Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-08
TRUTH ABOUT REESE MYSTERY.

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TRUTH ABOUT REESE MYSTERY.
w. H. Newbold, Esq, Of Chester, who
was sent by the governor recently to
investigate the identity Of the Oxford
Mississippi, prisoner, who was thought
by certain people out that way to be M
r. Reese, made his report last week. 1t
was as follows:
Governor M. B. Mcsweeney. Columbia,
S. G.
Sir: Pardon my delay in writing to
you since my return from Oxford, Mis-
sissippi, after M. r. Reese. I have not
been able to do anything since gOt
back, because the trip nearly broke me
down.
I arrived at Oxford Saturday night
last. Sunday morning, in company
with Mr.. Montgomery, ESQ.,, u. s. dis
trict attorney, J. A. Montgomery, (our
man, the bum who worked up the Reese
matter, and claimed all rewards); Rev
- Winters, a groceryman-preach
and ]. A. Montgomery side-partner;
DR.. wilkins, the county physician, and
Sheriff Dawkins, went to the Jail to see
Raymond Stevens, supposed to be M
r. Reese, the fugitive from justice
When I saw the man I knew at q
glance that he was not Reese; but did
think he was Bud Dalton, notorious
outlaw that was badly wanted by the
United States government, and the
Wells Fargo Express company, fol
train robberies in North Texas and In
dian Territory, in 1890, so walked UP
to the man to examine him closely
when he said: You cannot see me here
Come back to the light" He shut the
cell door and we went to the window al
the other end Of the cell. He cOmmenc-
ed to try to make terms with me to
identify" him as Reese, and to allow
him to escape, and he offered me money
to do this. He claimed to have seen me
in the West and certainly knew of sew
eral Of my exploits when I was with
the express company, and worked in
the Western states and territories. He
did not look at all like Reese, and If we
could have gotten those people out
there to have sent us description OF
Stevens, instead Of a copy of my Reese
circular, I believe that I could have
told from shadow Of that man on the
ground in the sunshine that he was not
the two men:
Reese, big Scotch-Irishman; looks
like a North Carolina boomer; feet II
inches high: red face; large boned;
square build; large blue-grey eyes
with green in them), bull neck, big
muscular head, high and broad fore
head (rounded), coarse featured, scal
on back Of head, right side.
Stevens, trim looking, half-blooo
Creek Indian. Of he was dressed uI
would look like Northern congress.
MANI. feet inches high, blue-white
Indian skin, small boned, round build
small re-brown eyes, small long neck
(for a big NAM. small, trim head, me-
dunn low forehead, black hair (as thick
as a cur dog's), small ears, looked 81
years old, (said that he was 4O), fine fea-
tured, a typical Westerner, no scar be-
hind right ear (on head) as shown by
certificate of DR.. Wilkins.
The two men looked nothing alike
Stevens was held on several charges In
u. S. court that the district attorney
said would give him more than a life
sentence in the aggregate, and he hoped
to profit by the Reese incident by max
ing his escape. And after had failed
to identify him as Reese, our men,
Montgomery and Winters tried to con-
vince me that I was mistaken about the
matter; and when I would not be con
vinced. they offered me one-half Of the
reward to help them get 1t (by fraud
presume), and when I rejected this
proposition they said that they would
bring Stevens here at their own ex-
pense. I told them that I would
ask you to give them a requisition for
the man If they wanted 1t, and would
not put the state to any expense in the
matter. The United States district at
torney was on the train Sunday even
ing with me, and he said that j. A.
Montgomery and Winters told him at
the train "that they had gotten letter
from a party in South Carolina say
ing that I would not do to trust, and
that they believed that I was bought
out before came there, the reason that
I would not identify Reese" They are
still certain that they have Reese. Gov.
A. H. Longino said that he thought
that he knew you. He signed my requi-
sition all right for Reese.
w. H. NEwBoLD.
The physicians certificate Is as fol-
lows:
OXFORD, Miss, April 20, 1901.
This is to certify that I have thor
oughly examined r. Stevens, supposed
to be M. r. Reese, around the back
Of the head for scars said to be caused
by a bullet wound and an operation for