The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-23


 end of the Southside was broken into, the night watchman bound and gagged. and the safe rifled. A report of the crime reaching police headquarters, pa- trolmen were instructed to keep a lookout for the yeggmen and Officers Adams and Kirtley met Duncan and Miller on First avenue west of Eighteenth street headed for the hotel district. Taking them into custody, the officers started for the city jail.
 Midway between Nineteenth and Twen- tieth streets on the south side of Third avenue, watching for favorable oppor- -tunity. the two deperadoes shot both offi- cers and made their escape. Both were apprehended later, one at Anniston and the other at Chattanooga, and brought back here, tried. convicted of murder 2 and subsequently hanged.
 'l Pending an appeal to the supreme court Duncan escaped from the Jefferson coun- ty jail and his case being called before his rearrest, the appeal was dismissed. Later he was caught and hanged. s This was one of the most sensational criminal cases ever tried in Jefferson county courts the trial lasting about two weeks the defendants being represented % by some of the ablest counsel at the Bir- mingham bar.
 It developed after investigation that there were five members of the yegg- men crew operating in Birmingham at the time, but only one other of the five was ever caught
 SOME LUDICROUS INCIDENTS
 While the same crime wave had every body in Birmingham scared to go out after dark, a number of rather ludicrous incidents occurred, some of them with possibilities of serious tragedy. A lone night workman, a newspaper man. py the way. on his way home at o'clock
 nfk ,fr Aox md y,iO passed through Capitol park. As he neared the Eighth avenue entrance two men confronted him, both with pistols drawn commanded him to hold up his hands and as he promptly obeyed, one of them searched him. Finding no money {, or other articles of value on him the two stickup men, after few quiries as to his occupation and possessions and why he braved the dangers of an early morning hour in the dark and desolate park one of them took nickel from his pocket and handing it to the . newspaper man remarked that he needed < the price of coffee" and anyway, < newspaper man was no person to pc , robbed. Still covering him with revol- :, yers the highwaymen told him to "beat :. it. and keep quiet. Needless to say, the s. .uuill driver" {typewriters were almost X an unknown quantity in newspaper of- {. fees those days) "beat it'' and stood /. not upon the ceremony of his going. lie :, was glad to get away with his life and s never reported the incident until the z bright light of a sunny day restored ms nerves.
 BUSINESS MAN FRIGHTENED ;s Along about the same time pedes- q train. a business man, detained down. is town until late hour, was making ' his way home to Seventh avenue when a very mysterious noise emlnatlng from Sixth alley "threw" fright into !. him. Running to the middle of the !. street he resumed his journey north <. ward, eyes riveted on the mouth of tae dark alley. Just as he got opposite the alley dog and cat. plainly visible |. under the rays of the arc light at the corner ran from the alley directly to- wards him. His hat, hurled from his head by upstanding hair, fell upon the fast-running cat, which, evidently be- ..lieving the dog was upon it, turned and a royal battle ensued. But the business man, relieved of his fright. felt too grateful to remain for the 7 contest As he turned eastward at 7 Seventh avenue the two night prowl- / CTS were making the fur fly and arous- ing the neighborhood with their dis dressing cries.
 Z Gold brick men. operating about the