Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-15
PEYTON IN MARL BoRO' JAIL
ALLEGED ATTEMPT OF SHERIFF. TO
TAKE HIM FROM CONSTABLE.
That OmeiaI Makes q Statement Deny
ing That He Did a.
Charged.

A Washington special dispatch In the
Baltimore Sun this morning was as fol-
lows:
while Constable A. B. Suit of Prince
Georges county, Md, was on his way to
Upper Marlboro this afternoon in charge
of the colored pugllist. Billy Peyton, who
had been handed over to him by Justice
Bradley on a requisition. he was set upon
by Sheriff. Shea of that county, who. after
applying vituperative epithets to Suit, Is
alleged to have attempted to assault the
constable who had been appointed agent
of the state by Gov. Smith. Fortunately
for Suit, who was helpless by reason Of the
fact that he and the pugilist were hand
cuffed together the sheriffs deputy and the
keeper of one of the resorts at the junction
interfered and fOrcibly restrained the sher-
iff from accomplishing his purpose.
''Suit subsequently boarded the train with
his prisoner. whom he took to the jail at
Upper Marlboro. where the accused was
held by Justice Sears for the action of the
grand jury of the October court, In default
of 500 bail.
1T is not yet determined what proceed
ings will be taken with respect to the sher-
ifs action. There is federal statute i'm
posing a heavy fine and imprisonment for
the rescue of a prisoner who is being con-
veyed from one jurisdiction to another I'M
der extradition proceedings. The peculiar
peake Junction renders 1t matter Of some
doubt at present to whether the assault
was committed in Maryland or in the Dis
trict of Columbia. If in the former jurisdic-
ton it would he cogniZable by the authori-
ties of the United States. and IL in the Dis
trict of Columbia the question may arise as
to whether OF not 1t is contempt Of court.
the removal having been authorized by
Judge Bradley. acting chief justice of the
Supreme Court of the District. In any
view of the case, it is serious matter. and
one indicative of an unfortunate condition
Of affairs in the county whose official is in
voiVed.
''Peyton. the colored pugilist. was arrested
in the District on warrant issued in
Prince Georges county and a requisition
from Gov. Smith"
Denial by Sheriff Shea.
When the above article was called to the
attention of Sheriff Edward T. Shea by a
Star reporter today he made the following
statement:
THE statements that I interfered with
Constable Suit while he was on his way to
Marlboro with the prisoner Billy Peyton.
or that 1 assaulted the constable or at
tempted to rescue the prisoner. are abso-
lutely false in every particular. Not the
slightest attempt was made by me to in
terfere with Mr.. Suits custody Of his pris-
oner, and there is not even the semblance
of truth in the allegation that 1 assaulted
Suit. 1t is equally untrue that l had to be
restrained by my deputy. That article was
inspired by spite the part of persons
who seek to discredit my performance of
duty. Nothing was further from my mind
when met Mr.. Suit than to In any way
prevent him from carrying his prisoner to
Marlboro. But l do think that the requi-
sition issued for PeytOn should have been
placed in my hands rather than given to
a constable.
For the truth of this account Of the af-
fair 1 refer to every person present"