The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-29
MILFORD CONFESSES
STRIKING WIFE IN
HEAD WITH HAMMER
After Committing Crime At
tempted Suicide BY Jump
ing Into East Lake
TAKEN AT HENRY ELLEN
IN STARVED CONDITION
Three Employees mt the Mines Found
Him Lying in the Bushes Where
He Begged for Someth-
ing to Eat

William E. Milford of East Lake, who
attempted to murder his wife Friday
morning, August u, was captured yes
terday at Henry Ellen by three employees
of the Henry Ellen mines-G. |. Wharton.
W. P. Moran and A. l. Turner. Milford
was brought to Birmingham last night at
10 o'clock and lodged in the county jail,
where he is practically helpless from
rheumatism brought on by exposure.
Milford admits his identity and in a
statement made to an Age Herald report
er confessed to the deed. He states that
after fleeing from home he T tempted to
commit suicide by jumping East
Lake. His courage failed hi >owever,
and being a good swimmer he swan out.
The second day following the crime he
states that he walked to Irondale and lay
down in the bushes until last Tuesday,
when he walked to Henry Ellen, where he
was identified and captured yesterday.
Milford's statement is as follows
My name is -Willam Milford he said.
land am the one that assaulted my wife
week before last 1 hit her in the head
with a hammer. l was so angry that l
do not remember how many times l
struck her. My wife had been carrying
on for a long time before l hit her, and
she did something special to me that
night-what, l do not care to say. We
have been having trouble for over three
years. l did not attempt to kill any OF
children, but 1 thought that l had killed
her.
Jumped in East Lake
Il stopped to write a note, and then ran
down toward East Lake and jumped in
the stream above the lake. 1t had been
raining and the water was deep. l was
washed down for about three-quarters
where l lay exhausted a long time.
do not know how long as 1 was almost
fainting. Finally l staggered toward Iron
dale and got near the place. 1 crawled
into some bushes beside the railroad track
and lay there until last Tuesday after
noon.
Il was seen by several people, some
negroes and some white people. The sec
ton gang worked along beside me and l
ldlhcu " tltu NOpOdy Sdlu ally tnllB Out
of the way to me and little attention was
given me- All this time l had nothing
to eat and was suffering from an ILL
ness that had had two days previous to
the time l hit my wife. Tuesday evening
about an hour after shutdown l said to
myself that this wouldn't do I got ur
and walked down the railroad track TO-
ward Henry Ellen I felt pretty good
after 1 got started and walked long
ways that night.
when 1 got to the edge of the woods
at Henry Ellen my knees gave out and l
crawled into some bushes. l lay there
until Saturday afternoon, when couldn
stand it any longer and asked a man that
passed for something to eat. He gave
me something and 1 was carried to the Of
flee where l was questioned by three
they brought me to Birmingham. l didn't
know whether my wife was dead or not
until they told me yesterday that she was
not. l am glad l did not kill her, for l
love the woman. I suffered agonies dur
ing the past few days with rheumatism
That is all have to say"
Found Him Lying in Bushes
The men that captured him state that
they found him lying out In the bushes
near Henry Ellen Saturday. They did
not suspect that he was Milford until yes
terday, when a description of Milford
was wired them. They questioned him
sharply in regard to his identity and he
finally admitted that he was Milford
They notified the sheriffs office here and
brought him to Birmingham last night.
They were met at the station by Deputy
Chew, who carried him to the county jail.
The appearance Of Milford fully bears
out his story of the hardships through
which he has passed. His face Is enact
ated and with two weeks growth Of beard
looks CHASTITY His clothes are soied and
torn by exposure, and he was in q pit
liable state when he arrived at the jail.
He had to be carried up the steps on ac-
count of weakness and rheumatism. w.
P. Moran, in speaking of the capture,
said:
Moran Describes Capture
I'VE first found Milford lying in the
bushes near Henry Ellen, where we are
employed. He asked for something to
eat and we gave 1t to him. We thought
that he was just an ordinary tramp, and
did not pay much attention to him until
we saw description Of him in the paper.
Going back we asked him II he was Mil
ford and he refused to say After COM
pairing his appearance with the descrip-
ton we were convinced that he was the
man wanted. We told him that we would
take him to the hospital. and that they
would get him any way. so he admitted
that he was Milford. We telegraphed the
sheriff's office and brought him to Bir-
mingham tonight"
Mrs. Milford is still at the Hillman hos
pital, where she Is slowly recovering
from the effects of the blows on the
head. She did not remember the assault
when she first recovered consciousness,
but 1t gradually came back to her. The
doctors at the hospital state that she is
doing nicely and that she will get well.
The capture is considered important, as
the sheriffs office has been working night
and day to affect Milford's arrest since
the crime was committed. Milford Is con-
sIdered very shrewd at the sheriffs Of
fee, and no one expected him to be near
East Lake Immediately after the crime
was committed.
The date for his preliminary hearing on
a charge of assault with intent to MUIR
der will be set today.