Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-02-15
ROANOKE
Thomas Felts, the Wounded De-
tective, Sent to- His Home.
Story of she Shooting SyiI,inm Loc,n
Desperate murdcrer, Under n Life
sensonce-Rearreased aud Lodged
I'm jail.

Detective Thomas Felts, of the Bald
win agency. of this city, who was shot
by an ESCAPED murderer named Lee
whom he was trying to arrest, in the
county near Swords Creek, Fri
Gay last, was brought to his home in
toanoke on the afternoon train yester-
day. 1t was thought that he stood the
journey from Bluefield we'll, but his
friends are very uneasy about him as
the ball entering him was of 45 calibre
and the wound is most dangerous. Mr..
teits nome is on Sixth street S. W..
between Campbell and Rorer avenues.
The story of the shooting is most ro-
mantle and cannot but make one Won
der how men can consent to follow n
calling so fropght with danger as that
of the detective. Yet, after all. the
adventure, had 1t been successful
GUS or less difficult than hundreds of
others that men of his calling, especial
ly those living In this section OF the
country, meet up with constantly
1t seems that William Lee, the man
who shot Mr.. Felts, had murdered a
man named Cline in Mcdowell comfy,
w. Va. several years ago. He was ar
rested, tried, convicted and sentanced
to be hanged, but soon afterwards cs-
capped from Jail. Lee was at large for
about one year before ho was recaptur-
ed. He was given Il new trial and SEN
fenced TO the penitentiary for 80 years,
again broke Jail and escaped The
Governor of West Virginia offered n re-
ward for the capture of Lee and he
was located in the mountains OF Buck
lngham county, Va, by Detective
Fclts.
Wednesday last Detective Felts
and r. NJ. Baldwin, accompanied by
two guides, left Swords Creek, in Rus
sell county. and after tramp of nearly
twenty miles they located the fugitive
In the house of his sister They watch
Ell the house two days and nights, ly-
ing out in the cold and rain with
scarcely a bite to eat.
About l o'clock Friday afternoon
boy rode up to n point near the house
and called Lee out. Lee had walked
about as yards when the detectives
made rush for him. When within 40
yards of Lee the fugitive jumped be-
hind the house and fired at Feltz
Felts shot little quicker. however, the
bullet going through both shoulders of
the horse and cutting four holes in
Lees vest and coat Lee then fired
across the horse again. shooting Felts
In the left side under the heart, the
ball. 45 calibre Colts, going through
fired, r. NJ. Baldwin shot him through
both hips. Lee fell forward on his
face, the pistol falling ten or fifteen
feet from him. He crawled on his
hands and knees to recover the weap-
on. but was forced TO surrender. Felts
and Lee were then carried about one
mile, where they lay all Friday night
before medical help came. They we're
then carried on the backs OF men eight
miles TO tram road and from that
point hauled on n log car to Honaker,
station on the Norfolk and Western.
Friday night the wounded men lay as
they were when shot. surrounded by
fifty or seventy-five mountaineers,
yearly all of whom were friends of
Lees. The detectives had to hang
blankets over the windows so that they
could not be seen from the outside and
shot as they lay on the floor Satur-
day on the way to the railroad they cx-
pected to be ambushcd and shot. but
they gave Lees friends to understand
that IL they were molested they would
XIII the prisoner. The wounded men
suffered almost the agony of death be-
fore they arrived at Honaker. From
flonGkcr they were taken to Bluefield.
Sunday night Lee was placed in
will recover.
REMOVAL OF SHOPS.
The large shop building of the Nor
folk and Western at Shenandoah will
| be removed to Roanoke at once and re-
built as an adjunct to the Roanoke
| Machine Works. The building, 72x13c
shop and 1T is thought about one hun
| dred additional men will be given en-
| ployment
The contract for the removal of the
| building has been let to J. j. Garry
and he has begun the work of tearing
down.
|