The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1909-01-07
w. A. sorsby Under Arrest.

w. "a SOfSUy AUutE ATTEST
| Clinton, Miss, Jan. 3.-W. A. Sors-
| by, the slayer of Charles Fitzgerald,
postoffice inspector, was captured in
this place at eight o'clock this morn
| ing On September 2S w A. Sorsby
shot and mortally wounded C. A.
Fitzgerald. Since the deplorab1e af-
fair he has been in hiding, and had
almost ceased to be the subject of
speculation. He was captured at the
home of r. H. Johnston, a prominent
and wealthy business man, whose
home stands in one of the most con-
spicuOus places in the town. The
house is a one-story cottage, with
steps leading from the back hall to
a garret. Extending out over a gal
lery is a dormer shaped gable by the
side of which is constructed a DOR
mer window. A few years ago the
workmen in wiring the house had cut
a manhole in the ceiling in the side
of the dormer window entrance. The
part taken out forms a closely fitting
door, which is scarcely noticeable to
a casual observer. When this door
is closed the place of Sorsby's con-
cealmen is perfectly dark and almost
so when open. Many and varied are
the reports concerning the fugitive
and his arrest. One is that informa-
ton was furnished the detectives by
a woman residing in Clinton, but no
information can be obtained as TO the
accuracy of this report. There is
also a report that Sorsby had ingen-
iously constructed his hiding place,
and even located conveniently a tel
ephone.
On investigation the phone story
was found to be absolutely false, aris-
ing out of the fact that in the passage
of the dormer window was located
an aid phone, long since out of use.
Sorsby's mother stated to your cor
respondent that her son had not been
seen in Clinton since he shot Fitzger-
aid by any one except himself, his
wife and Mrs. Johnston, who claims
the sole responsibility of Sorsby's
concealment in her home. Those
who know refuse to state when he
came to Clinton, further than that he
had not been here very long. Sors-
by's appearance was sad to look upon,
his beard and hair being long and
unkempt, while his clothes were dirty
and thin. His arrest ends the sec
ond act in one of the most deplorable
tragedies that ever occurred in this
country, and while the people of this .
quiet and law abiding little place |
have felt much outraged at the seem |
ing uncalled for deed and have ex-
the widow and orphans of Mr.. Fitz-
gerald, at the same time they deeply |
sympathize with the grief stricken /
of the slayer.
The capture was made by a party |
of Jackson detectives and secret SER
vice men, under the direction of |
Jailer Jack Cain, who had located
Sorsby at the home of his friend,
Robert Johnston, at Clinton, within
a stones throw of where the killing
occurred.
The seven officers surrounded the
Johnston home and that of Sorsby by
daylight and before eight o'clock had
found him and his wife in the garret
Of the Jackson home. Seeing he was
trapped, Sorsby made no resistance,
and was brought to Jackson by pri-
Tate conveyance and, at his wife's
earnest solicitation, without being
landcuffed.
Cain gets a reward of 5000, half
If which, he says, goes to woman,
Who informed him as to Sorsby's
the other to be divided
,etween himself and the local men
Who accompanied him on all OF his
lunts. The officers who took part in
he capture were Jack Caine, Horace
berry, Morda Fulled and Chas. Van
3uren of Jackson and Postoflce In
pectors Leonard, Ashton and Smith.
hey left Jackson at three o'clock I
his morning, and came across coun-
ry to Clinton.