The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1917-06-15
DEPUTY SHERIFF IS
DRAINED BY PRISONER.
Gilbert Perhaps Fatal Blow and Then Breaks for
Liberty. Blood Hounds Trail for Nine Miles
Community Aroused Gilbert's Life in
Balance. Negro Caught Effort
Will be Made to Save Trial

Grenada was aroused on Monday
night about 9 o'clock at it has not
been aroused for many years. The
cause was the Draining Of deputy
sheriff and jailer, S. E. Gilbert, by
negro named Vol Brock, who was
confined for stealing pistol. 1t
took only little while for
throng to gather at the Jail and
around the court house, each ready
to do his mite towards capturing the
fleeing Ethiopian who was willing to
commit murder in order to get from
behind the doors Of the county bastile
where he was confined for a minor
offense and who had struck a death
blow upon the head of the man whose
kindness of heart had given him the
liberty of the Jail corridors instead
of his being placed behind the bars.
1t seems that for some days Mr.. Gil
bert had made it a custom to walk
up stairs about 8 o'clock to view what
had happened, if anything, where the
prisoners were kept, and the negro,
knowing this habit, took of an iron
leg from a table and hid himself be-
hind the outer door. When Mr.. Gil
bert opened the door, the negro
struck him a powerful lick over the
head which at once felled him. His
skull was broken and a small piece of
the bone of the skull was picked
up from the floor. The negro,
as soon as he had done his work,
jumped over Mr.. Gilbert's body and
fastened the wounded and conscious
less man in, and rushed for the dark
V1y.thn,pt In, hn NJ Me-
Gilbert's woman intuition had told
her that something was wrong, and,
too, she was aroused by the unusual
noise, so she seized a pistol and made
for the hall where she knew the pris-
oner would have to pass. As he
passed her at lightning rapidity she
fired twice but without effect. The
alarm was soon given and physicians
summoned, which soon told the story
that another officer had apparently
given his life At. this post of duty
and that a good woman was to be
left a widow and a dear little child
was to be without a father. Sheriff
Crowder at once got in touch with
Mr.. Cant at Crystal Springs, who
owns some blood hounds, and he
reached Grenada shortly after
o'clock Tuesday morning. The roads
and bridges leading out of town had
all been guarded and everything pos
sible done to cover the trail Of the
would-be murderer. The dogs were
a trail which led them to the edge of
Yalobusha river just north of the
Grenada oil mill. Here it was noted
that barefoot tracks led up to the
waters edge. Accordingly the dogs
were carried to the river bridge a
half mile below and thence up the
river opposite where the trail had
been left; here they opened up live
ly yelp again and were followed by an
eager throng through the Yalobusha
river swamp for three miles to the
house where his wife lived. She told
the crowd the negro had been there
only an hour or two before and that
he had instructed her to bring his
breakfast to certain place in the
woods. The woods were secured and
every possible spot searched, but at
this writing, TUESDAY p.m.,) the pur-
suers have not been rewarded with a
capture. There were perhaps one
hAhuA GU dIu HIty lHC SCdINll
party, and while everything was done
with precision and without any eX-
citement, yet it was manifest on the
face of every man that the courts
would not be bothered to try the
case, should they lay hands upon the
one who had defed the law and who
had brutally stricken down good Of
ficer and a good citizen. Brock is
described as an almost coal black ne
gro, weighing about 14O pounds, and
as being about feet 10 inches in
height. He is said to have recently
come to these parts from Arkansas.
Mr.. Gilbert was carried to the Wi
mona hospital, but physicians gave
little hope of his recovery. He is
man about 80 years old and has been
making a good officer.
Up to this writing, Thursday
morning) the negro had been traced
to a point nine miles west of Grenada,
where he got astride of a mule which
the tracks showed was brought him
by some woman. Those who have
followed the dogs assert most posi-
lively that there is no doubt about
the trail as the footprints which
could be seen every now and then as
the dog trailed along, were the same
as the tracks made at the river cross
ing. 1t is believed that his place of
destination is known and nothing is
going to be. left undone to effect
capture. Sheriff Crowder has been
on the go almost day and night since
Monday night and has been most eff
fectively assisted by many of the citi-
zens.
Mr.. Gilbert is doing just as well as
could be expected. He is conscious,
although physicians state that should
he get well, he will be partially, if not
wholly, pralayzed.