The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-16
IN ORDER TO GET MONEY
MURDERERS TO BE BROUGHT
TO JUSTICE.
ONE FROM TEXAS NOW IN JAIL HERE
The Other, Negro, Went to Baltimore and
Will be Brought Here To Morrow. Talk
Among The Negroes Of Giving
Him Necktie Party.


An officer-Capt. Brooks-was yester-
day sent to Baltimore by the sheriff
70 bring back James Brooks, alias
Ohavis, the negro who is held there for
the murder of his sweetheart, Mehaley
White, near here, ON August %, 1896.
Capt Brooks reached Baltimore this
tonight, arriving here with his prisoner
ss-morrow afternoon or tomorrow
nigdht.
The negro's crime is still fresh in the
minds of the people here as most cold
kleoded and dia bolical deed. The ex-
element and intense feeling that it
aroused among the colored people at
the time it was committed has not yet
died out and since BROOKS arrest there
has been much talk among colOred men
of lynching him. Night before last and
yesterday the matter was openly dis
eussed on the streets.
They argue that the crime was a
most outrageous one, that there is no
doubt as who committed it or what
the motive was, and that it is useless
the mans getting off with term in
the peiitentiary. 1t was at first thought
by some of the negroes tliat Brooks
would be brought here Tuesday night
and they haA. planned to meet the train
at Johnston street and take him from
the officers; but before the arrival of
the yestibule they found out that the
mans had not yet been sent for.
Brooks was betrayed by one of his
friends. for the 500 offered for his cap
ture. Nyoung negro, w. Il. Williams,
who lived at Method at the time Meha-
ley White was killed, went to Baltimore
sometime ago to work. One day he met
Brooks ON the street. After that they
saw much of each other and were soon
rooming together. Then Williams wrote
here to mis- mother telling her of Brooks
whereabouts and asking her to find out
whether or not the reward was still
offered and would it be given hmm if he
betrayed the murderer. 8
The woman made inquiries of Justice
of the Peace Harry Roberts, who pre-
pared her answer to the boy, but did
not mail it until he could write to the
chief of police of Baltimore giving him
the particulars and asking him to have
Brooks. arrested Immediately.
Another man that is now in jail here,
charged with numbering a woman be-
cause of jealousy, is Gilbert Ward, a
white man from Goldsboro. He too
was betrayed by man whom he
trusted. And what is more, his betrayer
has boldly robbed him of $500, besides
getting the 5000 reward offered by the
State for Wards capture.
1t will be remember by the readers
n = Al L
in a drunken frenzy and jealous rage,
Gilbert Ward, blacksmith and wheel
wright, killed Mag. Dinkins-his mis-
tress-cutting her up in most horrible
manner. He at once fled the State and
went to Texas. There, in Belastrop
county, he met man named A. q.
Wynne, to whom he became very much
attached.
In his new home Ward prospered and
soon he was able to purchase property,
but fearing detection he had Wynne to
make the purchase and take the deed
to it in his (Wynne's) name. In eX-
PLANTATION Of his action Ward simply told
Wynne that he had killed a niger in
North Carolina and feared his where
abouts might be discovered. There
were also other loose business trans
actions between the two men.
Wynne accepted the trust and all went
well until about two months ago, when
Ward asked for a settlement. This
Wynne, on one preteXt and another,
kept postponing. In the meantime he
wrote to Sheriff Scott, of Wayne, to
find out whether there was a reward
for Gilbert Ward, and if so, whether il
would be paid ON his delivery to the
officers.
Sheriff Scott replied that there was a
reward of 5000 and that it would be
paid by the State when Ward was
brought back here To this Wynne re.
piled that Ward had skipped and he
didn't know where he had gone, but he
thought he might find him if the money
were paid over when the sheriff came
for him. This Sheriff Scott agreed to
do. But when he came here for requi.
sition papers the Governor advised that
1t might not be safe for the sheriff to
take so much money, but that he give
Wynne receipt for Ward and that on
the presentation of this receipt the re-
ward would be paid.
This is the usual method, but It didn't
60 in Texas worth cent. Wynne sim.
ply refused to turn over his prisoner
until he got his money and so Sheriff
Scott had to telegraph for "the stuff
and wait till it arrived. Thus Wynne,
by his Judas perfidy, has gained about
$500 worth Of Wards property and the
5000 reward.
Though possessed Of all the vices of the
betrayer of Christ, he seems to lack
mis- virtues, as nothing has yet been
heard of his hanging himself.
Ward is said to have many very strong
friends in Wayne. and the adjoining
counties. He was, just after the war.
one Of the most useful citizens in ali
that section in keeping down riots,
furnishing evil-doers and protecting wo-
men and children. These things the
people there have not forgotten, despite
the fact that in later years Ward drank
heavily and acted very badly. He was
brought here, not to prevent lynching,
as was first reported, but to prevent his
being released from Jail.
He will be taken back to Wayne
county for trial at the session of court