Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-06-25
CAPTURING AMURDERER.
A Neat Bit Of Work by Detective
Alt. Burnett.
How James A. Parker Was EntraPped
in the WiIds Of the Garden Ground
Mountains.


murderer who lately escaped from the Fay.
cite county Jail, by Detective ALI. W. Bur.
nett, of the Eureka Agency, will De read
with interest. The account is taken from
the Kanaxha Gazette. After describing
the escape Of the men from jail and the
meeting Of Motor. Reese and Parker at the
home OF the latter in the Garden Ground
Mountains, on Loup creek, the writer says:
Here Motor left them, and Reece and
Parker, fearing to remain at the house tor
even an hour, sough safety in the midst OF
thick and almost impene rable laurel and
ivy thicket not far from the banks OF the
Loup creek, where they remained until the
arrest took place. They were supplied with
food by Mrs. Reece. who carried it in TN
pail to the edge of the Jungle, and after In
forming the men that there was
NO DANGER,
went back to the house.
"A day or 90 after the escape OF the pris.
oners Sheriff McVeigh came to this city and
EMPLOYED Detective Aft. W. Burnett to I'M
dertske the apprehension of Parker. Terms
we're agreed upon and the same day Mr..
Burnett and Sheriff McVeigh set out on
horseback for the mountains. They went
at once to the Loup creek country, where
they found the people, what few there
were, in
STATE OF WILD EXCITEMENT,
the news Of the escape Of the prisoners hay.
ing preceded the pursuers. There they
svsiled themselves of such information as
was obtainable and by hard work found
that the prisoners were concealed in the
Jungle above mentioned, but how to get in
10 them was q problem which, as the sequel
shows, they were never able to solve.
To make sure of their game, however,
the thicket, the area Of which embraces
very large section Of country, was sur.
rounded by placing men at various points OF
egress, But it was soon seen that this plan
would not work, and after several days
waiting Detective Burnett determined to
RESORT TO STRATEGY.
Accordingly, he went to the house and
INQUIRED for Mrs. Reece, who, upon
being questioned, denied that she
knew where the men were. The
detective soon convinced Mrs. Reece, how
ever, that she was mistaken and promised
that if she would put him in position to
talk to her husband that he would not be
arrested. She refused to do this until she
had seen him, and the detective went back
to the mountain with the understanding
| that he was to return the following day and
hesr her decision. The next morning Mrs.
Reece met Capt. Burnett and it was agreed
that if Reece would deliver Parker to the
authorities he should not be arrested. The
! woman said her husband was willing to de-
liver Parker, and told the detective where
and how he could see him, requiring, how.
ever, that he should
| COMPLETELY DIsARN HIMSELF
before setting out. Knowing that there
was no alternative Capt Burnett laid down
bis arms, divesting himself of even pocket
knife, and started alone to the mountain
Jungle. In order to reach the point at which
the meeting with Reece was to take place,
it was necessary for him to climb several
hundred feet up the mountain side This
be did by laying hold Of the bushes and
dragging himself forward. Finally he came
to an immense rock at the base Of which
here was narrow strip Of level ground
this was
THE MEETING PLACE.
The detective stood there looking in every
direction for his man aud was almost in the
! act Of making up his mind that for the first
time in his life, he had been hoodwinked,
when he heard voice calling to him from
he top Of the rock. Looking up he saw
.Reece. A short parley ensued, in which
Reece agreed to induce Parker to come to
the edge of the thicket at an early hour the
next morning. The detective then went
away.
Bright and early the following day Mrs
Reece went to the edge OF the thicket carry
ing a pail in which were the mems break.
lasts. She did not enter the Jungle as she
had formerly done. A few minutes later
Reece made his appearance followed BY
Parker. The woman then went away, leay
ing the two men together to dispose OF the
meal. Meantime Captain Burnett had sta.
toned his men 30 as to be in the rear OF
| Parker in case an attempt TO retreat into
he thicket was made, in fact had 30 con-
cealed his men as to
COMPLETELY SURROUND
the upsuspectiDg murderer. At given
signal the detective advanced, and in an
instant Parker had gone. But his race was
short one for no matter which way he
went he beheld the glittering barrel Of q
revolver, and crying, Don't shoot" he
threw up bis hands and surrendered. He
was taken, bsrefooted, to Fayetteville, dis
lance of eighteen miles, where he was again
turned over to the authorities.