Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-09-14
BOWMAN SUSPECT
INDICTED FOR CRIME
Joe. .Wolcott, Alias Tom Sharkey,
Answers to Description of
Aged Grocer's Slayer.
CLOTHING LIKE MURDERER'S
Joseph G. Quinn States Positive
ly He Is Man Seen Near
Store at Time of Killing.
CLOTHING LIKE MURDERER's

Joe Wolcott. alias Tom Sharkcy. es-
capcd convict from the State Pcnitcn-
tiary. arrested yesterday morning by
Detective Sergcants Wiltshire. Atkin-
son and Smith and Officer Gcrrjng. has
been formally charged with the murder
OF James e. bowman. who was shot TO
death by negro bandit early last Sat
urday morning at the Great Atlantic
and Pacific Tea store. Harrison and
Leigh streets. Wolcott was positively
identified by Joseph &. Quinn. who lives
next ooo- to the scene Of the killing.
ar saw Eowmsn's murderer FIVE times
before and after the crime last Satur-
day morning
Detective Sergeant Wiltshire signed
IN. affidavit against Wolcott last night.
following several hours of questioning
or the negro by various police offcia Is.
Wolcott was confronted with "A mass of
discriminating evidence which nc was
unable to rcfUte. and. according to the
eral time j. is stated that the al
legged slayer aEFtej at one time during
tn" cAauinatton 70 tell all abou; the
Affair but whei one Of the officers re-
turned with pacer 10 take down the
written stAtem"'.,; nc changed his mind
and refused TO talk further.
Unless No'. ot' confcsscs tho )licc
arc depending Upon mud stained re-
voiver. stccl-tipped shoe. bandahna
handkerchief and tho negro clothing as
their principal weapons in convicting
the alleged murderer. In addition. the
authorities have many other bits of
Gether to strengthen the charge against
the negro.
NEGRO'S CLOTHING TAI.LIES
WITH THOSE OF SLAYER
Near witnesses and those who saw
the slayer of Bowman before and after
the crime declare that he wore a dark
blue coat. striped trousers and e
chcckcred cap. which was very dirty,
dotted handkerchief. When pl:s,ed
under arrest AT the kinEan Co. plant
Yesterday morning Wolcott wore a
dirty chcckered cap. blue coat and had
in his pocke, a blue polka dotted
handkerchief. In his room at 1928
West Leigh Street was found pair
scription OF those worn by the man
who killed Bowman.
In Woicott's room the police also
found two revolvers. one being of the
man was shot. Three new shells and
! three corroded shells were in tho gun.
/ Bowmans slayer fired three shots at
the time of the crime. It is declared.
One Of tho men who followed the mur-
dcrer from the tea store says that the
slayer dronped something beside the
The police believe that wolcott dropped
his revolver. which they found bears
mud stains. although an effort had
seSn ,no,n..l made t, TO- clean lea of Of the gun
dcncc tho police have against tho pris-
oner is his right shoe. the right sole
Of which hears steel tip. Immediate
~ after the murder the tracks Of the
slayer were found in mud near tho tea
store. and ono OF the distinguish in =
marks was the indication that the shoe
bore such steel tip.
QUINN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIES
WOICO7'T AS MJRDERER
Following his examination by the au-
thoruies Yesterday afternoon. Wolcott
was taken before Quinn, who states
that he saw Rowman's slayer in front
OF the tea store before the Killing and
mot him face TO face as he was lcav-
ing the store. Quinn last night de-
clarcd positively. according TO the po-
lice. that Wolcott was Bowmans muir
dcrer.
Two colored women who saw the
negro a, the time OF the killing locke d
at Wolcott last night. but would not
positively identify him under the cleo
tric lights; stating that he looked Ike
the man. but asking TO see him again
to-day before stating .positiveiy. VOL
cott viii he taken before these wome n
carly This morning before being AZ
! rairned in Justice Crutchicld's court
on tho hrst-deErec murder charge.
Wolcott is an esca ped convict from
the state Penitentiary. He was SEN
January !. 1912: and escaped September
/ Z. 1915. just three wears 10 the day
previous TO the killing of Bowman.
He has been living in Richmond for
! som" time under the name OF Tom
Sharkey and. according 20 the police
has not worked for the past four
. months. During his examination he
cla lined that he had been employed at
various places. but the police. on check :
/ ing up these statements, found them
incorrect.
SAID TO HAVE INDICATED
DESIRE TO TELL STORY
Among other things. Wolcott is al
! legged TO have asked Captain Wright
yesterday II. in case he should tell all
| he knew about the Bowman case, the
/ court would not press the previous
charge against him. apparently feeling
tnat nc could be convicted only for
the crime which sent him To prison
| first,
1t is believed that Wolcott is the
writer OF an anonymous letter which
| was received by the Police Department
| this week. in which the writer stated
! that the officers would never capture
| the slayer fic Haunted the fact thai
! tho murderer had stood within few
| feet of one Of the detectives invcstigat- :
ing the case shortly after the murder.
| Comparison of Wolcott's writing with
| that OF the writer OF the anonymous
letter indicates to the police that VOL
colt framed the communication.
CaDain Of Detectives Wright and the
other officers who have been workin
on the case are confident that they will
secure Il confession in the case shortly.
Without this they believe that they
have sufficient evidence to convict VOL
cott