The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-07-27
DESPERADO
NEGRO HILGHwAYMAN IS STILL S HIDING OUT.
II. b Reported that He is Dangerously
 Wounded, But Refuses to Give Him. } self Un.

With loads of shot in his ankle,
 shoulder and arm, Rodelle Roberson,
 alias Big Boy. the desperate leader of
 a gang of negro highwaymen. was
 still at large last night in Lowndes
 County. in the vicinity of Letohatchie.
 Deputy Sheriffs Wilson and Norman
 returned to Montgomery early last
 evening without the negro, but with
 q thrilling account of their conflict with the criminal.
 After having located the negro early
 Thursday evening in house near
 Letohatchie, and in an effort to sur round the dwelling the officers were outjockeyed. and under cover of dark
 ness the dangerous negro made his es-
 cape down through a dismal ravine
 and has not been seen since.
 When Deputies Wilson and Norman
 came upon the trio of desperadoes at
 Judges Siding about noon Thursday,
 one of the negroes gave himself up, but
 the other two ran, one of them being
 captured a short distance away. But
 in the scramble and fusilade of shots.
 Big Boy, the large burly black negro.
 and the ringleader of the gang, out
 ran the officers and made good his es- cape into a nearby slough or swamp.
 After dinner the officers traced the
 negro beyond the slough and even
 found his hat and they were informed
 that he later secured another hat from
 a negro in a corn field. demanding the
 hat from the country negro at tie
 point of a pistol.
 Continuine their search in the direc-
 ton of Letohatchie, the officers came
 upon a house occupied by negress.
 and there they gained the information that Roberson was inside the house.
 No sooner had they started into the house than the negro darted from the front door of the dwelling. and in spite of the efforts of the deputies he escaped, jumping down into a ravine
 and was lost from view. The officers below, and though they instituted
 thorough search, they could not find him.
 Returning to the house. the negress been at her home about an hour. When he came there. she said. he told her
 that some white. men down the road | they began shooting at him. The woman said that the negro pulled off one of his shoes. and a se- were gunshot wound on the rear. of his
 ankle was disclosed. and that when he put his shoe on again, he could not lace 1t up, on account of the severe
 pain he was suffering. She said also
 shoulder o ne ana mssrG arm and from all of these facts 1t is believed that the negro could not have gone very far without collapsing.
 It was learned that about two or | three years ago Roberson had been employed as a painter at IIetohatchic. and formed an attachment. for a cer- | tain negress residing four miles dist ant. Late Thursday night the oficers l went to this house and surrounded it. but failed to find the fugitive. They left Letohatchie in conveyance yes- | terday morning and after securing the | country all day, returned to Montgom- cry last night.
 The ent're community of that section has been so completely stirred up that
 It is believed Roberson will be caught | when he finds himself unable to pro- | ceed further. and applies for relief at some house.
 If Roberson is ever taken, the be captured alive. Throughout his flight he has carried two revolvers. This gang of highwaymen are the ones who committed a series of rob-
 ton Ferry and Mobile Roads Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday night. | George Weleh and Will Green. the 1 two negroes that have been captured
 identified yesterday as being the mem
 bers of the gang who held up Grant | Pulsifer. white man, on the Wash
 ington Ferry Road. and who also the same vicinity MT. Pulsifer and John Benton. a white man, who wit messed the hold-up, and the old negro. identified the negroes. It was deemed the other robberfes and burglarfes in the vicinity of McGehee's Switch, as the | negroes admit participation in these crimes.
 | in the county jail on a charge of grand larceny, it developed yesterday that Will Green Is the negro supposed to have murdered Jack Jeter, Jr., a negro, in, MnnfDnmarV | soon as Green was brought to jail Porter informed the Sheriff that Green | was certainly the man who committed | the murder.
 The case was investigated with the result that warrant was sworn out before Justice Young charging Green with murder. Warrants were also taken out charging Green and Welch with robbery.
 According to Porter. an eye witness 10 the tragedy Green shot and killed Jeter in the house of Wash Hunter. | negro. in Nickefs quarter near Clis- l by's Park. Green was an utter stran- ger In those parts and Porter says he | entered the house. shot Jeter and then escaped: The murder occurred April 10. 1903. Besides Porter, Wash Hun ter T. -ho "nlv other living witness. The killing is alleged to have occurred | over a woman.
 On thorough investigation of Greens whereabouts in the past few years, 1t | Is found that he had several aliases. | When in colored society he was Will | Green. when mingling with the tougher
 negroes he was Kid" Charles. and when he hired out as janitor at a Mont gomery school he was Will Cooper. Roberson the escaped negro. Is also
 known to have lived in Montgomery | some time. and spent the greater part | of his time in West End.
 
 FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT.