance
to rob the paymaster Of The Central
of Georgia railroad of a $4,000 pay
roll in Macon.
Willis, he said, consented to the
proposal, and last Saturday morning
they stole an automobile in Atlanta
and drove, to Macon. Harvey said
: they were waiting i the automobile
on Plum street, in Macon, when
George Albert Hance, the railroad
! paymaster, went by.
II threw a gun in his face and
told him to put up his hands. He
refused to do it and told me | would
have 10 shoot him. | didn't want to
do that have never shot anybody
and never will--so let him go and
we came back to Atlanta, where We
were arrested"
Identified by Hance
Mr.. Hance came to Atlanta Mon
day and identified Harvey and Will
lis as the two who tried to hold him
up last Saturday in Macon.
why didn't you put up your
hands when / told you to-" Harvey
asked him when Mr.. Hance walked
into the cell.
"Well," Mr.. Hance replied laugh
ingly, II didn't think my wife would
want me to-
+ Harvey said he knew the railroad
payroll contained about $4,000 and
that he thought he and Willis could
live comfortably on that until they
could find jobs.
II intended that that should be
my last job" he said once more.
Harvey said that when he and
Webb committed the first robbery
in Macon it was their plan to get
employment in Atlanta and pay
back the stolen money.