The news & observer., 1897-02-05
ROBERT GARNER CAUGHT.
Deputy Sheriff Walters Stumbled Upon
Him by Accident.

linn Dy AGciuetlt
Fickle Fortune found favorite in
Deputy Sheriff Walters Wednesday
night.
She smiled upon him just $100. That is
fhe amount he stumbled upon at 1:30
o'clock, to say nothing OF the service he
rendered the State. Aud here is how 1T
happened:
On May, 20, 1895, negro man named
Romulus Neal from Louisburg, was shot
and killed near Neuse. The tragedy oc-
CURED on an excursion train taking the
people back from the unyeiling of the
Confederate monument in tbs city. 1t
was a very mysterious killing. Neal was
ON one of the front cars leaning out from
the steps and the shot was fired from
a rear car Nobody seemed to know who
did it, But in one car were lot Of men
drinking and firing their pistols.
Among them was Robert Garner,
young white man living near 1oungsvllle
| 1t was alleged that he fired hiS pistol
about the time the negro was killed
| He was, therefore, arrested and taken
| to Wake Forest for trial before Magis-
trate Gill No positive proof of his guilt
was produced and he was released.
/ Later, further evidence was claimed to
1 nave DeGH ulSNORGItN dlI II INV NA1i%sAAe
for Garner's arrest was issued by Mag
| istrate w G. Brewer, of Wake Forest.
| Hearing of this Garner fed, and SlOO was
offered by the Governor for his arrest.
The officers failed to find him and the
| killing had all but been forgotten. Dep
| uty Walters, therefore, had to rub his
| eyes two or three times and pinch him
| self in several places Wednesday to see
| that he was not dreaming when he board
/ ed fhe yestibule here at 1:26 Wednesday
night, to go out to Wake Forest, and
| saw sitting there before him the Robert
! Garner for whom he had been for two
years searching.
| But there could be no mistaking him.
There he was, with his best clothes on,
and little changed perhaps little old
or looking. He did not hook at him long;
| the train had hardly gotten under way
before the officer walked up to the young
man and said quietly You are my man.
! Consider yourself under arrest. It will
! be best for you to take the matter calmly
and 90 with me to Wake Forest. You
are Robert Garner, wanted for the mur-
| der of Romulus Neal"
Corner was Of course surprised He
had been for the past year and a half with
relatives in Tennessee, and he was now
| on his way AO4ne for a secret visit. He
| had it all planned to 20 through this city
at night and thought that he would be
/ perfectly safe in so doing. Possibly any
| other night he would have been safe. but
| the hand Of Fate was against him We'd
nesGay night and luck betrayed him.
| Garner accompanied the officer TO
Wake Forest, where a warrant was is
| sued by Magistrate w G. Brewer, and
1
mitted to Jail.
| Last night, however, he was again
| taken on board the vestibue and carried
/ out to Wake Forest to be tried this morn
/ ing
| He declined last night to be interviewed.
/ He would say nothing other than that he
| had been off on a visit to relatives, and
| was just coming home when arrested.
| He is a young man of %, strong and
| healthy looking. Messrs. f. s. Sprrill
| and Wiley NJ. Person, Of Louisburg, have
/ been retained as counsel for him. His
people are said to be respectable country
/ people, in moderate circumstances They
live near Youngsyille.
GROVES HELD FOR MURDER.
| There is also another prisoner now in
| jail on a charge of murder. Henry Wall
| is dead, and John Groves stands charged
with killing him.
Wall is the negro who was shot in the
abdomen Saturday night at a negro dance
near F0restyille, by Groves, section
| hand on the Seaboard.
| Sheriff Jones received a telegram yes
| terday morning from DIR. Powers, stating
| that Wall had died. Groves was there
upon taken from jail and carried before
| Justice Roberts, who issued warrant
| against him for murder. He had been
confined on "a charge of assault with
| deadly weapon, but was yesterday re-
committed to Jail without bail. Groves
will have to answer the charge OF murder.
| Mr.. J. G.. L. Harris has been retained
as counsel for Groves.