The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-08-26
Wanted at Columbus, Ind, on
Charges of Criminal As
saults on Girl.
SENSATION CREATED
Colored Minister Who Had
Been Preaching sHere
Now a Prisoner.

On fugitive warrant which
states that heSis wanted in the cit,
OF Columbus. Ind, on four charge.
of criminal assault on fourteen.
year-old colOfed girl. the Rev. E. l..
Tolcs, colored Baptist preacher
who had been preaching at the Mt
Zion colored Baptist church in thl.
city for the last two weeks or so
was arrested in West Main street
at 9:3o o'clock Wednesday morning
by Police Chief Harry L.. Brooks
and Policeman James Simms and
landed In the county jail.
The Rev. Mr.. Toles. whose initials
are given in the fugitive warrant as
p. L. but in other papers as w. s.
and s. w. Toles. admitted that he
was wanted in the Indiana city when
taken before Justice of the Peace G.
H. Gordon and expressed willing
ness to be taken back to Columbus
without reauisition papers.
Spite Work, He Says.
While neither admitting nor de-
nying the serious charges against
him. he acknowledged that the war
rants were intended for him, hut
said that they were issued as the re-
suit OF spite work on the part OF
some colored people in Columbus,
where he had preached. After he was
committed to jail by Justice Gordon,
the Rev. Mr.. Toles paied at the
thought OF the possible notoriety his
arrest would cause him and asked
that the officers escort him through
another than the regular Jail door
as he feared some of his colored
brethren would see him in his plight
and that the incident would hurt his
reputation.
Information is Sent.
The Rev. Mr.. Toles's arrest was
brought about by letter sent to
Police Chief Harry L. Brooks by II.
j. Helmick, chief of pollceeof Par
kersburg. this state. Chief Helmick
stated that Sheriff Irwin A. Cox, OF
Columbus, Ind. had sent word to
him that, the colored preacher was
believed to be In Parkersburg and
asked the Parkersburg chief to ar
rest him. Mr.. Hehmick wrote that
the preacher left Parkersburg Just
before the letter was received from
Sheriff Cox. An investigation re.
vealed the fact. that the preacher
had gone to. Clarksbprg and chiel
fIelmick asked Chief Brooks TIC
search for the fugitive and arrest
him.
Acts ut Once.
Acting Immediately upon the let.
ter from Parkersburg. Chief Brooks
laid plans for the arrest OF the
preacher. Before taking the man
into custody he wanted to make sure
of getting the right person and, ac.
cordingly, he sent a. telegram tt
Sheriff Cox at Columbus, Ind, ask.
ing for description of the fugitive
Wednesday morning a telegram
in reply to the query was received
by Chief Brooks, containing the fol.
lowing information:
"Toles is five feet. ten. weigh,
$50, very black. aged 45. we'll dress.
ed. small moustache. pleasant APP.
ance, left here July i2S. Criminal
assault on girl age under statutory
limit spon
The preacher who had been hold.
ing forth at the Mount Zion Baptis,
colored church was suspected of he.
ing the man wanted. AS soon as the
telegram was received. all apparent
Uncertainty was cleared up and
Chief Brooks took Policeman Slmml
with him and started on hunt fol
the preacher.
Warrant Issued First.
First they went to Justice Cor
don's court. and, upon the in
formation that had been obtained b,
the local policemen, officer simm,
swore out fugitive warrant agains
Toles. This warrant was in tn,
usual form of such papers. stains
that the arrested person did feioni
ously commit a criminal assault up
on d young girl for which warrants
for his arrest had been lawfully is
t>.<ss7- lr9Fs,ff-
tuontinued on page ~