The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-22
FA7HhR AsnFIELD,s MURDERER.
Sent TO Nashville jail as n Lunatio-Hit
Escape and Capture In Philadelphia.


Escape and Capture In Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, July 21.-Alphies T. Reeves
a young man who little more than year ago
murdered Father Ashleld OF St Peters
Roman Catholic Church, Memphis, Tenn,
and who escaped from Nashville prison
soon after his Incarceration there under his
plea OF insanity. through which he avoided
paying the penalty OF his crime was arrested
In this city to- night and locked up In the City
Hall. There is an air OF mystery surrounding
the case which has never been explained from
beginning to end, and each succeeding event
only serves to deepen it
Memphis merchant. who is here on busi-
ness while walking along Market street on
Sunday night, passed young man whose
general appearance struck him as being
wonderfully familiar, and he eyed him very
closely. Somehow tho mans identity was
stamped In his mind very distinctly, and he
was about to turn around and follow him to
satisfy himself to who he was, when the
young man came up to him and entered into
q conversation. The business mans memory
was quito cleared during a squares walk, and
soon he recalled distinctly q ghastly murder
which shocked Memphis OF which the young
man by his side was accused. When they
reached the corner OF Eleventh street and
stood under the glare Of the electric light, the
turn admitted his identity.
Remembering the circumstances OF his
escape from prison. the merchant was per-
pursue. His first impulse was to hand
Ing the mystery surrounding his escape
from tho consequences of his crime and his
% the yo1nS ns
went, Immediately to a telegraph office and
BFIs Pf e@pS IN S few G 66Hs rei pG9
once AND uRGn IT, it. IS receipt h. called
before him. Detectives Hamm and Eckstein
were sent out to look tot him; hayinS re-
@a at WSe ths de
tectives were hunting for the fugitive, the man
from Memphis again met the man he sought
CITY Hall. Chief Wood. Capt; schooiey;, and q
to the young mans story with interest.
He said his name was Aphies S. J. Reeves
der an he refused to talk about anf He
would say nothing Of the manner in which his
escape from Nashville was effected be, ond the
after his ESCAPE he came East and renamed
In New York some ne t bna and and then came
in Helmholdts drug store for the past five
months. He complained Of his treatment while
m NTH Hsfmn and sad the S
ba1s sent sent b CHE Wood
committed to jail. after assuring every one
that no was willing to go back, although he
suicide.
Reeves, who was we'll known as ono Of the
fast young men of Memphis. was confined In
jail by his relatIve-. owing 70 mental troubles
brought on by excuses and the use OF opiates
P 5@d ash evs who oDs won Vim the
tor at the !al and struck up quite
tually instrumental, in securing his release.
strong 5iendiihpd grew " between
secured his Liberty, and he, was frequent
caller at the priests house; On the morning
S Feb resd $500 on6 The bell SG1n the G priests
and when the y ioFter opened It he
was confronted BY Reeves, who Epshed quickly
stead Of following him he ran to the
When he returned with the policeman they
found Reeves seated on the floor caress-
Was asd hf IA had Stabbed r' m W whS
small penkniie as be silent. and the bed was
bathed IN b 6lo GOD TIE h. In answer he made
hin to do it." When taken to the station he
away Wan %d Sfst F oiR naa was going
Fs5sSsF wa. a5 5s:s s1 Bs
About two months later he was missing from
Jail. No one knew, how he escaped. as
not O trace Of how he effected 1t
could be found The supposition at
the time was that he was helped by friends
both inside and outside the prison. Apparently
no effort was made to tecapture him. and the
people in Memphis had about forgotten tho
circumstances
At Helmb dts drug store under the Conti-
mental Hotel. the man was not known by that
name. but a man answering to his description
under another name had been employed there
for the period stated by Reeves.