The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-19
JONES THE ALLEGED
TRAIN WRECKER
Story of His Capture Told by the
Detective.
ON THE TRAIL FOR A YEAR
Negro Heard to Brag About How He
Had Caused the Cahaba Wreck
Eluded Arrest Until Few
r. Days Ago.
ON THE TRAIL FOR A YEAR

AS stated in yesterdays Age-Herald, 1t
caused the famous Cahaba river wreck on
the Birmingham Mineral road. December
26, 1896, was captured several days ago,
and has been landed in the Bibb county
Jail at Centrevle.
w. e. Wright, who tracked the train
wrecker down, and captured him, arrived
in the city last night from Centreville, to
consult with his attorneys, Ward & DFen-
men, about the prosecution of the case. He
brought with him the news that the pris-
oner. Alonzo Jones, as the negro is known,
has waived his preliminary examination,
and will await the action of the grand jury
next fall. AS yet, he has employed no law
yer to defend him. A motion has been
made by the prosecution to have Jones
brought to Birmingham for safe keeping.
story of the Capture
Mr. Wrights story of how he captured
the negro, is very interesting. Mr.. Wright
is a native of Blount county, and is now
about % years of age. Five or SIX years
ago he went to Texas, and there has led
an adventurous life as cowboy and cattle
thief chaser. About year ago he re-
ITOH IeXdS anu SeIIl6u QOWu dI
Aberdeen, Miss.
There by merest accident he happened TO
meet up with the negro Jones. Wright got
to Dragging about some of the bold and
daring deeds he had performed in the west,
and the negro, not to be outdone, told of
several of his experiences, among others
how he had wrecked train over near Bir-
mingham, because of "grudge" he had
against the railroad. Wright began a quiet
ldittIe investigation of his own, and as he
began to get light on the case, he was con-
WINGED that Jones had not lied about the
wrecking story.
Wright then came to Birmingham to see
just what evidence would be needed to con-
vict and to arrange other details. He found
that he would have to get requisition pa
pers from the governor of Mississippi, and
had to go to Jackson for that purpose. Just
about an hour before Mr.. Wright got back
to Aberdeen the negro got wind of what
was up and left for parts unknown. That
was ten months ago, and ever since that
time Mr.. Wright has been following dog
gedly after the negro, but was never able
to effect his capture.
Ran Him in a Swamp
Last week, however, with four compan-
ions, on horseback, they ran Jones into a
swamp and after a two-day chase Wright
himself caught the negro last Sunday aft
ernoon. He was guarded that night at
place named Prairie, and on Monday was
taken to West Point. There Jones sue
ceeded in speaking to a lawyer, and sent
the latter off to get writ of habeas cor
pus, but before the papers could be served
Zones was hustled out of the state and ar
rived at Centreville Wednesday night.
In case Jones is convicted, Mr.. Wright
will get a handsome reward from the
Louisville and Nashville railroad. Just
after the wreck was perpetrated, they Of
fered reward of $4,000 for the conviction
of the train wreckers, but after so many
damage suit had to be settled, this reward
was withdrawn. For if 1t had been proved
that the wreck in which so many lives were
lost was the work of a train wrecker the
railroad company would not have been la
BILE for damages Mr.. Wright made a
special effort to capture the negro about
six weeks ago, when there were a number
of other damage suits growing out of the
wreck pending in the United States court,
but he escaped, and the cases were de-
cided against the railroad. As it is, Mr.
Wright will probably receive four or five
thousand dollars in rewards, provided, of
course, the negro is the one wanted.