The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-04
County Officer j. R. Tiller Has
Narrow Escape From Ser
ious Injury
BLACK BADLY HURT
BUT MAKES ESCAPE
Minion Of Law Rains Blows | p
ON Him and Inhicts Many.
Wounds Both Are
Exhausted.

Cut and bleeding from many
wounds and probably with pistol
ball lodged somewhere In his body.
Farley Jones. big negro. escaped
from County ofsaeer J r.. Tiner We'd
nesday afternoon after one of the
most desperate fights on record In To-
saI police circles.
After firing every chamber OF his
revolver I'm an attempt to stop the
negro. Officer Tiller tackled the pow
erful black with his club and fought
MIN unit both were completely ex-
haasted and both combatants We're
forced to quit and throw themselves
eventually made his escape. but he
bears many marks OF the battle, while
the plucky officer came out scathless.
Tfiler went To the place OF MT
Gaines, on the MechanicsviIle Turn
pike. "Wednesday TO arrest Jones on
Il warrant sworn out by George Nor
ris, another negro. charging him with
breaking mp his home The negro
saw Tilier approaching, and divining
his object, took to his heels.
The officer took out after the flee
ing negro and chased him for fully
half mile, firing his revolver as he
ran. thinking that the negro would
stop when he heard the shots. These.
however. but served to aid him IN
increasing his speed The officer saw
ed one chamber in his revolver. and
Just as the negro was about to plunge
into thicket Of priars, with the
officer but few rods behind. Tiiler
fired his last ball and the negro
stumbled and fell
Negro Gets Revolver.
In a moment the officer was upon
the negro and began raining blows
upon his head with a heavy club.
I The negro got possession of the re-
soiver but every chamber had been
exhausted and he could make no use
~ 1t. With the first blow Of his club
Tiiler laid Jones head open In the
back and the second blow caught him
In the forehead. The blows stunned
the negro, but did not render him I'M
conscious. and he fought back with
ell his power
Tfiier continued TO rain blows upon
his opponent, but he was weakened
BY the heat and his long chase, and
was unable to get power In the blows
The negro suddenly dealt the Officer
blow in the stomach either with his
4 INST or his knee. and this rendered TIL
Ter SO weak that he was hardly able
To WELD his club. The negro also
was becoming weaker every moment
and was bleeding profusely from his
I many wounds. In a last desperate eff
fort he secured hold on the officers
club and II went hurting through the
air and landed on the other side of
! briar patch.
Without weapons and opposed to-
( man OF twice his strength the Off
Ger was poweriess to DO more and be-
sideS this he was nauseated from his
efforts and from the blow received IN
the stomach. Tillar crawled one way
& and the negro crawied another, both
10 far gone that they could not con-
\ tinue the fight another moment
The officer lay exhausted for sew
Arai moments and then arose and left
Il the scene, seeing no more OF his OPP
pOnent who had evidently made his
escape.
Tfiler returned to the Henrco Jail
md when he entered the several off,
\ GERS In the Office thought that he was
seriously wounded He was a mass
\ III blood from face to feet his coat
and shirt were saturated with gore and
be looked like q man who had been
engaged In sticking pigs at big hog
killing.
IT developed. however that the blood
was all from the veins OF the negro
\ and that the officer was not scratched
except by the briars that grew at the
h scene Of the encounter. Thursday
morning the officer appeared In plain
Z clothes as IT was necessary to send
his uniform for "a thorough securing
10 remove the blood.
OfYlcers returned to the scene and
tracked the negro for some distance
but II was seen that he had made his
Nscape. His tracks showed that he
had secured the club and had returned
h 10 the place where Tilier lay after the
fight. He was evidently looking for
the officer to do him UP but Tiller
had departed
r. Jones rs over Elk feet tail and
weighs about two hundred pounds
B3ller Is a small man, not over FIVE
Feet seven inches and weighs about
one hundred and forty pounds. He
4 4. regarded as the best officer on the
county force and Is always dispatched
In cases where extreme bravery Is
4 needed.
Ii III expected that the negro will
eventuaify be captured but the county
ON GERS have no trace of him at this
time. Sheriff Kemp is glad TO get his
trustworthy little officer back alive.