Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-07
He IS INNOCENT AND HAPPY
ThraSher Proves That Instead
of a Georgia ScOundreI
HE'S AN HONEST ALBANIAN
Arrested in Birmingham and Taken Before
the Woman Whom It Is Said He
As auIted.

the State Herald on Monday night last
Silas Thrasher, a white man, was ar
rested on beard an Alabama Great
Southern southbound passenger train
and held in the city prison here Tor rape.
He answered to a marked degree the de-
scription of a man wanted for assaulting
M SIS Jones at Rock Springs, Ga.
1t will also be remembered that night
before last he was taken for identifica-
ton to the scene of the crime by Sheriff
Riley the Georgia officer.
The Chattanooga Times has the follow
ing in reference to his arrival in that
city, his going before the young woman,
whose home is not far from Chattanooga,
and her acknowledging his innocence
and his return to that city.
Quite crowd of people, citizens and
countrymen from near the home of MISS
Jones of Rock Springs, Ca, assembled
at the Central depot yesterday morning
to catch ID glimpse of Silas rhrasher the
man arrested at Birmingham charged
with having crminally assaulted the
young woman. When the Alabama Great
Southern railway train bearing the pris-
oner came to a standstill there was
general rush for the smoking car, in
which the subject was sitting.
Presently Sheriff Riley of Walker
county alghted from the steps of the
coach closely followed by good-lookng
countryman with an honest face covered
with heavy brown beard The man was
not handcuffed and carried a small trav
cling satche1 in his right hand. A move
was made toward the Market street end
of the depot and Immediately a crowd
of about 100 people closed in on the sheriff
and prisoner. The majority of them fol-
lowed to Ninth street and attracted
much attention. No less than twenty-five
people formed weird procession which
,o1in hoo 10, p,.t.,
Here he was seen by representative of
the Times and stoutly denied his guilt. 1t
was the prevailing opinion that the
wrong man was under custody while the
brute who committed the diabolical
crime was enjoying liberty.
MY name is Silas Thrasher" said he
land my home is at Shackland. Ala, in
Cherokee county and eight miles from
the town of Center | have wife and
two small children. They are both gir.s,
one years of age and the other one 1
month old. / have worked and lived on
farm owned by Robert Thornton since
last November. l have been on his place
almost ever since l took short trip to
Centre, which is eight miles and half
from Rome, Ga, to attend to some bust
ness last January These are the only
times that | have been away from home
except to go to Birmingham. l was
summoned to Birmingham in some moon
shine cases and had to attend the United
States court. The day that / was ar
rested l got on the train at Alfalfa, Ala,
just twenty miles from home
why did you not take the train from
your homer"
II was short of funds" replied the
prisoner, land walked to Alfalfa in or
der that could make the trip with what
money | had. | did 1t to save expenses.
II am. not guilty of the crime with
which am charged and am willing to go
before the young woman at any time.
returned without requisition papers, and
If | were guilty as charged | certainly
would not have done so. l know nothing
of the crime and was never in that sec
ton of ~ country. If they punish me
for the crime they will be dealing with
an honest man, for God knows l am not
guilty. l have never been in any trouble
before"
The prisoner seemed very nervous dur
ing the interview and several times spoke
of his wife and children and wished that
he could get some word to them or MS
predica
Chief Hill, after conversing with the
prisoner, said that he thought him the
wrong man.
The man in custody answers the de-
scription of the man wanted except that
his beard is not of the same color. HIS
clothing and hat are about the same
At least twenty-five countrymen from
the home of the unfortunate girl came to
Chattanooga yesterday morning 10 re
ceiVe' the prisoner.
man named Cooper said 1.-The excite
ment is subsidng somewhat. Time will
soften anything, but the people in wal
ker county are still determined enough
Ia axe his life if he proves to be the
right person. Miss Jones is not excited
aud saws she can tell the right man If
brought before her. There is no danger
of her picking out the wrong man. If
he is the right man he will certainly be
hanged in short order.
The man who is so badly wanted is
Arthur Tippins, young white man who
is said to reside at point near Cooper S
Heights, Ga, about ten miles from the
scene of the crime. AS stated in the
Times of yesterday, he is a worthless
character and spends his time roaming
about the country. He was seen in the
vicinity of the Jones' home on the even
Inc before the crime. He has disappeared
since His home has been guarded. but
he never put in appearance there after
the crime was committed. The Geor-
CLANS are confident that he is the man
who committed the crime.
Sheriff Riley left the city yesterday
afternoon at o'clock for the home of
Miss Jones. Imedately upon the arrival
at Rock Springs the man will be taken
before Miss Jones for identification.
The following special was also received
by the Times from Chickamauga, Ga,
which proves the mans protestations OF
innocence here were correct:
Chickamauga, Ga, March 5-The man
Thrasher was taken before Miss Jones
this afternoon by Sheriff Riley of Walker
county and was released, the young lady
declaring emphatically that he was not
the man. n is now believed that the
guilty man is Arthur Tippins, and the
posses are now hunting for him.
Governor Atkinson has offered re-
ward of $3.50 for the arrest and conviction
of the guilty man and it is believed that
this will find him, although the people
of this county need no incentive to make
a thorough search for the man. Never
has there been such determination in any
case before.
The Times also has the folowing
Thrasher, after being released, held a
love feast with a number of his friends
on his release. and was given money with
which to get home He passed through
the city last night and was the happiest
man possibly on earth, so glad was he
that he was living.
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