Murray and Dates Begin 15-Year Sentences for Robbing Oxford Post Office, Dec. 25, 1923

Murray and Dates Go to Pen for Robbery of Oxford Post Office. . . Each of the Criminals Draw Sentence of 15 Years. . . What Gregory, the International Detective, Told Postmaster Ben K. Lassiter Came True—The Case Was One of the Most Stubbornly Fought Cases in Federal Court for Many Years

After having remained in jail for over two years while waging a legal fight for their freedom, John Murray and William Dates, described as postal inspectors as professional burglars, Friday were sentenced by Judge H.G. Connor in Federal Court to serve 15 years each in the United States prison at Atlanta for the robbery of Oxford post office of about $34,000 on the night of March 9, 1920.

On Three Counts

The yeggmen were convicted by a jury after a hour’s deliberation on three counts—theft of a Cadillac automobile, in which they fled form Oxford; breaking and entering the post office, and larceny of postal funds and property from two vaults. The judgment was five years on each round.

Heavy Sentence

The combined term imposed on the yeggmen is said by inspectors to be the heaviest sentence for postal yeggmen in this section of the country. Under provisions of the government penal code, however, the prisoners may cut off two-thirds of their term by good behavior.

Described as “Bad Men”

Described as “bad men” with long records in the files of criminologists throughout the country, Murray and Dates began their careers of crime as far back as 1898 when the latter served time in a reformatory in New York State, according to Postal Inspector H.T. Gregory, who gave Judge Connor a history of their past. In addition to his reformatory term, Dates was sentenced to a term of from three to five years in Boston during 1907 for possessing burglar tools, was in prison in Baltimore during 1904, served three years in Sing Sing during 1916 for having burglar tools. The inspector stated that Murray, alias “Michigan Shorty,” served five years in New York during 1909, was sentenced to one year in New Jersey in 1915 for robbing a post office and was arrested in 1916 on a charge of burglary in New York.

It was on the morning of March 9, 1920, that Postmaster Lassiter entered the Oxford post office and found two vaults wrecked and all postal funds gone. Later investigation placed the loss at approximately $34,000.

Good Work

At the time of the robbery four years ago, Gregory, the great international detective, told Postmaster Ben K. Lassiter of Oxford that it would probably take five years to run down and convict the yeggmen. He remarked at the time that the chase would probably take him to London, Paris, and other capitals of the world. “It will take time to run them down,” said Detective Gregory, “but the Government will spare no expense to bring them to justice.”

From the front page of the Oxford Public Ledger, Dec. 25, 1923. Yeggman blew open safes with explosives, usually dynamite.