The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-09-10
WAS CAPTURED
At GREENV|LLE
Negro Wanted For Assault
at Georgiana Taken In
to Custody.
Special to Tn. Journal.


Greenville, Ala, Sept 9--Wh1le
the prisoner was picking cotton on the
plantation of John Phelps, twelve
miles west of Greenville Monday
morning, Chief Deputy Sheriff King
Murphy arrested Mark Collins, the
negro who 1t is alleged attempted a
criminal assault upon Miss Watson,
thg daughter of John Watson, near
GeoGgiana, several weeks ago, ana
on August %, made a sensational es-
cape in the presence of more than
hundred people as he stepped from
Louisville & Nashville train No. 8.
This will no doubt he the first in
formation. not only to the general
public, but to those that are usually
informed, as to the detail workings
of the sheriff's office, of COllins's
confinement again in the MontgOm-
cry county Jail after fourteen days
of free air and liberty.
Collins, it will be remembered. made
his escape hand-cuffed and at the
peril of his life. as the sheriff, his
chief deputy and two or three police
men, a brother of Miss Watson. and
perhaps some fifty OF seventy-fiye
men who Joined in determined effort
to capture him dead or alive
Protected by his color and race, at
no time since his escape has Collins
been more than twelve miles from
Greenville, and going under the as
sumed name of Henry Carter.
When Collins made his escape, he
went south, down the railroad track a
quarter of a mile, then took the dirt
road west for three miles, and spent
the remainder of the night with Hen
~ Brown and Pete Sellers. negroes
and after confessing his escape Hen
~ nd D1nTr M-n
groes, it is said, filed the hand cuffs
from Collins's wrist, and he remain
ed within three miles of Greenville
two days afterwards. Yesterday morn
ing while being brought to the Butler
county jail Collins pointed out
place to Deputy Sheriff Murphy and
said that he saw Mr.. Murphy from
the place on Monday night after his
escape.
Not until last Thursday had the
officers had any Information as to-
CoIlins's whereabouts. This informa-
ton came from Green Taylor and
Dump Simmons, and was to the ef-
feet that a strange negro was j.
their community. Monday morning
while on his way to GreenviIIe WITH
prisoner, AkessrS. Taylor and Sim
mons informed Deputy Murphy again
of the strange negro in their com
munity, and that he was at work on
the Phelps plantation.
Mr.. Murphy at once turned the
prisoner he had over to Mr.. Simmons
and returned to the Phelps place, and
after a confirmation that a strange
negro was at work on his place, Col
Inns was pointed out by Mr.. Phelps
as the strange negro, and before he
could realize gwhat had happened
Chief Deputy Murphy had him hand
cuffed and after putting him in his
buggy, tied him securely with ropes
and on his arrival in Greenville Mr..
Murphy 'phoned Sheriff Watson to
meet him at the Jail, and going
through a back street. landed Collins
in the Butler county Jail at y O'Clock
without the knowledge of three peo-
pie in Greenville.
Sheriff Watson stated yesterday al
ternoon that a. no time since Collins S
escape has he doubted his being
more than twenty miles from Green
Vile
There is perhaps. without an excep-
ton more interest manifested in this
case than any other one in the his
tory of the county
Collins was carried TO Montgomery
this morning on the o'clock train,
and placed in the county jail for safe
keeping.