The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-07-01
JOHN SHEPHERD
OR HIS DOUBLE
Negro Captured at Cunningham
Yesterday.
A STRIKING RESEMBLANCE
To the Walker County Rape Fiend-
Evidently the Same Negro Who
Kept the Officers Chasing
All the Morning.
A STRIKING RESEMBLANCE

| to John Shepherd, the Walker county ra-
| pist, was captured at Cunningham, on the
| Louisville and Nashville railroad near New
| Castle, late yesterday afternoon and
| brought to this city and lodged in jail early
| this morning. The suspect gave his name
| as VIII Sam Smith.
| The negro was captured by Jerry Foun-
| tain on information sent out by Sheriff
| OBrien. The sheriff's office was notified
| that a negro answering the description of
| Shepherd had boarded a freight train at
| Boyles and had jumped off at Cunningham.
| Marshal Blackburn of Warrior, and others
along the route were sent hurry messages.
| Mr.. Fountain boarded a passing freight at
New Castle, and was the first to arrive at
Cunningham. The negro was standing near
| the railroad, and when approached by Mr..
Fountain he appeared very much excited.
He told several different stories as to his
name and his whereabouts during the past
few weeks. Marshal Blackburn and several
other men arrived at Cunningham soon
afterwards on a hand car, and the negro
was taken to Warrior and placed In a Gala
boose.
When arrested Smith, Shepherd or who
ever he may prove to be- had nothing in
MS POShClS pul d HotC pOOh COHl0Atiu5
three names and addresses. He wore a
blue cap, copper colored shirt jeans
pants and dingy black coat and vest
Sheriff oBrien was notified at once and
left Birmingham with Deputies Stratford,
Barker and Courson at 7:45 a freight
When they arrived at Warrior there was
crowd of more than a hundred people
around the small wooden structure that
answers for the town Jail. There is a sin
gle cell in the bottom story and the up
stairs is the mayors office When the ne
gro was brought out to be examined the
crowd looked at him in way that did not
forbode any good if he proved to be the
fiend, John Shepherd.
Bore Several Scars
He bore several scars on his person an
swering Shepherds description. There is
a Maltese cross under his right eye and a
scar over the other one. On his wrists
were scars that resembled knife wounds.
His height did not answer the description
of Shepherd, and he limped from a bull
let wound in the thigh, evidently inflicted
only few days ago.
When Sheriff OBrien questioned him he
said that his name was VIII Sam Smith,
and he claimed to have been in Mobile at
work around the "fruiters'' for some time
past. He admitted having been in Besse-
mer several days, and said he came to Biz
mingham yesterday morning on dummy
and walked to Boyles to catch a train,
expecting to go to Middlesboro Ky. When
questioned more closely he said he had
been in Walker county several times.
He had previously told Mr.. Fountain that
he was from the Indian Territory. When
confronted with the conflicting stories he
had related he explained it by saying that
he was at first frightened half to death
and there was no telling what he had said.
Same Negro Officers Chased
By putting two and two together it ap-
pears at least that he is the same negro
the officers have been chasing about the
mining districts for several days. He ad-
mitted reaching here yesterday, aGd it is
plausible that he spent some time in the
city, although he stoutly maintained that
he was not the man pursued By police Of
icers during the morning. 1t is barely pos
sible that he was at Blossburg during the
early part of the week. He was oues-
toned about being there, saying first that
he had not been there in two weeks and
later that he had not been there in tEiee
years.
Taking his striking resemblance to Shep-
herds description, together with all the
evidence 1t Is almost certain that If he is
not the right negro he is at least the one
who has kept the officers running down
rumors for week.
John Shepherd served a. term at Coalburg
and the authorities there will be asked this
morning to come in and see if they can
identify the suspect Sheriff O'Brien be-
lieves that if he is not the real john Shep-
herd, he is wanted tor some crime.
The Chase in Town
Like will-o-the-wisp, a negro resem-
bling Shepherd, or the rape fiend himself
evaded the officers in Birmingham all day.
A tx..A ,I.r
was after him. He was seen here and then
there, but no one could get close to him.
The alleys and street corners in the neigh
borhood of Sixteenth street and Sixth ave-
nue. were crowded all the afternoon with
excited men and women who had become
interested in the chase.
The man was first seen by motorman
on one of the Powderly cars. A negro ex-
actly fitting the description of Shepherd
| boarded the car at Powderly. The motor
man eyed him sharply and was convinced
that his passenger was the man. He said
| nothing, however, until Fourteenth street
crossing was reached. Here he saw Officer
| Leitch and motioned for him to get on the
| car A trailer was attached to the main
| car and in this the negro was riding. Mr..
| Leitch got on the front car, and before the
| motorman could explain what he wanted
| the negro became frightened and jumped
| off the rear car and ran in the direction of
| the Kansas City yards.
| Had Boarded a Freight
He had good start on the officer and
| succeeded in escaping. telephone mes
| sage was sent to police headquarters and
| Chief Austin, with several of mis- men, hur.
| ried to the place where Shepherd had lest
| been seen. He was run all around the al
! leys and vacant lots in the western part of
| the city and the officers almost had their
| hands on him several times. Shepherd
finallxtgave the officers the slip and made
| towards North Birmingham. Three
| mounted officers and four or five on foot
| were right behind him. On reaching North
| birmingham the negro ran through the
| woods and the pursuing force had to be
| divided. 1t seems that Policemen Mullen
| and Armstrong hit the right trail. which
| they followed to Boyle's Station on the
| Louisville and Nashville road.
| They heard from the fleeing negro all
| along the route, and when the station was
| reached they were only thirty minutes be-
| hind him. The negro had boarded freight
| train ana escaped them. A message was
/ Immediately sent to Blount Springs to stop
| the train and look out for Shepherd. Short
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