The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-04-29
DECATUR OFFICER
KILLED BY NEGRO
Undertook to Arrest Him on
Vagrancy Charge
BROUGHT TO BIRMINGHAM
Citizens of Decatur and Morgan
County Said to Be Excited Over
the Tragedy-Several Citi-
zens In the Chase.

VIII jackson, a negro, was brought to
Birmingham last night at 7:1O o'clock
from Decttur, for safe keeping, the
charge against him being murder Jack
son is accused of killing Polio oman e. L.
Steele of Decatur at that place yesterday
morning about $50 o'clock The negro
killed Policeman Steele with the officer
own pistol, it is said Jackson was lock-
ed up in the Jefferson county Jail and will
be kept there until he is taken back to
Morgan county for trial.
The account of the tragedy is interest
ing. According to the story told by the
negro, he was discharged from the Fiat
Top prison on April G. having served a
term OF two years, being convicted of the
charge of burglary. Jackson said that he
left Birmingham on Thursday night for
Decatur, where he intended to get job
of some kind.
He says that early yesterday morning
he dug some bait and started to near
by lake to fish He declares that while on
his way he was stopped by Policeman
Steele, who told him that he was going
to arrest him on the charge of vagrancy,
Jackson said that he did not know what
the officer meant, and that he resisted
arrest. In the scuffe. the negro declares
that he placed his hand on the officer S
pistol and drew 1t from his pocket. 81
don't know what made me do it, but ]
got that pistol and placed it at the head
of the officer and fired" said Jackson.
Chase After Negro.
THE policeman fell over, and I started
to rum" a deputy sheriff from Madison
county Joined in the chase after Jackson,
and the negro fired his pistol several
times. Running up the road the negro
ran into the Rev. Hutto, Baptist preach
er. 1t is said that Jackson pointed the
pistol at the preacher, and tried to fire
it without avail, as all of the cartridges
had been exploded. A shoemaker near
by saw the men after Jackson and, it is
said, that he ran out of his shop and
struck the negro over the head with a
hammer. This felled him to the ground,
and he was easily captured then.
News of the killing of Policeman Steele
swept over Decatur rapidly, and it is
Sdlu THERE Was lHucu eAClieluSHt. JdChsoli
was taken to jail and kept there for an
hour. In the meantime the policeman died
and the officer thought it would be best
to spirit the negro away. He was taken
down the Louisville and Nashville rail-
road a few miles and there ~fficer j. C.
Lance, who had him in charge awaited
the coming of the southbound accommo-
dation train.
Career in Birmingham.
En- route to Birmingham Jackson told
several people who were on the train
that he burglarized several houses in Bir-
mingham before he was finally captured
and sent to the coal mines under sem
tence. He said that he took the money
and other valuables that he secured from
houses burglarized and hid 1t in a pot
near Pratt City.
officer Lance, who brought Jackson to
cradle excitement in Decatur over yes
terdays shooting. Officer Lance by the
way, is the one that trailed down John
Collier and Harvey Smith. These me-
groes are to be tried in Decatur next
week on the charge of killing Miss Belle
Bloodworth. The officer feared that yes
terday's shooting may effect on the
feeling of people of Morgan county in the
trial of Collier and Smith.
Officer Lance returned home last night.