The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-11

He said that he got off duty at 10
O'clock and missing the last SUBURBAN
car did as he had done before, boarded
the train No. 4l on the blind baggage,
He said he went to sleep and that the
train had passed MoIemore avenue be-
fore he Rwoke He olhmbercd off the
train, according to his story, and was
trying to get to the street nearby when
shot In the back by one OF the special
agents OF the railroad who started q
man hunt just after the holdup oc-
cured.
Attracted by groans of the wounded
man. Frank Gruett. n negro living near
by discovered Gates at the edge of q
swamp by a fence In corn field sat
urday morning, about a quarter OF a
mile from the Illinois Central Ice plant,
which stands at the western end OF the
Nonconnah yards. The negro at once
reported his discovery to j. y, Ralding,
superintendent OF the Ice plant, The
wounded man was taken TO the leo plant
and DR., W G: Afford, ]. G. physician,
was summoned.
Worked Until Midnight.
Gates has been In the employ Of the
Frisco railroad about two years as an
engine foreman. He la said to have
been a steady worker and his record
with the company IL good. The officials
Of the company nor his fellow employees
have never had reason 70 question his
Ills shift Ia on duty from pm. to
10 midnight When he completed his
days work Friday he left his work near
the Calhoun street freight depot, only
short distance from the Grand Cen
tral station, whore he says that he got
on the train, when he learned that the
last street car that would carry him
AA rFnF
The last regular SUBURBAN car leaves
AZ 10 O'Clock Al might now and not l2;S0
Atm AS formerly.
Ilmployes III the Ice plant ut Noneon.
nah Xnrds who saw Gates when he left
1sN# train early Saturday morning ~
| the time ne WAS shot declare that after
| the shot was fired he started In the
oppoaite direction he should have taken
| had no been going toward bis home at
92H East McLemOra avenue. However,
after auch IL wound one might lose
sense Of direction
Mrs, Gates, wife Of the man who was
shot, was unable TO give any infornna-
tion concerning her husbands aHaoci-
ates. She appeared 10 be very ner-
vous when questioned but nothing that
would prove uf value to the police IN
the search Of tho men who robbed
the Y. g. M, V. train Friday night
Mrs. Gates stated that her husband
until midnight but further than this
she could shed no light on the mat
| ter,
Gates was found to have been shot
| through tho abdomen. The bullet en-
tered tho back and came out near the
navel DR. Afford at once saw the man
apparently had little chance to 1.-Two and
| questioned him closely regarding his az.
tions. According to Or. Afford he did
not tell n very clear story.
Pete McHu"h, special agent for the
| Illinois Central railroad, sent men to
| the ice plant, who questioned the
wounded man. Gates repeated IN sub
stance the same story told before ol
| going to sleep on the blind baggage
and going past HIS destination, Meu
around the Ice plant nay they know
Gates and that he has an unsavory rep
| utation.
Thompson Bros. ambulance was sum
| moned and Gates was taken to the
General hospital, An operation was un-
der way early Saturday afternoon III
q desperate to save the mans life,
Police Take Trail.
Huet Smith, chief of detectives, sent
n detail Of men to Jack Cates home
| where no la said to have a wife and
| child. Effort will be made to prove oi
dlsprove his story there. A man named
| Gates, believed to be the same indi'
| vlduai formerly roomed at the home oi
Mrs, Myrtle Byrd, 96t Rayhurn bouie'
ward hut recently took up his residence
on McLemore avenue. according to Mrs
| Byrd.
The fact that Gates was shot In the
back and evidently was hurrying away
| from the scene, ana the fact that al
| though shot clear through the abdomen,
| he succeeded In getting a quarter OF d
| mile from the scene OF the holdup adds
weight, police and special agents de-
| clare. to the suspicion attached to him
| Of participating In the bold holdup oil
the early hours Saturday morning,
| 1t is believed that ten or more mon
were In the gang that held up the train
and other clews are being followed by
! city county and railroad officers,
The total value of the two packages
that the robbers succeeded In gettins
away with amounted to only $l3I 80,
| one package contained revolvers
| shipped by Orgill Bros to Drew, Miss,
| valued at Sl25 Y The other package con-
tained $3.50 worth OF iewelry from Geo.
| r, Brodnax. Inc, going to Glendora
| Miss The robbers had been on the
| train only about five minutes when the
| sudden stopping Of the train at West
| Junction alarmed the bandits at their
work and caused them to abandon the
| project There was not dollar In cur
| rency on the train, It was said
Men BOARD Exuress Car.