The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1888-06-15
CAUGHT IN CHESTER.
w. A. saxton Brought to the City
Under Arrest Last Night.

United States deputy marshal
II. F. Williams. OF Chester, S. c., ar
rived in the city on the 5:08 train
from the east yesterday afternoon,
having in charge VIM. A. Saxton, a
colored man, who has been wanted
by the federal authorities in this
city since the 18th Of November,
1886, to answer charge of robbery
of the Asheville postofice. The
facts connected with the case are
about as follows:
On the 18th of November, 1886,
deputy marshal James H. Hampton
arrested Saxten near the postofice
in this city for abstracting mail
matter from different boxes, by
means of duplicate keys. The boxes
in the postoffice at that time were
common safe-lock boxes, and were
very simple and easy to get into.
Several parties in Asheville had
frequently failed to receive certain
letters which they were almost cer-
tain had been mailed to them from
elsewhere. The persons suffering
from these depredations were in
every instance business men, prin-
cipal among whom was G. L. Gra-
ham, ESQ, whose losses were ex-
ceedinglY heavy. A postoffice in
spector was sent to Asheville by the
department, and through his efforts
the robbery was fix d upon Saxton,
and he was arrested, as above
stated. Coming on up the street
Saxton violently snatched himself
loose from the officer and disap-
peared in the darkness at the mouth
of Eagle street. a vigilant search
was made for him, but no clae as
to his whereabouts could be Oh
tanned. After several weeks, bow
ever, the authorities obtained inior-
nation to the effect that he was
then in Knoxville, Tenn: Lmme-
diately upon receipt of this news
detective w. H. Deaver left tor that
city to arrest Saxton and bring him
back here for trial. But the fugi,
tive was too sharp for the detec-
tive and again escaped capture.
The next heard Of Saxton was that
he was in Asheville, and hiding in
the woods surround ng the city and
coming in at night to secure some-
thing to eat. An attempt was made
to capture him again, but he got
away just fifteen minutes before Of
ficer Hampton reached the place
where he was hiding. Nothing
more was heard of Saxton until two
weeks ago, although the authorities
have been tracking him by telegram
and letter ever since his second
escape in Knoxville. Deputy mar~
shall Herden, of GreenvilIe, S. c.,
telegraphed to deputy marshal
Hampton that he had Saxton
spotted, and also requested that the
capias and indictment be forwarded
to him at once. This was done, but
in the meanwhile Saxton had
skipped out" and the next heard
OF him he had turned up in Ches-
ter, S. c., with a long string of
aliases as long as the moral law. He
was quite "a sporting darkey in the
latter place, and was living like a
fighting cock among his race. Dep
uty marshal Herden Immediately
forwarded the papers, a bench war;
rant Tor Saxton included, to deputy
marshal Williams, Of Chester,
who arrested Saxton Immediately
upon the reception of the warrants.
Saxton was taken to the jail last
night. where he will remain until
the November term of the United
States court. The authorities have
a strong case against him. The
search for Saxton has been a long
and tedious one, but the officers
here had never given up the hope
Of his capture.