Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1895-04-27
JONES CONFESSES.
Train Robbery An Improbable
and Periless Trade.
One ofthe Men Who Held Up the Train Near
LivingstoD, Ala. Tells of His Numerous
ExpiOits-He VIII lie Tried In Mis-
souri, for. Many Crimes.

Meridian, Miss, April 2O.-Thos. V.
jackson, the well-known Sou thern Ex-
press detective, who successfully pur-
sued the notorious Eugene Bunch and
Rube Burrows and his gang, who landed
Summers, the man who robbed the safe
OF the express office of this place OF
$1,000, in the pcnitentiary, and who has
brought to the bar Of justice more Grim.
inals than almost any man in the secret
service, was in the city last night, hav-
ing but recently returned to>Mississippi
from Missouri and the Indian Territory,
where he pursued and captured one OF
the men who committed the train rob.
berry near Livingston, Ala, in December
last. This robbery, as well as the fight
and pursuit Of the robbers at Macon,
Miss, where they held up and dispos-
sessed United States and city marshal
of their arms, and then continued their
flight and pursuit by jackson, is still
fresh in the minds of the public.
After long and weary chase of nearly
three months, through the States Of
Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri and the
Indian Territory, the staying qualities
of the detective were finally rewarded
by the serious wounding and capture OF
one of the men, Charlie Jones, and the
probable wounding of the other, Will
liam Johnson, alias Barnes, at South
west City, Mo-, on the 3D. of March.
Jones, while on the Arltar sas line, was
badly shot by man named Henry Car
ter, who when pulling tho trigger of his
Winchester stood on the soil of the In
dian Territory, the train robber running
a short distance after being shot and
falling exhausted within the lines OF
Missouri. Realizing that he was des-
perately wounded and fearing that he
was then at deaths door, the train rob-
Der made the following confession:
II am twenty-five years Of age, and
was born in Mississippi my mother re-
moving to Texas in 1879 Twas con.
victed of burglary at Gainesville, Tex,
in February, 1898, and sentenced to the
penitentiary for six years; served six
teen months and was pardoned.
"While serving term in the peniten-
tiary met johnson, my accomplice in
the train robberies, who served sem
tence for horse stealing, having been
convicted at Sherman, Texas, and who
was released April 16, 1894. l was
pardoned April 10th of the same year,
after my release / returned to my
mother in Cook County, Texas. l met
Johnson, or Barnes, in Gainesville
during the latter part Of July, and went
with him to Guthrie, where worked in
livery stable and Johnson at the car
penter's trade. Becoming dissatisfied,
we went on the road and robbed train
near Homer, Mo-, on the night Of the
18th of Der, 1894. We got S2l6
in money, one Colts pistol, some watch
cases and three ladies' watches.
"Our next exploit was near Terrell,
in the Indian Territory, where, after
only few days, we held up train. We
got nothing from the express car, as it
carried through safe, but robbed the
passengers of $40 in money and some
watches. We then went to Coffeeville,
Miss, via New Orleans, at which point,
after trip into the country, We sep
arated, and agreed to meet in Forest
one week later. This engagement was
kept by both johnson and myself. We
then went to Meridian, from which place
we went to Livingston, Ala, walking
part of the way. At this point we
boarded the engine just as it was pull
ing out, covered the engineer and fire.
man with pistols, and made them stop
the train at the point indicated. We
got here just SIT in money and two
cheap watches. We escaped through
Mississippi and crossed the Mississippi
river just above Arkansas City.
"Tbe next train robbery was COM
mitted at Mcneil, where SIG and some
cheap watches were secured. We went
then to the Frisco road, and held up
train near Aurora, Mo-, on Friday night,
February 22d. The messenger ran out
OF the express car and we got nothing,
as we could not open the safe. We were
without money and in order to raise
funds with which to return homo we
held up the agent at Purdy, NO., on the
night of February 2Sd. We got here
S44 in money and two watches. We
then started home, but did not get
farther than Southwest City. | have
just $40. so. and am wounded almost unto
death. have found train robbing very
Improbable
Although pursued and captured by
Detective jackson on account Of the
Alabama hold-up, Jones will remain and
he tried in Missouri where there is
enough against him to send him to the
penitentiary for sixty years.