Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-13
.Ex-CONV|CT CONFEssEs
THAT he SHOT sCHERER
William Reynolds, Negro, Now In
Jail, Tells bf Wonnding Chesapeake,
and Ohio Claim Agent. 4
HAS. LONG CRIMINAL RECORD
His Bullets Believed TO Have Been
Intended for A. NJ. Richardson,
Whom He Had Attempted to Kill
ON Former Occasion, ,B
as LONG ORIMINAL RECORD
Especial to The Tlmes-Dispatch.l J

Il -
n rCL1FTON FORGE; VA. December 13.
The mystery surrounding the shoot
|!ing of L. l. Scherer. general claim
agent of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway, on the morning OF December
3. near Covington, while In search of
train robbers. in company with three
detectives. has been solved by the con-
fession of William Reynolds, colored,
who was arrested at Low Moor, charged
with robbing trains between this city
and Covington. Reynolds was arrested
on Monday, but not until last night
did he confess. and this information
the officers withheld from the public
until too day.
Ever since Mr. Scherer was shot a
number of detectives have been at
work on the case, but not until the
arrest of Reynolds did the officers be-
lieve they had the right man. On
Sunday night Thomas l. Felts, OF the
Baldwin-Felts Agency, arrived In Cliff
ton Forge. having come here, at the
request of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railway officials to assist In ferreting
oGt the perpetrator of the crime. On
the following afternoon. about 4
o'clock, Mr.. Felts accompanied by A..
NJ. Richardson and other{special agents
of the Chesapeake and Ohio, arrested
the negro, William Reynolds. alias
Midnight Kid. at his home at Low
Moor.
=,
OF REYNOLDS GUILT
Mr.. Felts made the following state
ment this afternoon, which covers
of the arrest and confession. as we'll
as a brief criminal record of Reynolds
Mr.. Felts said:
'At the time Of the arrest we had
made athorough investiga tlon. and had
sufficient evidence to satisfy US that
Raynn1dS thR ma of Al
shooting. After he was arrested and
placed in Jail. we continued the in
yestigatfon and built up what we con-
sidered a-strong case OF circumstantial
evidence. and, in our minds. there was
absolutely no question as to- his guilt.
After establishing his guilt beyond the
question of doubt, the negro, being con-
fronted with tho evidence last night,
made full confession under oath OF
his guilt.
This negro has been well known
by the officers for a number OF years
as a very dangerous criminal His
chief employment for years has been
robbing freight cars on the Chesapeake Q
and Ohio Railway. In 1905 he was ar
rested by A. M. Richardson. special
agent for the Chesapeake and Ohio.
for car-breaking and breaking into n
.storehouse. He was tried in the Cir
cult Court OF Allegheny County and
given six years confinement In the
State Penitentlary, three years In each
case. Tho night before he was ar
rested for these offenses he was dis
covered by Mr.. Richardson in n car
on the yard at Clifton Forge. He was
standing behind the car door inside
the car and empfied his pistol in an
effort to shoot Mr.. Richardson The
3negro's fire was returned by Mr.. Rich
ardson. He made his escape that night,
but was arrested the following day In
company with another desperate negro
crook. This other negro was sent to
the penitentlary for seven years for
an attempt to shoot Richardson at the
time of his arrest.
BULLET PROBAB-.Y WAS
INTENDED FOR RICHARDSON
"One peculiar circumstances connected
with this case Is the fact that Mr.
Richardson was with Mr.. Schererythe
night he was shot, and 1t is known that
this negro had made threats against
his life At the time of his arrest. we