Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1916-09-23
MARSHAL SMITH
TAKES HARRISON
TO BIRMINGHAM
BROTHER OF JEFF HARRISON
MUST TESTIFY BEFORE THE
GRAND JURY
SENSATIONAL STORIES PRINTED
IN WHEELING PAPERS YES
TERDAY ARE FALSE
HARRISON'S RELEASE MAY CAUSE
RELEASE OF THREE MEN
FROM PRISON

United States Marshal G.. E. Smith,
who arrived in Birmingham, Alabama,
last night with Dick Harrison brother
of the notorious Jeff Harrison, held
in Jail here, in his custody, is expect
ed back in Martinsburg Thursday Of
this week Marshal Smith took Dick
Harrison from North Wheeling hospi-
tai in that city to Birmingham, where
the younger brother of the notorious
train robber who is under a 12-year
sentence to the Atlanta, Georgia, fed
eral prison, imposed by Judge Eayton
last week, to Birmingham where Dick
is wanted as a witness before the fed
eral grand jury there. This is the
only fact known by the local federal
authorities to cause the authorities
there to ask that Dick be brought to
that city Just what the authorities of
Alabama wish to find out from Dick
is not known.
Sensational stories printed in Wheel
ing papers yesterday that Henry
Grady Web, wanted here for the
Central Station train robbery of last
October, to which Jeff confesses, was
in Birmingham and that Dick Harri-
son was wanted to positively identify
the man under suspicion there are
false. There is nothing at all to that
stry, local federal officers said today.
But why it was desired by the Ala
bama authorities that Dick, who is
an invalid, in a serious candition from
partial paralysis and other ills, be
taken the long distance to appear
before their courts was not made
clear in the messages sent here by
the authorities there
But it is surmised that his pres
ence there is desired in an effort now
in the forming in that state to cause
the release of Harry Marks, Frank
Moore and John Williams, three men
now serving eighteen months in the
Alabama prison on a charge of trans
porting high explosives into Alaba-
ma, and with a term of % years hang
ing over their heads for completely in
the robbery of the Alabama Great
Southern train at Bibville, Alabama
in September 1913.
That these men are in reality in
nocent of that crime and that it
was in fact the result of efforts of
| the Harrison-Webb gang is now the
belief held by Alabama authorities
and an effort is on in that state to
prove the later theory and obtain the
| release of the three now in Jail there.
1t is believed here that Dick Harri-
son was taken back to Alabama to
help clear up the vexatious questions
which have arisen in connection with
these cases there.
| Meanwhile jeff Harrison is still held
prisoner in the county Jail here
awaiting transportation to Atlanta to
begin his twelve-year term in the
prison there, for his part in the Cen
| trail Station robbery in this state last
October Dick Harrison, it is said had
no part in the Central Station rob-
berry and is now held under charge of
any crime in this state. Dick was ar
/ rested months ago, taken to the
| Wheeling hospital and placed in that
| institution under charge of Deputy
| Marshal Short. He is in a serious
physical condition and the long trip
to the southern city was of neces-
sity hard one for the man.
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