The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-12
YOUNG H|GHWAYMEN HAVE BEEN CAUGHT They Deny Crime But Are Pos
 itiveIy Identified HAIL FROM JACKSONVILLE Are Street Fakirs and Sell Cheap JeweIry-Ed Simon Identifies
 Knife Found on Them
 as Ills.
HAIL FROM JACKSONVILLE

waymen 1t seems, have fallen into the clutches of the law.
 Yesterday the authorities in Bessemer arrested two young white men. T. J. Langford, aged 19 years and J. Trout, aged r years. and last night this pair was identified by E. l. simon, the we'll known liquor dealer.
 One of the knives stolen from Mir. Simon was found in Langfords pocket, and MT. simon positively identified 1t. Detectives Bodeker and Hamilton work ed up the case and notified the Bessemer authorities to get the two young men. Yesterday a telephone message was re- ceived from Bessemer that two men an- swering the description of two of the trio of highwaymen had been arrested De- tective Hamilton went to Bessemer about ? o'clock and about o'clock he returned with them.
 They Deny.
 Both prisoners deny the charges against them, and claim that they only reach ed the city yesterday morning. According to their own story they are street fakirs. and have been peddling cheap jewelry
  from Jacksonville, Fla, and claim that town as their home, but In pursuing their occupation they have visited At lanta. Montgomery. Columbus, Ga, Mo bile and many other cities In the south These men further claim that they spent Friday night at Piny Woods Tank a station on the Louisville and Nashville near Blocton Junction, and that they walked into Bessemer yesterday morning.
 Murderous Weapons.
 When Gearched at Bessemer the author lties found a pistol on Langford and a slung shot on Trout They had some money, three or four knives, but noth- inc else.
 Detective Hamilton took one of the knives to MT. Simon. who immediately identified it as one that had been stolen from him when he YVES held up Wednes- day night and robbed as he was returning home.
 Detective Hamilton then carried MT. simon to the jail where he at once iden- tifed Langford as the tall fellow who had approached him when he was held up He also stated that Trout was the man who stood in tie dark, and while he felt certain he was one of the three, he would not swear it.
 The Conversation.
 When Mir Simon was identifying the two highwaymen last night Detective Hamilton asked:
 Can you identify either of these men," MT. Simon replied.
 "Yes, I positively identify the taller one. This is Langford," and he immediately turned to MT Simon and said:
 You say I held you up and robbed you last night?' Mr. Simon replied.
 "No. said that you robbed me wednes- day night. I said nothing about last night
 With this Langford seemed to wilt and showed the first signs of weakening. It 1t believed that today when the other wit nesses are brought to identify him that he will tell what he knows of the affair. He had been purposely kept in the dark concerning which night he was accused of robbing MT. Simon, and the detectives consider that he trapped himself when he asked the question regarding the time.
 BrazeaI Hold-Up. B. M Brazeal, who was heldFup and robbed last week by three young men. will go to police headquarters today and see if these are the same men who held him up. There is also negro who was held up and robbed. and a young white man whose name is not known. It seems that the trio of hghwaymen are pretty wise. They would operate in one portion of the city one night, and the next time they were heard from they would be in an entircy different. portion of the city. These boys under arrest seem to have been living in Bessemer and coming to Birmingham every day or night and working the town, then re- turning to Bessemer on the last car. Neither one of them is well educated. In fact both are evidently from the low est walks of life. and crime seems to bp written all over their features.
 Hanging offense. The offense with which Langford and Trout are charged is one for which peo- pie are often hanged in this state It is q capital offense, and If the pair are con victed things will probably go hard with them.
 They absolutely deny that they have partner and that there has been third member of the gang that has been trav- cling through southern states. - - ---------@