Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-09-18
West Virginia Man
Captured in New
Mexico
REQU|S|T|ON is H0N0RED
c. E. Adams Alleged to Have
Stolen $1,000 and Set Fire
to Depot,

After being fugitive from justice
four months, c. E. Adams, who es-
capped from jail at Kayford, West Vir-
ginia, was recaptured at Ancho, New
Mexico, and is now temporarily con-
fined in Jail in Santa Fe. He was
brought here last night by Sheriff
J. J. Melton of Kanawha county, West
Virginia, and r. B. Payne, detective
employed by the chesapeake and
Ohio Railroad, to have requisiton
papers honored by Governor Curry
for the return of the prisoner to West
Virginia.
According to the story as told by
the officers who effected the recapture
of Adams after chase across the con-
tinent they were about to abandon
their quest when they finally caught
sight of the man they were looking
for at the little station at Ancho
where he had secured employ
ment as night operator for
the FL Paso and Southwest
ern Railway. Adams at first denied
his identity it is claimed, but when
confronted by the two officers who
instantly recognized him he submit
ted to the arrest. He had been work
ing but short time at Ancho and
was an utter stranger there.
Clever Huse to Prevent detection.
Adams is alleged to have stolen
$1,000 from the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railroad and the Adams Express
Company while employed as station
agent at Kayford West Virginia. Of
this amount over $4,000 was being
transmitted by express to pay off a
railroad construction gang. Messrs.
Melton and Payne assert that Adams
shot himself in the calf of the left
leg to make it appear that he had
been held up and wounded by robbers
who burned the depot to cover all
trace of their crime. Adams, the Off
GERS said, in carrying out this plot,
actually set fire to the station and it
was destroyed together with it's con-
tents.
Practically All Of the Stolen Money
Was Recovered.
Adams suspicious actions after the
robbery and destruction Of the depot
led to his arrest. He was charged
with three distinct offenses but agreed
to plead guilty to one of grand larce.
ny, providing he would be let off
with penitentiary sentence of nine
years and the other two cases were
dropped. He was convicted and while
in Jail managed to escape by saving
the bars to his CELL He boarded a
freight train an hour later and was
speeding on his way to Ohio before
the fact of his escape became known
Prisoner Expert TeIegrapher.
Sheriff Melton and Detective Payne
set to work to effect the recapture of
Adams and traced the fugitive through
Ohio, Missouri, Colorado, and finally
to New Mexico. They were almost
sure the man they were looking for
who is an expert railroad telegraph
operator, would seek employment in
the west and they received tip that
man answering his description was
working on the FL Paso and South.
western Railway.
Governor Curry today honored the
requestion papers of Governor Daw-
son of West Virginia, for the extra
dition of Adams and the two officers
will leave tomorrow with their pris.
oner. Sheriff Melton in speaking of
Adams said the latter had borne a
good reputation previous to the Kay.
ford episode.
Adams is about thirty-five years old
and married. He was making prepa-
rations to bring his family to New
Mexico when recaptured. For fear he
might try to commit suicide while in
jail here he is being closely watched