The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1909-04-21
Constable McCaIpin Arrests Ne.
gro Whom llc Has Trailcd
Across Three States
ON SCOUT FOR TWO YEARS
Alter Stealing and Selling Two Bales
Of Cotton Joe Baldwin EIudes
Officers and Leads Them
Long Chase.

After cluding the officers more
than two years and after ne had
been trailed across the states of Ok
laboma and Missouri and into the
interior of Illinois, negro known
In Waxahachic as joe Baldwin Is
now prisoner in the county Jail
with charge of theft Of cotton
pending against him. Since the dis
appearance of Baldwin after the cot
ton was stolen many efforts have
been made to locate him. but in each
instance the Information on which
the officers worked proved unremu-
nerative. Some months ago Consta-
BILE j. J. McCalpin of WaXahaehie
decided to devote "a little time in an
effort 10 locate the negro end effect
his arrest At first the case appeared
hopeless but he finally secured tip
which started him on trail that led
to ST. Louis, East st. Louis, Collins
Vile, III. and Brooklyn, ILL.,, where
the chase ended with the arrest of
Baldwin. This is the best piece of
work ever accomplished by Mr.. Nc
Calpin in his long career as crimi-
nal catcher. Mr.. McCalpin followed
the trail under many difficulties,
probably the greatest OF which ;ias
the fact that he found only ono place
after he left WaXahachie where
Baldwin went under his right name.
After that he was known as Joe
Cephas. Between here and East St.
Louis Mr. McCalpin lost the trail a
number of times, but in the latter
place he obtained information rela-
tive to the movements Of his man
that were extremely interesting
From that time on he felt quite sure
of ultimate landing on his prey
somewhere In Illinois, He won't TO
Collinsville. whore number of
lead mines are operated, end learn
ed beyond doubt that Baldwin had
worked several months IN the mines.
1t was suggested to the officer that
probably Baldwin had gone TO
Brooklyn, negro town exclusively,
and thithor the constable turned
his steps ArritS," IN the town he
found that II was settled entirely by
negroes. The chief Of police and all
other city officials were negroes,
Mr.. Calpin started on Il tour OF the
town and stepped into a business
house to make some inquiries about
where he might hnd the chief of po-
lice. one Of the nrst mon he saw was
Joe Baldwin, and before joe knew
Just whit had happened the hand
cuffs were on his wrists. Mr., Mccall
pin then called for the chief of po-
lice and that Official was soon on
hand, and to him the Texas oliieer
explained his Emission and said he
had reQuisitlon papers from the gov
ernor. When the negro officer was
convinced that the papers wore all
right he asslsted Mr. McCalpin In
getting his prisoner to the train, Mr.
McCalpm started at once for home
and reached here Tuesday night on
the Katy Flyer, Baldwin was taken
to Jail and locked up
The negro was formerly u Float
driver IN Waxahachie. A little more
than two years ago he Is accused OF
stealing two bales OF cotton from
1.-The Farmers Cotton Yard and sell
ing them when an effort WAS made
to arrest Baldwin II was round that
he had LEFT for parts unknown
When the grand iufy convened
Baldwin was indicted for theft OF
over $50.