Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-04

But the Eagle Eye of Joe Smith
Ferreted Him Out
| ARREST OF ESCAPED JAIL BIRD
Fof Whom SrSo Reward vas onefea oy
Sheriff Beard OF 81 Joe-Hs Tells
Reporter Pretty Tale

k83k ouNeFy cleflH bc1tS -
ice county sent postal cards 70 oro'hef
Ofz1cers In this and adjoining stAiss'
eGering $50 reward for the capture
I'D arrest Of James Donovan. Alias
Uecey, aISAs II. {. McCshrey, ALAS h'
~ Ploske, Who was described As man
shout IS years old. weighing i4o
psands, with Light blue eyes ssl wei
hack in the head. and . heavy sandy
Dussache. which covered large
0oush- since then the detectives nave
eAfried in mind the man ana the re-
ward A few days. ago Detective Joe
GwIth thought ne mad discovered MIN,
oad lmned ztely wired snerin Beard.
In response 10 thls telegram Deputy
Sheriff Ward came from Centreyllle,
and yesterday afternoon James OF the
many aliases WAS run 10 ground IN the
postoface and taken into custody.
When first arrested be showed night
and resisted the officers, bnt quickly
cooled down, aud later while rencctlng
IN the cooler became convinced that II
would be beat for nim 10 acknowledge
he WAS the man wanted.
He was seen by . reporter Tor The
HxRAID and was found TO be not an
iii-fAyored looking man. He 10 almost
0x feet tall and physically very Well
proportioned. HIS eve Is kindly and
hghts with intelligence IN talking.
Wheo laughing MS mouth Is large. but
. sea OF handsome teeth are revealed.
HIS face IS not what 10 might be- II MS
habits had been different, but stuoby,
reddish two-weeks-oId beard hides and
a - "a a.
taixs Will, uses good language and
gives evidence OF a. oae time mingling
with more or less refined society. III
tscenily and Clearly clothed nc would
be not unsttractiye-
ne Tells His story.
In speaking of bis past ne said: "My
parents died when l WAS young
Ind WAS adopted and raised by people
Who were well of and INDUCED me IN
ehings, such as good clothing and
helscAcies Of the table I could not get
pince became poor. This preyed upon
NY mind and have drank heavily At
Intervals since. Part of my life was
spent in the west as q cowboy. but
have always tried TO earn and pay for
what got. / have never committed q
BEme, and ought not 20 be here now.
I feel that am wronged."
In speaking of bis crime he said:
last tall went 70 work on farm at
% per week; had been spreeiag and
my clothes were pretty we'll worn.
Afteri had earned $3.50 my employer
3old me To 20 and get such clothing IS
neeaed, and gave me "a open order
N whiting on q merchant In Center
bile. I went 10 the place and bought
nnly $3.50 worth, 90 IS not TO get IN
nsbs. Later, when the weather became
solder, anc had $3.50 coming to me.
be ted me 10 % and get "a overcoat,
but not wishing to get into debt, and
needing q little money, said would
bet emily $40 coat, and lie let me have
q IN money. went to the store and
kouGht coat for SIC. ~ / supposed.
With The money l had went 70 Kala-
nazoo and feeling blue filed up and
kas fun in by the iy police they have
uoWu there. Then the merchant who
I'D sold nae the coat swore out war
liant against ms for obtaining goods
hinder false prstenses and Sheriff Beard
hame and got me and locked me up.
Do the examination this merchant
bWore the coat WAS al SIS coat, but
vneaI bought il ne said it WAS
pnly $40, and / Am certain /
1sd HIM did net want coat higher
brieed than Sl0." On being asked
tbous hrs escape from Jail, he aaid
sWhile in Jail . man Was locked up
ohArasd with murder, and ne was
hcquxted. When the sheriff told me
Nm. asked him what he thought of
my case, and he said it looked bad. /
}hen asksd him If he thought my SEN
enos wsnld DO long, and he said the
bmit was fifteen years and they would
probably give me long sentence. On
bearing mis- l made Up my mind to
bscape IL possible. and that same after
boon without saying word to any of
1hc ssoer prisoners / went into my cell
bn0 axed up . dummy in the bunk
Ind tnsa slapped into an unoccupied
bea. That evening when the prisoners
we're locked IN their cells the sheriff
nsked where was. and one of the pris-
;Duers.saId he had seen me in nv bunk.
The sheriff came TO my cell, saw tire
tumuy. supposed il was me and then
Jocked the cell. The next morning
Rhen- The Jsilor came in slipped ou,
cod have been out ever sincs.' Deputy
Ward left with the recaptured prie-
mar for home last evening.