The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1892-08-31
A SMART REPORTER
HAS PREVENTED THE ARREST OF
JULIE SPIKES,
The Murderer of Marshal Huff, So Chief of
Police Hatcher Says--The Chiefs
Experience at Albany.


julie Spikes, the murderer Of Marshal
Lee Huff at Parrott.
Sheriff Christie had laid his plans well,
and Thursday night Chief of Police
Hatcher, one of the bravest officers and
shrewdest detectives in Georgia, went
down to Albany to execute them.
The Albany reporter, not content with
giving the officers clue away, took occa-
sion to write most sensational article
about Dawson's chief OF police.
Here is the story OF the News and Ad-
vertiser:
"A few days age the News and Adver-
tiser said Julian Spikes, who murdered
to be near Albany and tLat parties were
on his trail.
''And last night farce was enacted
about the matter.
"A negro, named Gaffney, who recruits
for the Sam road, has been here several
days, and claimed that he had Julian
spotted about five miles from Albany,
near Palmyra. The News and Advertiser
refrained from giving the details because
it was deemed best not to pull it before
it was ripe
yesterday Gaffney telegraphed the
sheriff of Terrell county to come and
make the haul. Sheriff Christie was not
in Dawson and Chief of Police Hatcher
came in on the Columbus Southern train.
He was met by a reporter who asked per-
mission to accompany him and Gaffney.
He was refused, but Mr., Hatcher prom
ised to come in and give the particulars,
just after 2 o'clock this morning a re
porter found Gaffney, who had returned
from the trip, and asked for Information
Gaffney said they had things fixed and
that he had just carried Hatcher to the
depot to take the B. d w. He then gave
the reporter the dodge.
mot to be thrown off so easily, Gaffney
was located in dive in Sandy Bottom,
and further questioned. He finally said
that they had Julian located sure. but as
neither he nor Mr.. Hatcher was armed
they decided to postpone the arrest, but
that they would surely 80 out anu get
him.
''Ihis was very improbable tale, just
because the cannon ball had already
gone, and a reporter was at the depot
when the 3 o'clock B. * W. tcain went
out this morning, and neither he nor
officer MoLarty could locate Hatcher
1.-The hotels were searched, but he
could not be located.
THE tale about not being armed was
a very slick story, but it would not 90
down with the reporter, because that is
not the way officers go out after mar-
derels.
'.NOW, the QUestion.is: what become of
Hatcher, and what happened ON that
midnight ride in the swamps?
They were absent from the city same-
thing over two hours, and it May develop
that something happened to Hatcher or
he was gulled by Gaffney and would not
return to the city to admit it.
"a man was registered at the Central
hotel from Terrell county and it may
prove to be Hatcher under an assumed
name, if not his whereabouts cannot be
accounted for.
Now the facts in the case, as learned
by THE News, from Chief Hateher, are
these.
When the telegram to Sheriff Christie
came the sheriff was out of the city,
Chief Hatcher answered it, saying that
he would be in Albany that night. AS
he stepped from tine train at Albany he
was approached by the Albany reporter,
who asked if that was Hatcher from
Dawson, telling him at the time that he
was reporter. The chief answered in
affirmative and the reporter asked per
mission to ACCOM- pany him and Gaffney.
Hatcher told him that he preferred to 90
alone, as he was gong out merely to
locate the negro, and might not make
the arrest that night, but that if he
shOald capture Spikes he would call at
the News and Advertiser Office and give
that paper the first news of the arrest.
1t was understood between them that
the reporter was to say nothing about the
Dawson officers preseBce in Albany I'M
less the chief called at the News and Adj
.dertiser office and reported the capture
of the murderer. The reporter prom
issd and the two separated, the former
going in search of new sensations and
the latter in quest of the badly wanted
uiderer.
Chief Hatcher and Gaffney then got
in buggy and drove six miles in the
country to the home of a negro who had
been harboring julie Spikes, with whom
Gaffney was on strong terms of friendship
and intimacy Chief Hatcher met the |
murdereTs concealer in the guise of
negro and had long talk with him, APP
pearing to have become interested in the |
murderer through his friend Gaffney. |
and was there then with Gaffney to make |
to get Spikes off where he
would be out of danger.
The father of the negro who was con-
cealing Spikes also lives in Dougherty |
county, and the fugitive would spend |
one night at each place, alternating be-
tween the two, and staying in the swamp
in the day time. That night he was at |
the home of the old man several miles
distant, but the negro at whose house
the officer and Gaffney were promised to
have him there the next night to meet
Gaffney and his supposed friend, who
would spirit him beyond all reach of