Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-30
Daily eagle
CAPTURED AT LAST.
Arrested for a Murder Committed
Thirty-two Years Ago.
The Arrest OF a Prosperous Farmer for the
Murder of Jacob Akard in 1S53-TAs
Story of Hideous Crime
The Victims Widow.


ing about ten miles south of Paris, was
waylsid in the woods where he was max
ing boards, and shot down by conce aled
assessins. Circumstances pointed strongly
to neighbor named Robert T. Alexander,
and his son John Alexander, as the authors
of the cowardly deed. There had been an
old grudge between the elder Alexander
and Akard. and shortly afterward old
man Alexander boosted to another neigh
Dor that he had shot the old man, and it
was also learned that his son was with him
at the time of the killing. A warrant was
issued for their arrest, but they fed the
country, and for years were lost sight of.
They went to the swamps of Louisiana
and there led precarious existence, lum.
bering, hunting, datboating, etc, and
when the war broke out both father and
son entered the Confederate service. The
close of the war left them stranded, with
other debris of the conflict in Arkansas,
and here in Texas the murder of Akard
was well-nigh forgotten.
I In 1873 II was learned where Robert
Alexander was. The old indictment was
brought forth from its sleep Of twenty
years and an officer was dispatched for
him. He was captured and brought back
a half blind, broken-down, gray-h aired
old man. He was placed on trial, and the
evidence against both father and son was
damaging It was proven that they crept
up to their victim in the woods and shot
him in the back. Robert was sentenced to
be hung, but his attorneys appealed the
case to the Supreme Court, and the case
was reversed and remanded for a new
trial. The excitement was intense.
Mrs. Akard, wife of the murdered
man, testified that she heard gun
shot in the woods and know
ing of the trouble between her hus band
and Alexander, went out to where he was
at work cleaying clapboards. On the road
she met the two Alexanders, the father
armed with rife. She asked him where
her husband was, and old man Ale xander
brutality replied that he had shot him, and
would do 1t again if it was necessary. The
dead body Of Akard was found, partly
covered with leaves, with bullet hole in
the back. Robert Alexander was put up
on bis second trial, and this time was sem
fenced to the Penitentiary for life. He
was taken to Huntsville and put at hard
labor, but bis twenty years of fugitive life
told heavily on his once powerful consfi-
tuition, and be dropped day by day. He
became entirely blind, an imbecile in both
body and mind. Through the interposition
Of powerful friends he was, after about
eighteen months confinement, pardoned
out by Governor Coke and brought home
to die. He fingered for about three months
after his release, and again the murder Of
Jacob Akard dropped out of sight, for it
was supposed that John Alexander had
either been killed or had died in the Con-
federats service.
Early last spring some United States de-
tectives, while looking around in the noun
tains of Western Arkansas for Illicit whis-
Ky dealers, ran across an old farmer living
near Nevada, Polk County, Ark, whose
name was John Alexander. Inquiry re-
vealed the fact that he was identical with
the stripping who, thirty two years ago, in
Lamar County, Texas, went out into the
woods with bis father to kill Jacob Akard.
Again the pigeon-hoies in the District
Clerks office were ransacked, and again an
Indictment ye-Iow and stained with age,
was brought forth. Another warrant was
issued, and Deputy Sheriff j. A. Burris was
commissioned to arrest the fugitive of a
third OF century. A requisition from the
Governor of Arkansas was obtained, and
Burris started to get his man. The near
est railroad point to Nevada is a station
on branch road leaving the St. Louis &
Iron Mountain Railroad at Hope, Ark.
From there Officer Bprris rode eighty
miles through the mountains of Nevada.
He found Alexander blowing in his field.
He had small but welI-tilled farm, and a
family consisting of wife and three or
four children. When Officer Bdrris read
the warrant, Alexander entered no protest,
but meekly gave himself up. Within an
hour the two were en- route to the railroad.
When Burris arrived at the railroad with
his prisoner, he found that they would
have to remain over night for the train.
They took lodging &C the only boarding
house In the place, and occupied one bed,
the officer fastening the prisoners wrists
TO his own by means of handouts and
chain. Officer Burris was tired out with
his long ride, and fell fast asleep. When
he awoke in the morning his bedfellow had
flown, leaving both pairs of bracelets with
the officer. The disguised officer imme-
diately remounted and struck back for the
wilds of Polk County. A five-days' search,
in which he was assisted by the officers of
Polk County, failed to mater ialize the
missing Alexander, and he returned home
to report his bad luck.
Sheriff J. n. Hopkins, Of Polk County,
however, kept close watch for the fugi-
tive, and Alexander's house was kept I'M
der constant surveilance. The result was
that last Wednesday Alexander's horse
was found hitched in the woods near MS
house. A posse of men were placed to
guard IL, and about daylight Thursday
morning Alexander was seen approaching
1t from the direction of his house. He was
ordered to surrender, and threw up his (
hands without word Sheriff Hopkins 1
reached here with his prisoner Saturday. /
and turned him over to the proper authori-
ties, thus ending the second act in a tragedy .
begun third of century since.
The prisoner is now a man of about fifty
years old, and bears quite yisibly tue
marks of time, care and suspense. He is
very reticent, refusing to talk to ANYBODY
about the tragedy except his attorneys. .
he states that since his escape from the
officer last spring he has been roaming
about from place to place, hiding in the +
woods and paying stealthy. visits to his
family at long intervals. He had grown
tire d of that kind of exis ence, and when
erres ed he was making his fasJ visit to
his vie and cnildren preparatory to for
ever forsaking his home, and was going
either to Florida or Northwest Missouri.
BE had lived in Polk County nearly ever /
since the war, and was much respected by I
his ne ghbors, having held several offices
Of trust and profit.
The District Court is new in session, but
it is not known whether his cxse will be
reached or not Mrs Akard the wife OF I