The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1907-06-01

gered, and openly threatened the
lives of both man and woman.
He continued to annoy the woman
with his attentions, and, finally,
SO persistent and threatening was
he that the couple thought it best
to remove beyond his reach,
and SO they went to Tangipahoa
Parish, taking with them the chill
dren which had been born to her
as result of her relations with
Slsde. After living there for
some time they decided to pay
visit to relatives in this county,
and SO announced their intentions.
= Slade got word of it, and was
prepared for their coming. They
we're to go TO the home of Mr..
John Kennedy, and Chatawa
being the nearest railroad station,
they debarked from the tram
there, and found Crus Coney, a
negro, who was willing to help
them on their way, and the party
left Chatawa going east in the
direction of their destination.
When near the residence of Tom
Kennedy, the buggy in which
the woman and children were rid
ing became disabled and they ap-
piled to Mr.. Kennedy for assist
ance. He rendered them the use
of his mule, and he and Miller
and the negro went to the lot to
hitch it up. While thus engaged
a gunshot from a fence about
twenty or thirty steps away took
the life of Miller, and mortally
wounded the mule. Neither Mr..
Kennedy nor the negro were hit.
This happened about 8 O'Clock.
The horse used by the murderer
had been tied In clump of bushes
on the opposite side of the road
from the Kennedy residence and
the track was taken and traced by
the. .coroner's jury and it led di-
rectly to the gate of the place on
which Slade was living at that
time. The shoe tracks made by
the man who fired the gun fitted
those made by Slade. Every in
dication to be seen was that j. B.
Slade was the guilty man. The
demeanor of the man during the
investigation, his conduct and con-
versation with various persons
after his incarceration; the testi-
mony of numerous witnesses as
to circumstances happening be-
fore and after the killing, led to
but one conclusion, and this was
that Slade was the murderer. At
$3.50 o'clock on Sept. %, the jury
returned verdict of guilty and
fixed his punishment at service
IN the penitentiary for life.
Slade was taken to jackson
and began his long term of servi-
tude. On Sunday, Aug. 10, 1906,
Slade silently folded his tent,
doffed his penitentiary attire and |
bade a silent farewell to that in
stitutlon. Since then his where
abouts have not been known, and |
nobody apparently cared where
he was. Rumors frequently came
to ear that he was domiciled
among his many relatives in the
southern portion of this county
and the northern part of Tangipa-
hoa Parish, La, but nothing def
mite was learned. One man, at
least, Pike county's able sheriff,
had been keeping his eye on the
gentleman. Yesterday morning
Uncle Rube" Lee, as he is
known to his friends, ceased his
labors as a candidate for Railroad
Commissioner and quietly left
Magnolia. Yesterday he was seen
at Tylertown. This morning he
was heard from again at Fern
wood, and with him, and in his
custody was the famous murderer,
Slade.
In effecting this sensational and
important arrest, Sheriff Lee
has added new laurels to his
crown. There has been more or
less talk of the sheriff's apparent
lack of interest and seemingly do
nothing tactics with reference to
the capture of Slade, but those
whv were close to him know that
he was silently biding his time
and only waiting for the opportu-
nifty when he was sure he could
take Slade without having to kill
him or himself be killed. When
he left Tylertown Tuesday night,
he had taken every precaution and
knew exactly what he was going
to do. He had carefully picked
his assistants and was satisfied
overy one of them would stick TO
him. Anticipating that possibly
Slade would run below the State
line and thus beyond his official
power, he had secured the coop
|eration Of a deputy sheriff Of
Washington parish who was with
him when che arrest was made. So
had Slade gotten into Louisiana,
there was Louisiana officer with
full authority to take him into
custody.
The Gazette has its bat off to |
Sheriff Lee.