The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-08-20
RIVERS LOVE AGAIN.
The had Man from Tallahassee i'm
More Dirty Work.

More Dirty Work.
Last March Rivers Love, an escaped criminal
from State prison. committed burglary in this
town, says the Monticello Constitution and in
less than twelve hours Sheriff Slmklns lad him
bound in irons, but rs he was an escaped con-
yict serving q life sentence for setting fire to a
building in Tallahassee, he could not be tried
for the robbery be committed in this town. He
was turned over to the authorities at HE prison
camps, anL in less than two weeks he had made
his escape again, and came directly back to this
county, where he has several brothers living
Sheriff Simklns soon got on his trail, and kept
up with his movements very well, but never
had an opportunity of capturing him.
A few weeks after Loves escape from The
penitentarv Mr. Braswel murdered and
robbed at his home IN Madison county. The
afternoon before he was murdered that night
Love was seen talking to BrasWel, Ia fact Sher>
if Simkns has recently ascertained) the
Major, suspecting Love, deputized Mr.. Charles
w. Henry and they together commenced some
detective work and soon found out that Frank
Brooks one of the worst cOlored criminals in
the county, was spending money very lavishly
and had gotten gentleman OF 'hls town to or
der him two fine pistols, OF which the Major
had secured the numbers before they had been
in town two hours. Major Simkins and Mr..
Henry having worked the case successfully thus
far they needed other assistance, so the Major
sent TO Atlanta for cOlOred detective and put
him on Frank Brooks trail He dined, drank
and slept with Brooks until he had gained his
full confidence. He found out that Rivers Love
was living with negro woman near Brooks
house and that he was furnishing him with
this money he had been spending so
lavishly and purchasing arms for himself and
Love to protect him, (LOve) against arrest. They
also had evidence that Arthur Nicholson was har-
boring Love from arrest. So on Saturday morning
sheriff Smkins, Messrs. G. w. Henry and John
Inl, cfo rtoA ont tn oh q IN
their way they were informed that Brooks and
Nicholson were in town. Mr. johnson was
therefore sent back to make the arrest and soon
succeeded in capturing them both and placed
them in Jail. Sheriff Simkins and Mr.. Henry
went on hoping to capture Love. When they
reached Lucy ThompsOn's house, the woman
Love was living with, they went in, but Love
was not to be found but they succeeded in
curing his pistol, which was under the pillow on
his bed dark lantern, coat and vest rubber
coat, pocket book, which contained some of his
papers, small leather satchel and several boxes
OF pistol and Winchester rifle cartridges After
securing these they went over to Brooks house
where they found new repeating Winchester
rifle with part of ramrod the other part being
in Loves salChe and also dark lantern.
After IA thorough search for Love, the gentle
men gathered up the articles and brought Lucy
Thompson to town, and that afternoon they
were arraigned before Judge Puleston for pre-
liminary trial. The Judge placed Brooks bond
at 81 900, and Nicholsons at 5000.
Monday morning Nicholson succeeded in Civ
ing bond, and was released, but Brooks bears
such an unenviable reputation that he will have
to remain in prison until his trial. the penalty
for the crime OF which he is charged being seven
years in State prison.
Since Saturday Sheriff Simkins has learned shat
Love was IN Lucy Thompson house when they
got in sight, and as soon as he spied the officers
he made his escape, taking with him new VIM
chester repeating rifle. The officers would have
succeeded in capturing him but the house is 50
constructed tina, there is only one place Of exit,
and that on the back side facing dense swamp
where a prisoner once gets INTO II is impossible
to find him. Love must nave been on HE alert
for the officers and splcd them through d crack III
the rear OF the building as they made their APP
prOach.
Frank Brooks bears bad reputation, and has
been arrested nearly dozen times in connec~
ton with other parties for crimes committed III
his section and has alw lys been acquitted, and
invariably the other parties interested were sent
to the penitentaTy.
Sheriff Simkns certainly deserves praise by
every law abiding citizen of Jefferson county tor
working up the case as he has done, and no
doubt before he gets through with 1t he will
succeed in breaking up one of the worst gangs
in tho whole comfy