The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-08
SPAIN CLAIMS THE
 OFFICERS ARE TQO
 SLOW ON MURDER
Thinks They Should Make Efforts to Capture Man Who Killed l.. Thomas
 Saturday Night

As yet neither the police nor the detec- tive department has done anything to- ward capturing the murderer of Leon H Thomas, the young street car conductor Thomas was shot and killed. it is alleged hy negro. in front of ms rooming house at 5o5 First avenue, West End. about II 4a o'clock Saturday night Coroner Charles l.. Spain is Investigating.
 Leon Thomas was killed while on his Way home. It was stated by companion that he was accosted by negro who asked for match. Thomas is said to have replied that he did not have a match whereupon the negro grew insolent and words followed It was also stated that there was another negro on a dray near iy This negro is alleged to have drawn pistol and to have fired three shots at Thomas, killing him almost instantly. The negroes then made ther escape. Several hours later the police of West End pre- oinet captured negro giving the name of John Henry Marble. This negro was charged with the killing of Thomas, which he positively denled It is now admitted by the police that in all probability the 'ii iiAihNiti bi | ilOiisttS iS sun aN iti
 Yesterday Coroner C. L. Spain made a rorsonal appeal to Acting Chief of Po- lice Martin Eagan and also to the detec- tive department for some action on this murder. Coroner Spain requested that pme officers and detectives be detailed on the case so that the murderer would not escape
 "A man Is killed and 1t Is soon forgot ten. said Coroner Spain, except by the relatives and they are apt to become anarchists when they view the indiffer- enee of the constituted authorities to- wards crime.
 Here in Birmingham we have had sew eral white men killed in the past sew eral months and no one has been pun ished. Last Saturday night a young man "a well behaved young man by the name of Leon Thomas-a street car conductor, Was shot down and killed in cold blood in front of his home and the murderer was allowed to escape detection. There affair
 Ut appears to be the custom of the police and the detectives to report murder and lot the happening down in |. book of record. After that-nothing. It is left to the coroner to uncover what ever can be uncovered. If a murderer is nDt captured on the scene of his crime in Jefferson eounty-he is rarely captured at all for q murder is forgotten in three days in this locality.
 To-day l have personally appealed .o Captain Eagan and to the detective de- rartment for some action on the Thomas killing. Three days had gone by and nothing whatever had been done-except that a negro had been arrested and it is admitted that he is the wrong man. This is notAunusua1 However, l am sin cerely hoping that the police and de- tectiYes will awake to the gravity of this recent cold-blooded killing and con- soientiously labor to clear it up
 IL was stated In the detective depart ment last night that several detectives were actively engaged the Thomas killing and that report would be forth coming on the tragedy within a few hours. II was stated that the negro un- der arrest-if he was not the actual mur- derer-at least knew who did the shoot ing and it was thought that he would confess before morning.
 The police department Is also very ac- tive. il is stated, on the affair.
 We hope to clear up the Thomas kill ing very shortly" said Chief Martin Ea- gan yesterday