The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-07-02
NOT THE WALKER
r.
COUNTY RAPIST
The Negro Captured at Cunning
ham is Will Smith"
Is WANTED FOR DISCRETION
Enlisted in the Army and Then Ran
Away Sheriff O'Rear and One
of His Deputies Had a
Look at the Negro

The negro who was captured at Warrior
yesterday, and who is supposed to have led
the Birmingham officers such a hot chase
proves not to be John Shepherd. Sheriff
o'Rear, of Walker county, accompanied by
a deputy, came for the prisoner yesterday,
but on their arrival they found that the
wrong man had been captured. The negro
gives his name as viii Smith, but bears a
striking resemblance to John Shepherd.
though some of the marks of Identification
are missing
When Captain O'Brien first reached War
rior he was of the opinion that it was a
case of mistaken identity, but from the
queen actions of the negro and varied
stories he told he decided to hold the pris-
oner, believing that he was wanted for
some other crime.
Fearing that he would be sent to Walker
the primary next year as he preferred to
formed Captain OBrien as to why he was
wanted. He stated that he was wanted for
the United States army. Whether for de-
sertion he did not say. Will Smith is very
ignorant and could not explain exactly
what crime he had committed. He sent a
note to Sheriff O'Brien which stated that
he was wanted for the United States army,
and that DIR. Dabney Luckie and Captain
R. L. Tillman could identify him. In the
note he gave the address of these gentle
men and requested that he be kept in Jail
until they came and identified him.
Enlisted and Ran Away
Captain Tillman is recruiting officer for
the United States army and Dr. Luckie
examined some of the applicants. 1t is
supposed that the negro enlisted and then
ran away. This is why the negro was
afraid of the officers and told such con-
ficting stories.
Yesterday morning Sheriff OBrien told
Deputy Love to go and bring the negro to
his office and tell him that the men from
Walker had come for him, and to tell the
truth about what he was wanted for 50
that he could hold him. Smith was brought
into the sheriffs office, and Captain O'Brien
made virtually the same statement TO him
that Deputy Love had.
The negro expressed utter ignorance OF
having committed any crime. He said that
he had been working on the wharf at Mo-
bile, and had come to Bessemer. From
there he had walked to Cunningham tank
when he was captured by the white men
lie explained lndt the reason ne nal lOiu
so many conflicting tales at Warrior was
because he was so badly frightened.
Captain OBrien then said to Deputy
Love-
well, he won't tell what he has done
and you will have to give him to the Walk
err county authorities"
This frightened the negro, and after he
had been sent back to Jail he wrote the
note to Sheriff O'Brien, as stated above.
DR.. Luckie was notified last night to come
and identify the prisoner, but at late
hour last night he had not been to the Jail
The city authorities do not believe that
VIII Smith is the man they were after
The clothes the captured man wore were
not the same, and there are several points
of Identification that do not tally.
The negro who is in Jail says he did moi
get on a car and was not in Birmingham
on that day, and the city police think that
they were after different man altogether