The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-10-05
NEGRO CONFESSES
TO THE ROBBER|ES
Justice Gayle Kills Postum in
the Dark
FIRED ONLY AT THE NOlSt
Marengo County Negro Convicted OF
Murder of DR.. Foscue Makes
Desperate Attempt to
Escape.
FIRED ONLY AT THE NOISE

Selma October 4-(Speclal)-Chlet
Walters and his men are receiving con-
gratulations over running to earth the
bold burglars who in broad daylight broke
a lock off of the rear door of Topper
Bros. store last Saturday afternoon and
got away with considerable goods.
The robbers proved to be two negroes,
Arthur Taylor, alias Skin" and Leo
Crystal. Taylor was found to have Of
fered pair of shoes for sale, and Chief
Walters on Monday had him brought to
police headquarters. There pair OF brass
knucks was found on him and charge
was made against him of carrying con-
cealed weapons. Yesterday he was put in
the Sweat box" by the chief as to the
Topper robbery, and finally gave up the
whole story, duplicating Leo Crystal. The
latter was apprehended, and in court this
morning confessed to his guilt. The lock
was broken with a piece of iron by Crys-
tai, and Taylor was sent around to the
front of the store to watch for the re-
turn of the proprietors, the store being
closed on account of Jewish holiday.
The goods secured were divided between
the two negroes and sold. That same
night Arthur Taylor stole three watches
from a showcase in A. Milers store and
gave them to Leo to SELL One OF the
watches were sold. one was found on
Leo's person when arrested, and the other
has not yet been located. Mayor Atkins
assessed fine of s45 against each of the
negroes for receiving stolen property and
bound them over in the sum Of $500 on
the charge of burglary
Lucky Shot In the Dark.
Justice of the Peace B. j. Gayle made a
remarkable shot in the pitch darkness
that surrounded his house about three
miles from the city last night. He heard
his chickens raising a disturbance, every
indication being that some intruder was
present. Selling his rife he stepped to
the window and fired twice In succession;
then pause and two more shot, his aim
being guaged by the direction from which
the sounds came. After the shots were
fired the chickens quieted down and Mr..
Gayle secured a lamp and went to inves-
tigate. To his surprise he found on the
ground near the chicken house possum,
quivering in the last throes of death.
Three of the four shots fired had pene-
trated its body and killed 1t. Mr.. Gayle
had not seen the animal, and that he
! should have struck 1t with either shot is
| coincidence liable to happen but once
| in "A life time.
Attempted, to Escape.
Richard Hoskips, the negro convicted
| of the murder of DR.. Foscue, near De-
mopolis, and who has been confined in the
| Dallas county jail for safe keeping. made
daring effort to. escape last night. In
some manner he got out of the steel cage
in which he was confined and got into the
corridor that surrounds them
| With a part of the steel brake that
adds security to the iron doors of the
cells he managed to rip UP the case of the
| window in the corridor and armed himself
with one of the big iron weights He
then got on top of the cell near the door
| to the corridor and awaited the coming
| OF the jailer.. When the latter started
| into the door he was attracted by the
| cries of a negro woman and discovered
Hoskins just In time to save himself from
| being struck with the heavy piece of iron
The execution day for Hoskins is rapid
ly approaching and he has sworn that
he would never go to the gallows. His
brother, also convicted of the same crime
while in the jail at Linden committed
suicide by hanging himself with the chain
that was around his leg, the chain hav.
| ing been removed in some manner by the
negro.
Local and Personal.
Rufus Myers, an engineer on the South
ern railway whose home is in Pensacola
but who has been only running between
this city and Flomaton since the yellow
fever outbreak at his home was carried
to the Selma infirmary today critically i'll
Mr.. and Mrs. Levy KoenigsthaI ane
son, who have been spending the sum.
mer in Europe visiting Mr.. Koenigsthars
old home have returned to Selma.
Nose Underwood, negro who il
charged with having stolen a COW II
Perry county about a month ago, was
arrested today by police officers of the
city and sent back to where the crime
was committed
Mrs. II. ID. Westmoreland and daughter
or Huntsville will reach Selma tomorrow
10 be the guest of her mother, Mrs. S. A
t'owlkes. She will be Joined by her sis
ter. Mrs r. A. Rush, of Mobile
Selmians have about finished moving
those who were so unfortunate, and hav,
settled down for another year. Their,
was not as much changing Of residence,
as In previous years according to tn,
real estate agents