The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-15
RAPER TURNS STATE
EVIDENCE ON CHARGE
OF TRAIN ROBBERY
Alleged Train Robbers on
Trial in the Federal
Court
TELLS OF CONSPIRACY
TO ROB MAIL TRAIN
Witness Subjected to Severe Cross
Examination By Defendants At
torneys-Admits Former
Conviction

Jim Raper, implicated in the alleged
attempt to hold up Louisville and
Nashville mail train No. T. October 8,
1915, turned states evidence pleaded
guilty and asked for the mercy of the
court yesterday when the case against
himself. Tom Collier, Tom Hollis. Simp
Patterson and Oscar Linn came to trial
before Judge w. l. Grub in the fed
eral court Raper was the third wit
ness put on the stand by the United
States.
The case against the five men was
the result of an attempt to hold up a
mail train few miles north of Biz
mingham in October of last year The
plot was learned of and nipped by for
mer Chief of Police George Bodelzer
and postoffice inspectors. The men
were captured following a gun fight
in which Tom Collier was seriously
shot and Jim Raper slightly wounded.
This case went to trial late yester-
day afternoon after considerable time
had been spent in selecting the jury.
An array of legal talent has been en-
p1oyed to represent the defendants,
consisting of Attorneys Earle Pettus,
C. c. Nesmith, Silverman & Hoskins,
3. c. Buckhart, Lee Cowart and A. S.
Leath of Walker county
Immediately after the jury had been
selected attorneys for Jim Raper an
nounced that their client desired to
plead guilty. He was excused from
the courtroom and the trial started.
The charge that the defendants were
iy,1, ali oof a1
United States mail was read before the
jury by Assistant District Federal At
torney Ralph Quinn. The first witness
was c. e. Greek, railway mail clerk
who was on the train on the morning
of October s, and the next witness
was A. p. Hester, the other mall clerk
on the train They were questioned re-
garding the schedule of the train and
the regular stops.
TURNS UP HIS PALS
The assistant United States district
attorney next called Jim Raper, the
confessed accomplish In the alleged
were Immediately made by the defense,
but were overruled by Judge Grubb
Jim Raper was asked to tell all he
knew about the matter and in calm
clear manner told his story to the
jury.
81 came from Admission. where I had
been for sometime, early on the morn
ing of October Z. 1 hung around town
until late that afternoon when T went
to the Palace pool room. There l met
Simp Patterson. who asked me if I
wanted to go out with them on a job
that night. I told him did not know,
and he said if I wanted to go on the
job to meet him there at s o'clock
that night when the rest of the bunch
would be there.
II was back at the appointed time.
Patterson and Linn were there also.
Shortly after we got there Tom Hol-
lis and Tom Collier came in. We talked
awhile and then went out to the front
where Tom Golfers car was standing.
We went out by Mount Pinson and
Boyles When we got out at Trafford,
Patterson, Linn and Hollis said they
would stay there. board the train, cut
the mail car loose and bring 1t on
down the line where they were go
ing to rob 1t. Linn pushed a small pair
of plyers into my hand and said, Be
d sure you cut them telegraph
wires at 1858. for that is the time the
train Is due here. Tom will show you
where; then you can meet us with the
car
CUTS TELEGRAPH WIRES
collier and myself left them, COM
ing back quite a long distance from
Birmingham Finally Collier slowed
up saying, Here we are / got out,
went to the railroad and climbed a
telegraph pole and cut the wires
"How many wires did you cut?" was
asked. Fifteen or twenty" said RAJ
per. "Was that alp" THAT was all
on that side of the railroad, and the
post I climbed" What did you do
them" II came back to the car where
Tom was" What happened then?"
when I came near the car Tom
came out toward me and s we started
to the car flashlight was turned on
us and the firing commenced. 1 don't
know how many times they fired but
I think it must have been at least is
shots. Tom was shot down and
lodged in front of the car. but got a
bullet through my hand"
In this simple manner Raper told OF
the plans for one of the most daring
train robberies ever planned in this
district. He was cool and calm on the
stand and refused to become ratified at
the heavy cross-fire of the lawyers
for the defendants. He stuck to his
story as first told. During his MARIA
tive the defense objected to sumber
of things, but were overruled by Judge
Grub. He admitted being convicted in
Admission when 16 years OF age on a
charge of grand larceny. for which he
said he had done on year and one DAY In