South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1878-07-19
Capture and Return of Douglas.

I
Lampasas county. Texas, ~ keyser.-
Mr.. Sweet. the Sheriff. on bsing inter
viewed at Wheeling by q reporter of the
Register. gave the follow ing account of
Douglas capture, sc:
IL was on the morning Of the Fourth
Of July that myself aud my deputy,
NJ. Doolittle, found and arrested Doug
las about tel miles down the Lrmpas-
as river, in thicket below our town.
| or his whereabouts, our suspicion was
first aroused by noticing tho blinds OF
the up stairs windows OF Mrs. Horrelrs
residence being closed, something that
was never known before. Mrs. Horrell
is Douglas first wife's mother. and
with whom his second wife now resides.
We had other information which con-
WINGED us that he was in the county. We
watched the residence several nights,
and when we were convinced OF his
whereabouts, we then begun plan by
which 20 effect his arrest and return TO
Yves. Virginia and secure the reward Of
| $500 offered by tho Governor Of the
State, and the $3.50 offered by the sher-
iff OF Grant county. To arrest Douglas
without any one suspicioning our OBJ
ject puzzled us for while. but at length
4 placed detective on his track, who.
by aid Of a large pair or opera or field
| glasses, discovered, from neighboring
hill top the whereabouts Of the murderer
by noticing some Of his friends going
into thicSet about eight miles distant
from town. We marked out our course
and laid well our plans. but were una
1 In tn L.. liz, 4
made . drive and ran him to another
thicket two miles fur ,her down the riv-
err. still had man out with the glass
es. who saw Douglas friends taking
things in baskets to him in the thicket.
Here we proceeded very cautiously
and marked our course by certain trees
that were in close proximity to the
thicket. Knowing the habits Of Doug
las. we waited until about II O'Clock
on the night Of the Sd Of July, when we
started on. from our place of conceal-
ment and crept up TO within ten feet Of
the spot where we saw our man lying
asleep, having pulled off our boots pro-
badly two hundred yards from where
we saw Douglas. When we got close
to him we laid our doublcbarrcl shotguns
on the grass and sprang upon him while
he was asleep, seized his right hand
AMI Mr.. Doolittle his left. Waking up
he made q desperate struggle to free
himself from our grip. placed the
muzzle Of my revolver in his face, and
he seeing it. ceased to stru ggle, after
having severely bitten my deputys right
thumb. We then handcuffed him and
started back to Lampasas. l walking,
having placed him on my horse. We
reached the town just Mt daylight. Here
we placed him in jail ate hurried break
fast, had him securely ironed in Jail,
and within one hour We were on onr
road to Austin. where l took the train
for West Virginia with my prisoner,
having no other guard to assist me-
During the trip l only slept two hours.
having been out three days and nights.
Whom night came l chained myself to
the prisoner, by 'necking' and hanGcufr.
ing. so that any struggle on his par,
would wake me, should | have gone to
sleep. When the process of locking to-
gether was over, gave my keys and
pistols to the conductor, who put them
away for safe keeping. l arrived at
Keyser on the 9th inst, at 2 o'clock p
NJ. and turned the prisoner over to Shcr-
| iii Smith, Of Grant county, on Thursday
! following my arrival, much to the salts.
faction of the people Of that section of
the State.
a HISTORY OF TIE ESCAPE.
| Douglas informed Sheriff Sweet that
after his escape from jail he fingered
around Maysville about fifteen days, in
the meantime freeing himself from his
shackles by placing his feet on large
stone and breaking the irons by ham
mering them with a small stone. After
the irons had been broken he went To
! Keyser, where he remained on noun
tail near by for three days and nights,
waiting an opportunity to get on
train when there would not be a crowd
around the depot. During his stay in
Grant county, after his escape, he states
that he did without food for seven days.
After leaving Keyser he came TO Wheel
ing where be wandered around one day
and then left on the b. d o. railroad
for Chicago, thence down the G.. Il. &
q. road to Hannibal, Mo-. and thence TO
Texas per the NJ. X. & T. road arriv-
ing in Lampasas county about June LIST.
! During his stay there, he kept himself
I very secluded showing himself to none
/ but bis most intimate friends.
| The Sheriff further informed us that
he first made the acquaintance OF Doug
las about five years ago when he was
local editor Of the IIampasas Dispatch.
For two years lie held his position on
the paper, and by his uniform kindness
and gentility gained the friendship Of
all the people Of the county married
Miss llorrell, who died within a year
Afterwards. lie then began 20 drink
and associate With bad company, after
which he committed some osenses a.
gainst the laws Of that State anil then
returned TO this State and committed
the murder Of young IIiser.
For his services in cant, ripc, o,J ro