The Wilson times. [volume] (Wilson, N.C.) 1896-19??, 1911-02-14

my hand on him and pistol ready ac-
compan1ed by others, 1 took him to
the guardhouse. A big crowd had col
lected and thinking that Officer
Wrenn, who had been shot by
negro on the night of February first
when pistols were stolen from a Max
ton store, 1 sent word to him. He
nad Deen shot through the body above
the hip, but was able to come. He
examined the negro and said he was
not the one that had shot him. Out
side the guardhouse a crowd of nearly
500 had gathered and if the negro
had been recognized by Officer
Wrenn there might have been some
trouble.
''The first man to identify the negro
as Lewis West was Mr.. Murdock
Smith, who lives near Maxton He
came in that night and as he knew
West he saw the negro and said he
believed it was West. The negro still
denied it, saying his name was Frank
Mccoy.
Telephone messages had been sent
to Fayetteville and Wilson for men to
identity West. We felt certain we
had him, but wanted to make sure DR..
A. 3. Groom and Dr. NJ. r. Gibson,
n nd D,o
ined West. DR.. Groom found the
wen on his throat. There was also
found wound across his breast,
bullet hole in his left arm and a
wound in his back. These confirmed
the description of West, who is feet
inches tall and weighs 18O pounds
l believe he is of Croatan blood, his
mother a Croatan, his father white
and Croatan. At two o'clock the
train came with Sheriff McGeachy
Deputy Sheriff J. Med. Monaghan, po-
lice officer and deputy sheriff E. B.
Hall, Deputies w. II. Smith and w.
D, P. Sharp and Mr.. A L. Mansfield,
| of Wilson. They were taken to see
the negro.
"As soon as they entered the guard
house Sheriff Monaghan said, That is
Lewis Vest At that the negro said.
It's all up, Sheriff. you know me; I'm
Lewis West. It's no use holding out
He was also identified by Mr. Mans
| field, Of Wilson, and Deputy Hall, of
| Fayetteville. Being question he said
he had been in the woods between
| Wilson and Max-on since the time Of
the shooting, that he was so hungry
and worn out that he had to come in
to try TO get something to eat.
Lewis West admits that he was in
the house at Wilson, and that he sho-
from inside the house. He denied hav-
| ing shot Deputy Sheriff Mumford as
he left the house. He says he was
shot by Chief of Police Glover, of
! Wilson. He gave the names of a
number of his gang
E1 stayed with him till the time to
leave, and it was thought best. to
bring him to Raleigh. I had surren-
i dered him to the sheriff Of Wilson
who had come after he had been ar
rested by me. We came on the Sea-
board to Hamlet, and then to Raleigh,
/ a fTn
! With me from Maxton came Mayor j.
G. Parish, the officers from Cumber-
| land and Wilson being along. There
was much curiosity on the train to
/ see West, but no demonstration
against him. He was handcuffed. I
had left the hand-cuff keys at home
and sent a message for them. My lit
tie girl brought the keys to me. At
| the penitentiary Lewis West was
turned ever to the authorities. Here
are the two knives taken from him.
One is a large kknife, horne handle,
the other small knife, white handle.
The large knife had blood on it. West
says he killed a bird in the woods and
cleaned it with the knife, that this ac-
j counted for the blood.
On the train coming to Raleigh
| from Maxton Lewis West made no
/ outbreak. and to several of the officers
! who had him in charge, making a
partial confession. From statements
in his conversation on the train the
following is taken:
.eWhen Deputy Sheriff Monaghan