The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1909-02-12
WILL M'FADDEN
Is NOW In JAIL
Sheriff Brown Captured Him Several
Weeks ago In DuTsl County

~0~N W o0AACAJ III b-AC fCOuAAIy Jdl
in st. Augustine is Will MacFadden,
the negro who, it is alleged, commit
ed criminal assault on Mrs. Waters
a year ago last August at Pineda, q
few miles from Eau Gallie, at a lonely
dwelling in the woods, where she re-
sided. The negro was taken to st.
Augustine Monday from the town
Jail here by Sheriff Brown and lodged
in the st. Johns county Jail, on ac-
count of the Brevard county Jail not
being completed.
MacFadden has numerous aliases,
but his correct name is Jim Robinson.
He was positively identified by his
victim after his arrest. Mr.. Waters
also. identified the negro as the man
ne met on the road after the crime
was committed, and as he was re-
turning home from his work at the
close of the day.
Sheriff Brown arrested the negro
three weeks ago seven miles from
Jacksonville, having found him at
work alta camp on the st. Johns river.
He brought his prisoner here and
locked him up, but never breathed a
word as to the identity of the man
and the people were unaware that
MacFadden had been captured.
While taking him to St. Augustine
Sheriff Brown had his prisoner hand
cuffed and kept vigilant watch over
him. A loaded rife in the hands of
the officer was ready for an emergen-
cy, but nothing happened to warrant
the use of it. At Espanola Deputy
Sheriff Guy White joined Sheriff
Brown and accompanied him and the
prisoner to St. Augustine and to the
county Jail.
MacFadden maintains his inno-
cence, claiming that a mistake has
been made, but our sheriff is satisfied
that ne has the right man. Mrs.
Waters was positive that this man is
her aSsailant, and others who met
him later, not knowing at the time
of the crime, have also identified him.
The crime with which the negro is
charged is one of the most heinous in
the states annals. Many will re-
member the story of the crime, as it
was published all over the country.
Mrs. Waters is the wife of a section
foreman, and was at home alone when
the negro came along. He treated
her in the most brutal manner re-
naming at the house nearly the en-
tire day. He left shortly before dark
and on the road was met by Mr.. Wa
tiers, the latter all unsuspecting the
horrible crime. The brute entered
box car at railroad station, and the
officers learned of this move and
wired the agent at New Smyrna to
hold the car until they arrived. The
agent being somewhat over-zealous
and officious, opened the car to in
vestigate and was confronted by a
big revolver in the hands of the ne
gro. The latter then escaped and
fled through the woods. From that
time the officers were unable to To-
cate him or find the trail again until
Sheriff Brown caught him three
weeks ago.
Mrs. Waters, as the result of the
horrible ordeal to which she was sub
jected, became a wreck physically
and mentally, but her mental condi-
ton has improved of late, and she
was able to identify the negro so pos
itively that there seems to be not the
slightest doubt but that this is the
right man.
Brevard has cause to be proud of
her sheriff. Even some of the closest
of Sheriff Browns friends thought
he had given up the search as hope
less, but he has been continuously on
the alert, neglecting other duties and !