Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-08-28
REUR SHAW.
A Chase for the Man with q Bun.
ale Under Hin Arm.


About a quarter to six o'clock yes
terday, while Patrolman Hedrick was
returning from a visit to the suburbs
in a spring wagon by way of the Pigeon
Roost road, and when in the neigh
borhood of old Humboldt Park, he
passed a darby whom he imagined
he had seen before. and scru-
tinizing him more closely, recognized
the r~edoubtable Reub Shaw. He'd
rick at once stopped the wagon, and at
this moment heard the darby say to a
negro woman, who stood in the door of
a cabin near by that he would call to-
morrow for that load of watermelons.
Hedrick at once detected this to be a
ruse to throw him off his guard, and
kept his eyes open, though he tried to
throw off all appearance of suspicion,
and kept his seat in the hope that
Rcub would pass him in a few mo-
ments. That worthy appeared per-
fectly unconcerned and walked on
toward the wagon in which Hedrick
was impatiently awaiting him with his
hand on his pistol. Suddenly, however,
Reub turned off into an avenue, and
Hedrick sprang to the ground.
Running to the mouth of
the avenue, he saw his
mar trotting along about fifty yards
away, and advanced rapidly in his
wake, on tip toe, and as stealthily as
possible. He was fast nearing his
game, and with his pistol at full cock,
making ready for a dead shot, when
the cracking Of a treacherous twig
under his foot alarmed the fugitive,
who let himself out like a leather
string. Hedrick pulled down, the
bullet clipping Shaw's clothing and
burying itself in the ground ilty feet
ahead. Flying the open road, which
was now SO dangerous, the fugitive
made toward a six foot board
fence, which he leaped at a
bound into a four-acre field, across
which he ran at the top of his speed.
Hedriok vas unable to take the fence
with his heavy boots on, and, after
sending a shot after Reub, skirted the
field in the hope of cutting him off on
the other side. Then a chase over
fences and through fields of broken
ground, both SO much iatigued that
they could hardly keep their feet, the
distance between them increasing and
decreasing as the strength of one
failed or was renewed. The officer
continued to flourish his pistol over
his head, calling loudly for some one
to intercept the fugitive, who,
in his turn, told those whom be met
that the officer wal after him for no
greater ofense than whipping his wife,
who had been unfaithful to him.
After a race Of three. quarters of an
hour, and when nearing the Charles
ton railroad, Hedrick met a darby
driving a horse and buggy, into which
he .sprang and ordered the man to
turn round. He refused, and the
officer took the lines in his own hands,
lashing the horse to his utmost speed.
Meanwhile Reub was in plain view
about two hundred yards of, across the
railroad, attempted to undo the
fastening Of a gate which led to a negro
cabin. When his pursuer had reached
a point within fifty yards Of him, Shaw
at last succeeded in opening the gate,
and securing it behind him, dashed
away across another field. Hedrick
spraDg from the buggy and started
after him again on foot, but lost con-
siderable time in climbing the gate,
which he found impossible to open.
Ats hedge bordering the fields of
Mr.. e. l.. MCGOWAN, at McGhee's
Station, he lost his game, and after
another hours fruitless search, was
obliged to return to the stationhouse
and announce his adventure and con-
sequent defeat. He was covered with
mud and completely worn out. But
he found many skeptical listeners.
The Chief and several of his officers
doubt that Hedrick's man and Shaw
are the same, as there are a number OIL
convicts lying around loose, who
would run equally as fast from an