Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-29
RAILROAD BILL" i"
The Negro Desperate Seen in New Orleans Supposed to Be Looking for Rail
 road Work.

New Orleans Picayune, 18th.
 Railroad Bill, the negro desperado from Alabama, is in New Orleans. He was seen Saturday evening near the Louis ville and Nashville freight depot, on the levee, at the head of Girod street, py William Johnson, a man who knew hlm personally and is sure of his identity.
 Railroad Bill, whose real name is Mor- ris Slater. is wanted in Alabama on number of charges for robbing ana mur- der. He is a most desperate character, having committed several atroclous crimes. He has been captured num- Der of times, but has always Succeeusu ensa in making his escape. A reward oi S9So is offered by the Louisville and NashViiie railroad for his arrest, $3OO by the cltI- zens of Brewton Ala, $25O by the county of Escambia and $150 by the governor ol Alabama, making a total of $1O5O, Wnlch will be paid to the party who succeeos III capturing him. ~ . t Railroad Bill has been at large seV- eraI months. and heretofore his where abouts have been unknown. From time to time vague rumors have been clrcuiat- ed to the effect that he had been III HIS one part of the country and then ahotnei, but nothing definite was known or nls movements. He is known ln.Uue .I, ,1,ost n1oe the southern country as one or the ihost desperate of men. His name has peen familiar in portions of LoulSlana MS sissippi, Alabama, Georgla ana iiua' where he is much feared. For months he terrorized that section or AlapaIna aio,6 the route of the Louisville and NashVille railroad between Mobile and Montgom- cry. where he committed the boldest ana most daring of his crimes. Ine two SC rious charges against him are TOT lne murder of F. S. McMillan, sheriH or Es- cambia county, and J. Il. SteWart,
 
 railroad. The killing of the latter was at Bay Minette, Ala, where posse, oi which Stewart was a member, attempteu to capture the desperado. Alter hlllIs Stewart he escaped to Mount Nernon' where he succeeded in eluding the posse' who supposed him to be in hldlng III building, which they perforated wltn pui- let holes. only to learn that the desperaoo had left. xs,;++aa several months back, and at the tune ih- tense excitement prevailed in the Vlclhily of each. He is described as belng .nicN sci blrly negro, with thick lips, scar on his left cheek from his nose to the leIt ear. The thumb on one hand IS missing: He generally dressed in overalls ana black slouch hat and is always well armed. Railroad Bill was seen Saturoay evening by another negro, w. M. John- son a resident of Mobile, who is now Tn thjs city in the employ of the Louisville and Nashville railroad Johnson says that he positively saw Railroad Bill Sat urday evening in conversation with an other negro near the Louisville anu Nashville freight depot. He was sure that 1t was the desperado as ne Knew him. having worked here with him three years ago, and has seen him several times since. The last time he saw nm was bout a month ago, and in the course of conversation Railroad Bill said that he intended surrendering, as ne Knew he could prove his innocence or the charges against him. when Jonhson saw him Saturday he at once thought that he had come to New Orleans to give himself up. However, he did not make himself known to the desperado, as he did not wish him to know that he, too, was in New Orleans.
 The man whom Railroad Bill was Tn conversation with says he asked him how the railroad was paying their hands. and whether jobs were easy to get with the railroad. After asking the questions he walked off. Johnson says he would have followed him had he not been at work. It is supposed that ne came nere in hopes of securing work with the New Orleans and Western railroad at Port Chalmette where several hundred ne- grOes are now employed.
 Superintendent Caster, when notified of the desperado's presence In the city, said that ne nad feceiVeu teieSii ihi osF eral months ago to arrest him on sight, but had not heard anything of his where abouts up to about three weeks ago, at which time he received information to the effect that negro answering to his description had been seen in the city, but upon investigation he could not be To- cated. He will, however, detail detectives today to investigate the matter at once. The detectives, it is supposed, will not be slow in the undertaking, as the reward of $1O5O will be a snug little sum to receive for the work, if accomplished. Johnson, the negro who identified the desperado, is also trying to locate him, and if he does and the man is captured Chief Caster has promised him half of the reward.
 In Good Keepin&
 Cleveland Leader.