Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-08-08
SUPPOSED MURDERER
Another Clever Piece of Work by
Norfolk Detectives.
John Smith, Aims walter Cotton. he
lfcvcd TO lie tho Murderer of John
Wyatt, of Portsmouth, and AssniI-
ant of Cnpi.Hudgins, Captured.

One OF the most important captures
| that the Norfolk detective force has
made for long time. and one of the
cleverest pieces OF detective work ever
done III the State. occurred OH Saturday
afternoon when Detectives Heppel and
West of Norfolk, captured John Smith.
alias Walter Cotton. who Is confidently
believed to be the murderer of John
| Wyatt. of Portsmouth. the ASA liant of
| captain l.. |" lludgIrs. Of SCOTS Creek
ana the committer of many other
crimes in Nirgini;L and North Carolina.
| The details of Mir. WYatt'S tragic
uchth are too recent to need mention.
| Ihe murdcrous assault on Captain
! hudSlnS occurred on July nth about ] /
y. M as h" sat in front of his bar-room
at the bridge on SCOTS Creek road.
| lie was assaulted with an iron bar bv
some party unknown. ana left for dead
after his person had been ri.el. Aft.l
TWO weeks In bed he has finally re-
| covered.
| The way the criminal was discovered
* as follows: Saturday about y. IN.
| Detective Heppci went into Bennett.
pawn shop To tell him 10 strike on "a
| certain watch from the list of watches
! wanted. as it had been recovered While
there Mr.. Hcppcl heard TWO young col
| ored mcn-Wiliic Weaver ana William
| coleman-talkng about Il pawn ticket
thht Weaver was trying To sell to cole
man. II was for a watch and Mr.. Hep
| pei attention was at once instnctivoiy
| attracted
| Mr.. Heppcl soon met Detective West.
| related his suspicious and the two then
began To investigate They went to
| WeaNer'S place. the Sholwy House. and
asked him about the watch he had
phwned. Weaver said he had loaned Il
young colored man some money on il.
! Inc Detectives thrn
where the colorcd man was. lie said
ne Was stopping up AddinEton's lane.
! ana Just then the fellow appeared in
sight and Weaver pointed him out.
! arrested him on suspicion of stealing
Mr.. West then took him TO the station
house and locked him up When
searched a bone handled pocketknife
ana Il Docketbook We're taken from his
| person. These have since been identi-
fled as the property OF Mr.. Wyatt. thus
forming an important link in tie chain
| OF evidence against Smith.
Weaver then accompanied Detective
Harpel to f. Jacobs pawn shop. where
Mr WAITS watch was recovered. 1t
had been pawned Ivy Weaver. Mr.. Hen
pei and Mr.. IVES, also recovered an
open faved gold watch pawned nv
smith. and now identified as the prop
erty of Mir. Hudgins.
weaver then took Mr.. Hepnel To the
s,ront an,i ,,,,;,, '''''u a'"ic on Nhurch
window ' on no', '.oI1, OUT III me store
| tcld Mn, h ~ S''u wien th'"' Smlth
now in trn ha '," Nv , ,, mere. inns Is
| W-nl,h.,,' v.n ,'' u. We pni''.' " Is 1
! yva,Si r 1911, '',"c pL me American
mem '''''"E' l. . bartlett move
smith wos "s.s.,. r.,,o ~ -
is n ven Tor,,ai Viii 'rreS,ed. ne
vo,r, ~, - ."' ~ so"lE nun apout -
| of a ligh, .,;n,,o,.i> ,'t' :" lnc'ieS h,sh'
| n lar-.. soar o,sn,. ~ I,.f, @ "i.u ms
| large scars ON Tho hond '''" wv
HIS SUpPOSED CRIMES
Tho crime for which tha noljco ox-
pect 10 hand smith. alias cotton. is Tho
murder of Mr.. Wyatt The possession Of
| captain lludgins' watch Is also taken to
Indicate that he is the would-bc muir
dcrcr OF Mr.. HudGns.
ne author'tlcS also suspect ;hat their
PRISONER Is none other than John Mon
.nt' wanted ~ iied springs. y. c., for
c c',n ,'al1 yer o. heinns ATKINSON. town
I ,,iinso -. ~" H,''ilSS. N"n'"e Sho'
stnntlv on E,aa Nr'''I III, nn a'n me-, m
/ er,.in,inn ~ I,nH' ,u,. -. II" &c