The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-11
PUT LITTLE FAITH
IN THOMAS STORY
Officials Comment on Ban
dts Confession
SAY STATEMENT FALSE
Unable to See How He Changed
SAY STATEMENT FALSE
Unable to See How He Changed
Clothes at M. & o. Crossing. 25
Miles From Hold Up or Re-
ceived Only $40 From Car

Tuscaloosa, October 1O.-(special. )--Lo-
| cal officers who have been working on
the Alabama Great Southern robbery ca Sc
and who have taken part in the effort
to capture the men who held up the train
near Tuscaloosa about two weeks ago,
are inclined to view with considerable
skepticism the report from Mobile that
| one of the robbers has been caught and
has made full confession of his guilt
While the officers here who have worked
on the case state that they do not care
to disparage the work of the Mobile
lofficials, they claim that the statement
/ alleged to have been made by Herbert
] Thomas seems on it's face to be untrue.
| One of. the statements made by Thomas
seems to indicate lack of familiarity
| with the country where the robbery was
committed. He claims that Immediately
after the crime he changed his clothes at
the Mobile and Ohio crossing near the
place of the holdup. Local officials point
out that the nearest Mobile and Ohio
crossing is at Tuscaloosa about % miles
from the scene of the crime and a large
| party of deputies were at the Mobile and
Ohio crossing when the runaway train
passed through. No clues have yet been
obtained by the local officers or the
agents working on the case so far as can
be learned.
Another statement of Thomas which is
viewed with suspicion is the claim that
he received only $50 from the robbery.
Local officers report that they picked up
considerably more than that sum lying
on the floor, and it is hardly probable
that this money would have been left un-
less the robbers has secured large sum.
Robert Vaughan Harry Pace and John
Gannons are still confined in jail mere
on a charge of unawfully riding trains,
none of the men having been able to
make the required bond of $500 They
admit that they were on the train the
night of the robbery. and the officers
think they will prove valuable witnesses
II the robbers are brought to trial.
The officials of the fair association here
have received news that Ada Belmont,
one of the Belmont sisters had been killed
at Aberdeen while making an exhibition
there. The Belmont sisters were to ap-
pear at the fair here during the last week
Of October, and the officials have been
forced to secure other acts to replace this
one.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement will
be observed by the Jews of Tuscaloosa,
| the holiday beginning this evening at 8
o'clock and continuing until the same
| hour Saturday. A number of the stores
will be closed until 6 o'clock Saturday
| and services will be held at the syna-
gogue here.
w b. Bankhead of Jasper, candidate for
Congress from the Sixth district, is In
Tuscaloosa today in the interest Of his
candidacy. Mr.. Bankhead has just re-
turned from tour of the counties in the
southern part of the district, and states
that he believes he is gaining ground. 1t
is generally conceded that Oliver has a
lead in the counties In the southern part
of the district.
s. d. Weakly of Birmingham former
chief justice of the Alabama supreme
court and one of the states attorneys in
the rate litigation, was in Tuscaloosa
today on legal business.