The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-15
'(en 6%r Mp EIyf XI7ze
THE CAPTURE OF WEISS WATTS
After Standing off Sheriff and Posse the Notorious Bandit
 was Taken Single Handed by Detective Furlong "

sylvania. and with his aid speedily round- cd up all the members Of the gang with the exception of Wess Watts. Through the help of a sister of Mrs. Watts, who was in correspondence wlth her. ! learnee that Watts had last been beard from at Paducah, Ky. l went to Paducah and round Watts wife there, introducing my self to her as a friend of her husbands.
 You get out of helei' shrieked the woman "or I'll throw kettleful of hot water over you. l .ain't got no use for Wess nor none of his friends
 It appeared from the woman's further explanations that her husband had de- serted her and their child and had run off with another mans wife. Tnereupon l quickly dropped my disguise and eN- plained to the woman tAe purpose of my visit l learned from her hat Wess ard a man named Oliver Brooks had opened a gunsmith's shop at Shawneetown, H.. and had their shiugle cut for repairing, but were in reality committing burgaries and thefts almost nightly in tho vicinity of that town.
 Shawneetown is on the Ohio river some % miles from Paduoah. l started for this point under circumstances which will be described later, but was compelled to abandon my first plan. I ;iow took boat and arrived at Shawneetovn very early in the morning. l had no difficulty ill loCdllnS lile Sunsf1llIn snOp. ana. nav ing done so. seated myself npon an empty ooX outside a general merchandise shop across the way and awaited developments ] had been seated there for about an hour when I noticed a little cloud of smoke coming out of the stovepipe chimney in the ,unshop shanty A f=w minutes latsf the door was opened, and it became evi- dent that some one was sweeping, though who this person was l could not deter- mine Accordingly, feeling curious, l got up to investigate.
 When I reached the spot the sweeper had disappeared and the was nobody in the front room. I knocked at the door leading into the rear room and was an swered by a man who came out carrying 2 the broom. E4 was clad in blue overalls a knit undershrt and pair of rubbcrs From his resemblance to other members of his family it was evident that this was Watts himSf.
 Are you a gunsmith?" I inquired Well, l have a job for you. I have an old gun here. but don't know whether you can do anything with it or not"
 awkwardly drew from my pocke t the Al Colt double action revolver which l had brought with me, holding it about the muzzle. Watts turned around in q leisurely manner to set down the broom. As he turned again ana extended his hand to take the weapon he found it pointed at his head.
 Hands up!' I ordered
 Watts hesitated for an instant.
 Throw up your hands or I'll blow your head off" I continued and Watts obeyed.
 At that moment a man with a bushy head of red hair peered through the door leading into the rear room but when he saw what was happening. he ducked his head and disappeared. Pay ing no attention to the second man. [ commanded Watts { face about and step forward to the door. which he did. keeping his hands up. As he stepped down and out of the door, took a pair of handcuffs out of my left hand coat pocket and snapped them on my prisoners wrists, which were held above his head.
 Nov you can drop your hands" I said.
 I marched Watts to the door of the village hotel Watts obeying all my commands and uttering not a word. On arriving at the hotel I found the night clerk asleep in a chair and he seemed to be terrified at the sight of his visitors. He quickly re- covered, however and upon instructions brought us something to eat Watts managed to make pretty good break fast in spite of the irons"
 On arising from the table 1t occurred well dressed for making a long jour-