The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-02-10
A BAD NEGRO FROM DAWSON
SEVERAL CRIMES
OF SHOOTING AND THEFT.
When Located in Albany Held Sher-
if and Several Policemen at Bay.
Persuaded TO Surrender.


Persuaded to Surrender.
The Albany Herald prints the fol-
lowing account of the escapade of a
young Dawson negro who proved
himself to be a desperate down
there and was finally captured under
sensational circumstances:
Charley Williams. a 19-year-old
negro who has been on rampage
for a week or more, having commit
tea several crimes of shooting and
theft, last night defed nearly the
entire police force and the sheriff
and all of his force, after having
been caught in a trap that was laid
for him.
Though the house in which the
negro was caught was surrounded by
officers he threatened to shoot the
first one who attempted to enter,
and refused to allow other occupants
of the nOuSe to leave, including
negro woman and girl.
AT one time the negro tried to
escape by putting on Woman's
dress, but his ruse was detected and
he went back into the house. He
was finally prevailed upon to surren-
der by Chief r. n. Westbrook, who
talked to him in his Well-knOwn per-
suasiVe manner and showed to him
the helplessness of his position.
Six warrants have been taken out
for Williams, one for shooting Black
Diamond, a we'll known negro char
acter who assisted the officers in To-
eating a skin game; another for
shooting Alfred Hemphill, a white
man, in the arm from ambush; an
other for entering a negro's house
and stealing pistol therefrom; an
other for stealing a horse from a
man named Pore at Pecan City; a
sixth for stealing a mule and wagon
from w. A. Ramsey's place in East
Dougherty.
The mule and wagon last men
toned were recovered at Doerun last
Saturday by the marshal of that
town, who failed, however, to catch
the thief.
There is another good horse and
a buggy in a local livery stable that
the officers secured, which they be-
Ieve were also stolen, although the
negro claims he bought them.
The trap in which the negro Will
liams was caught was laid by Bob
Palmer. 1t was arranged that the
negro should go to the home of ne
gro woman in Fleisher's alley, near
Front street. Deputy Sheriff Fort
Tarver and Police officer benson, in
company with Mr. Palmer, went
there a little after o'clock and laid
in wait.
Several negroes entered, and
there was some doubt as to which
was the one. Finally the woman
came out and informed Deputy Tar
yer that negro who had just enter
ed was the one wanted. The negro
soon came out and hid under the
house. He was shot at by Deputy
TarVer, the bullet taking effect in
the sole of the negro's shoe
Afterwards Office Ralph Perry,
Officer Eugene Beazley Chief West
brook, Sheriff Edwards and Deputy
Sheriff Stripping appeared on the
scene.
when Sheriff Edwards and Dep
uty Stripping arrived Chief West
brook was talking to the negro
through a crack in the door. Up to
that time threats of sending for the
Albany GUARDS ana OF SeItlnS the
house on fire had no effect on the
negro. He said he would be filled
with bullets or burned to death be-
fore he would surrender, but the
persuasive talk of the chief finally
won him over.
The chief promised the negro
that no harm would come to him,
and told the other officers to go up
town. When he thought the other
officers had left the negro came out
and gave his pistol to the chief. As
he did so he was covered by the
guns of the other officers.
When questioned in jail Williams