Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-24
jim JONES, coLoREp, is SHOT
THREE TIMES IN TRYING TO
ESCAPE BURLINGTON SPECIAL
DETECTIVE.
PARTNER OF MAN
ESCAPED PURSUERS
MEN WERE ON BURLINGTON
TRAIN AND WERE UNDER sus-
PlcloN AS RoBRERs--AN Ex-
CITING CHASE.

Because he would attempt to escape
from a Burlington special agent when
commanded to halt Jim Jones (col-
ored) who claimed to be a. riverman
and have no home. lies at the Ottum-
wa hospital with bullet wounds in the
neck, back and right hand. while his
partner, whose name is unknown to
the authorities, made good his escape.
The shooting created great excite
ment about 80 O'Clock today in the
vicinity of Ash and Main streets. and
great crowd soon gathered about the
scene of the trouble. Citizens aided
the officer in capturing the fugitive
who however, was not willing pris.
oners until disabled by revolver shots
that rang out in a tattoo that dis
turbed the erstwhfle peaceable neigh
horhood. N. Nelson. a young man who
happened to be near joined the off,
Ger in firing at the fleeing fugitive.
Two Men Were Suspects.
Special agent for the Burlington,
r; H. Shorts was on train No. 179 en-
route from Burlington to Lockridge
when his attention was attracted BY
the entering of two negroes In the
smoking car ct Middletown. Knowing
OF four houses being robbed at Bur-
1tngton Monday night and two more
the night Following. Detective Shorts
followed the actions of the negroes
closely At Mt. Pleasant he noticed
that after having been separated on
their trip to this point, they sat to-
gether from there west. Calling the
conductor Detective Shorts learned
e.,
Ing silver half dollars and were bound
for Ottumwa. He then sent a mos
sage to Chief Gallagher to have man
at the depot in Ottumwa to assist him
as ne had two suspicious negroes on
the train destined for Ottumwa
The train was confronted by sig
nal in the local yards on account of
another train and came to stop atI
The foot of Ash street Both negroes
hlighted from the train and started at
brisk rate up Ash street toward
Main. Telling the conductor to in
form the officer in waiting at the de-
pot to come down Immediately to the
place of leaving by the negroes,
Shorts started in pursuit of the sus-
poets and called to them to halt.
Disregarding the command both
men fastened their steps and the
shorter of the two, the one who got
away, drew a gun from hip pocket
and displayed a billy club in the 9th
er. and both then broke into run.
Drawing his gun Detective Shorts
again commanded them to halt and in
order to escape danger of being shot,
The Legro who made good his escape,
lodged behind woman and two chill
dren at the corner of Ash and Main
streets and started west on the Rock
island tracks. Jones, the negro cap
cured ran east on the Rock Island
tracks and was pursued by the Off
GERS.
Shots Attract Crowd.
Continuing to disregard the corn
mand to halt, the suspicious of the
officer were confirmed and firing, he
struck the ground at the feet of the
fleeing negro. This even spurred him
on rather than stop him and sec
ond, third and fourth shot rang out in
rapid succession, one of them taking
effect in the right hand of the negro.
BY this time people began to be at
tracted by the pistol shots and men
from the factories. railroad yards. |
passing wagons and cars, stopped. their
operations and lent hand in the
chase. N. Nelson, an employe Of the
Globe Tea Co., drew . small pocket
pistol and was asked by Detective
Shorts to hold the man under cover
until he returned with the other
negro
Shot by Citizen.
BY this time the fugitive and his
captors were near the foot of Rich
ards street on the Rock Island track |
and the switch engine with a string
Of cars was held at he spot to prevent
the possible escape of the prisoner or
permit him an opportunity of drawing
gun Tirin,4 of his captivity he en-
deavored at t}.e face of a revolver Is |
get his uninjnred hand down to his
side. The thought of him making IN
effort to draw d gun caused a by- |
stander to attempt to disarm him. |
This he resisted and made another at
Tempt to break awa- and when Mel
'on Immediately called halt. which |
Ehen he refused plugged him in the
(Continued on Page 81