Birmingham age-herald., 1895-04-04
Webb on His Death Bed Admits
 His Guilt.
HARRIS IN A HURRY TO DIE
And Objects to Any Delay-Fine Detective Work by Two Ef-
 Ficient Policemen.

ous robber and self-con fessed murderer, continued before the coroner yesterday morning and up to about o'clock in the afternoon.
 Crime after crime was detailed in all of it's horrible features with the utmost stoicism. The bIoodier the deed, the more monstrous the crime, the broader grew the smile that played upon the villains face. He seemed to ltake great delight in enumerating the robberies and butcheries in which he had participated. He attempted to deny noth- ing and when confronted by victims of his deviltry, he would only smile aud make some jest at their expense.
 One of the women whom he robbed near the state fair grounds was before the cor. oner yesterday when Harris was brought iu. Being shown the woman he was asked if he knew her. "Yes,o said he,
 1T ROBBED HER."
 and laughed heartily. The woman identified him as the highwayman who had stopped her in the road.
 MT. E. Y. Daniel, the farmer shot by Harris and pals near East Lake in January, came to town yesterday morning. With him he brought his wife and daughter and they were taken to the jury room and shown Harris, whom they, fully identiheds
 Jim Webb also confessed yesterday morn- ing in the presence Of bis aunt and sister, Dr. Gillespie and Deputy Sherns B. A. Thompson and Henry Cole that he was with Harris and Mitchell when old man Daniels was shot. Before making his con- fession Dr. Gillespie told him he could not live; that his death was a matter of only few hours.
 MT. Daniel was taken to the hospital, where Webb lay on his cot, and identified him as one of the negroes who shot him. J
 Harris was taken to the hospital and shown Webb. When he saw Webb he said, ''That is the right one,o and called out, Hello, Jim.'
 Webb said he knew he was guilty was the reason he ran from Deputy Sheriff Cole Tuesday.
 lice force that he came near shooting him one night. It was the night Abe Mitchell was arrested. Captain DoneIson and Ofi- cer Armstrong had gone out to the house where they were informed prehend them there. When they got to the house Captain Donelson stepped up on the veranda and Officer Armstrong went around to the side, passing within an arms length of Lee Harris, who was hid- ing behind an old barrel.
 Harris had plain view of Captain Don- elson and raised his pistol to shoot. Be- fore pulling the trigger he concluded to let the officers take Mitchell, thinking they were probably arresting him on some friv- olous charge and that he would not give the gang away. He tbereupon lowered his pistol, and as the officers passed out of sight he went away a short distance to an- other house, where be slept that night. The officers arrested Mitchell and brought him to the city jail, whero a charge of va grancy was entered against him.
 MITCHELL MAKES AN ADMISSION.
 Abe Mitchell was overheard Tuesday night oy Will Reaves, one of the jailers, to say that he cut Pleas Merrweather's throat and that he also beat him with a stick. When he made this statement he was talk ing to Lee Harris. Mitchell blamed Harris for talking so much.
 Harris says he wants quick trial, so that this trouble will soon be ended.
 The coroner finished the investigation of the Merriweather murder yesterday after noon, and the verdict of the jury was that the deceased was murdered by Lee Harris, Abe Mitchell and Jim Lewis.
 There doesn't seem to be much evidence against Lewis, and he will very likely be acquitted when tried.
 Sergeant Donelsou of the police force has done great work for Birmingham and Jefferson county in running down this band of criminals, whose deeds are among the most desperate and foul in the annals of this section. Knowing how indefatiga- ply this faithful officer had worked 10 rid the community of this gang an AGE-HER- AID reporter sought him yesterday after noon to ascertain the full particulars of the splendid work accomplished.
 When the reporter had made known his mission Sergeant Donelson said:
 ''Pleas Merriweather was found dead in his store on Thursday night, March IA. On the next day Officers Bodeker and GambiIl were sent by Chief Mcdonald to worx tho case. In few days they arrested Jun Lewis, on suspicion, and locked him up in the city prison. The evidence they had secured was given to Chief Mcdonald. The witnesses were summoned to the police station and their testimony written out by the desk sergeant and turned over to Cor oner Dusen berry, who appointed Monday, March 25, for the inquest.
 'frhe officers were convinced thatfthere wss but one man implicated.
 ''I had been making inquiries in a quiet way, and felt sure that mad a clue to the real murderers. On Friday night, March p, alter going of duty, accompanied by Officer Armstrong, began to work on the case. 1n two hours we found and arrested one of the suspected parties, Abe Mitchell, and on searching his house found pistol, since identified as Pleas Merriweatner's. We took him to the city prison aud dock eted his case suspicion. We were as yet unable to locate the other suspected party, Lee Harris. We told Abe Mitchell we wanted to summons some of his friends 10 prove that he was not vagrant, which he had been told was tue charge against him. He furnished us list of names. but failed to men tion Lee Harris, which we added to this list. In summoninE the witnesses we called for him, but could learn nothing Of him. When Monday, the day set for the inquest, cam, We went to Coroner Dusen- berry and laid our case before him, asking him to postpone the trial until we could produce Lee Harris, to which he readily agreed.
 '' The day following we located L,e Har- ris in loIt of the same house in whica we arrested Abe Mitchell. AL noon, with a ! osse of cfficers, we surrounded the house. Officer Martin Eigsn aud 1 wen: up into 10 tEe city prison. oocketing his case su = picion. Officer Armstrong and coniiuu d