The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-21
Alleged Thief Picked Up
 by Inspector.
Government Officer Had Been on the Trail of Horace Jackson Two Months-Accused of Partici- pating in Burglary
 in Indiana.
Advertiser Bureau,

Selma, March 20.
 This morning at 9 o'clock on one of the principal business streets of the city, Postoffice Inspector Kile of Cincinnati captured a. noted bank and postoftice rob Der. and thus terminated a chase of two months or more.
 For several days observant citizens have noticed an alert, intelligent and of the chair of the general delivery clerk at the postofiice, but paid little attention to the circumstance, deeming him merely some Government employe engaged in checking over the books of the postoffice It appears, however that the business like individual was none other than h. spector Kile and that he was patiently awaiting for Horace Jackson, alias Clyde c. Davis, alias Frank F. Brooks, to appear, and call for mail. The manner in which the Inspector has followed Jackson and captured him sounds like an imaginary story of detective skill, but to the would-be burglar who Is now on his way to a Federal prison, it Is doubt less the sternest of realities.
 About the latter part of January last Inspector Kile received information that party of well-known crooks, four in
 number, were congregated in Milltown. Ind, and he hastened to that point and succeeded In identifying the men, and recognizing them as members of large gang of postottice and bank thieves, who make their headquarters in the cities of LSOuISNllle SlHCllHdli anu NdSHNlllt uuI ing the cold weather and scatter in groups of four or five when warm wealth CT comes to various parts of the country
 for the purpose of plying their nefarious trade.
 He immediately began to watch them
 and was soon convinced from their move ments that they had planned to commit | burglary at Huntington, Ind, near by town. Their method of work is to go to a town and claim to be union men out of nmnlOVmant and beg from door to door. one of them going to the post ofhce and enquiring for mail thus noting the interior arrangements of the office and the position of the safe.
 Others go to the different blacksmith
 shops in the town and under the pre- tense Of seeking work find where tools
 they may need are kept. This program
 was followed in Huntington, but for
 at first. but left the town and went to small place some seven miles away
 remaining there two days. They then came back to Huntington, walking down town and made camp about a mile below.
 They were followed by the inspector
 who, disguised as a tramp, went to their
 camp and talked with them. begging sup per from them. Their conversation and
 actions convinced him that they would make the attempt to rob the postoffice that evening and leaving them he has tened to the town and made preparations
 to illustrate the attempt and effect their
 capture.
 The postoff1ce was located on a well lighted street and its interior was so ar
 ranged that there was no good place
 therein to station men so the inspector
 placed three men In a building across the
 street and took up his position in an ad- joining building which was separated
 from the postoftice by a narrow passage way.
 The rear door of the postofice and a side door of the building in which he was stationedA opened into this passageway and an electric light was arranged near the rear door of the postoffice and con-
 nected with the inspectors position so l that 1t could be turned on in an instant | and light up the entire rear portion of | the office.
 It was expected that the burglars would
 attack the rear door of the office in order | to effect an entrance but contrary to | such expectations they came to the front
 door about 1:3O o'clock and deliberately broke it open. Two of them then entered | the office and two remained outside act l ing as watchmen.
 | When the door was broken open the | three guards across the street opened fire | on the burglars and Inspector Kile turned | on his light. Illuminating the narrow | passageway between the office and ad- | joining building and the rear part of the | postofiice. As he stepped into the pas | sageway he came face to face with one | of the burglars who was standing at the | front end of 1t acting as a watchman | for those inside.
 He immediately raised the shotgun with | which he was armed and attempted to
 fire both barrels at the burglar but the | gun snapped. and the burglar fired at l him with a pistol. tho bullet striking the | tip of the Inspectors ear. Immediately | after firing the man jumped out of the | passage and ran around the corner, where | he was shot by one of the men across | the street. In the general fusilade which | then ensued the inspector and his posse 1 succeeded in wounding and capturing | three of the four crooks. but Horace | and standing a little below the office. | succeeded in escaping, though he was | fired at several times.
 Since that time Inspector Kile has been constantly on his trail, locating him first at Hartman, Tenn. From that point he | went to Tuscumbia and Snemeld, Ala. | and from those places to Okalona, Miss. | While in Tuscumba Jackson wrote an
 order to Hartman. Tenn. for all mail di- | rected to Horace Jackson, Clyde C. Da- | wis and Frank F. Brooks to be forward | ed to Selma, Ala.
 Inspector Kile secured this order and | came immediately to Selma, arriving here | last Tuesday, He had in his possession | he had the young ladies at the general delivery window to study carefully. He | took up a position a little to the side ot
 the window whore he could not be seen from the outside, and patiently waited | for his man.
 This morning at o'clock he heard
 some one ask for Clyde c. Daviss mai
 and knew his man had arrived The | young lady on duty also recognized him | from the photograph and as she turned
 to the cases to look for the mail she told | the inspector that the man was outside the one he vas after
 Mir. Kilc slipped out of the office to the front, but when he got out there Jack
 son, who had hardly waited for the clerk | to look for his mail was half a block from the office walking rapidly down Water Street toward the l.. and N. depot. | KIle followed him and when near Lock- | hart's drug store. Jackson seemed to
 realize that he was neing followed and
 turned and looked deliberately at Kile, who was within twenty feet of him. His | first impulse seemed to be to run and he
 half turned but then seemed to change 1 his mind and determined to try to bluff | it out. He slaCkened his pace and Kile
 walked to his side and quickly twisted | his hand into his sleeve go that he could
 not jerk away and said to him, address
 Ing him by nick name he bears among | his pals, Horse. how are you?" Jack
 son answered You have made a mis- | take" Kile replied, T don't think so; | step in this doorway; 1 want to see Wha f