The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-08-25

my people when the freight wreck oc- cured in the south end of the Decatur yards. l never participated in any of them and the charges against me are absolutely groundless. l have wife and one child in Decatur I was taken off my cab this afternoon when en route home. The officers told me I was wanted for train wrec1ing and that Is all that know about it. l have never been oues- toned by any detectives since the wrecks"
 The Louisville and Nashville, it is said. will attempt to prove that at Cummings ham Nabors ran off his engine and threw the switch and replaced the light, The Louisville and Nashville does not believe the man has an imaginary grudge against the company as he continued to hold his position They are inclined to believe that he Is slightly irresponsible or has a mania for train -wrecking
 His hearing will take place before Judge Benners within 10 days as required by law. The accused young man is clear eyed talks without hesitancy and is evr dently sure of his innocence. He says his wife in Decatur will be here as soon as she is informed of his troubles.
 Many Engaged in Investigation
 The various attempts, many of which were successful, to wreck trains on the Louisville and Nashville railroad have been the subject of more secret investiga tions on the part of detectives than any crimes in this state in many years. The cunning displayed in wrecking the trains completely mystied the detectives, and it IS asserted that if one or two had oc- cured and the attempts dropped, possi- bly, no arrest would have ever been made, so thoroughly was the work performed. However the wrecks continued and the details talied so well that the detectives were given their first valuable clues from this source
 In Birmingham the wrecks and the subsequent Investigations have been the subject of speculation for weeks Citi- zens generally have condemned the out rages.
 The Series of Wrecks
 On the night of March 26 fast train No. 4, due here at S:37 D. m, went into 4 siding at the station in Calera The fire man was killed and about Is passengers injured, none seriously, however. Al Goree the switch was placed for the same train. but luckily found before the train smashed into the siding. In spite of the discovery, however, one man employed on the train was injured severely. The wreck at Goree occurred on the night of February 23, 1909
 At Cunningham the same train went into siding, killing an express mes. senger and maimfng several people for lie. This train was travelling at 40 miles an hour when it struck the misplaced switch.
 The most recent attempt to derail this train was at Decatur. The fast train was two hours late, and while 1t was nearing Decatur the dispatchers operated freight into that yard. The freight struck the misplaced switch and injured a trainman. If the fast train had been on time fearful wreck would have oc- cured.
 The detectives have been trying every day since the first wreck to catch tbe guilty ones
 Brown Makes Confession
 In connection with the wrecks on the Montgomery and Mobile division for which Morris Brown, a negro. was ar- rested several days ago, 1t was announced that he had confessed.
 Brown is quoted as having said in his confession that he was drinking on inc Sunday afternoon that the train was wrecked. He is said to have walked down the main line few miles below Mont gomery and in remembering a grudee against the company, misplaced a switch 10 derall a freight train. The govern ment mail train was two hours late that day, and was speeding something like 55 miles per hour. The train struck inc switch and went piling headlong into the ditch. The engineer and one or two others were killed. Many persons were injured
 The negro in the meantime is ouoted as having confessed that when he Saw the fast passenger go into the ditch he went over and helped to clear the tracks and rendered all the assistance he could. The fact that he Was the first person on the scene aroused suspicion and he was tracked by the detectives until his arrest resulted. At first it was seriously doubt ed that he was connected with the wreck. but subsequent evidence said to have been secured and his confession made it plain that he was either directly or in- directly connected with the outrage.