Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-18
POLICE HAVE NEGRO
FUGITIVE At BAY
Isaiah Fountain Believed Cor
nered in Talbot
County.

Easton, Md June 1S-lsaiah Fountain,
convicted Negro assallant of l4-year-old
Bertha Simpson, is believed TO be sur
I rounded on small peninsula IN Talbot
county, hardly more than a stones throw
from the place where he assaulted the girl
more than year ago.
Hundreds of armed men. who searched
for him during pouring ram last night,
have formed Gordon around the peninsula.
They are gradually closing in, working
from the land end toward the Choptank
river. Every bush and tree which might
hide the Negro is being carefully examn-
ed, and each man in the posse has sworn
10 take Fountain either dead or alive. All
are heavily armed. Should Fountain be
armed and show fight, it is almost n GER
tainty he will be taken dead, or at least
badly wounded
WILL USE BLooDHoUNDs-
Hurricane Branch, which has a nation
wide reputation as ''the bloodhound de-
tective" and whose home is In Suffolk,
Va, is on his way to Salisbury on spe-
cially chartered boat to help In the hunt
for Fountain.
Police Captain George G. Henry of
the Northwestern district IN Baltimore
arrived here yesterday with special
commission from Governor RItchle 10
take charge of the hunt for Fountain.
Captain Henry is thoroughly familiar
with the country in this section and was
in charge of the men who captured Foun-
tain at the time of his first escape.
There are scores of men forming the
posse who have said they will make no
attempt to capture him alive, but will
shoot him on sight. There are a number
of men in the man hunt who are counsellng
those whose anger against the Negro Is at
a fever heat to be calm and TO return
Fountain to the Jail IN the event he Is
caught.
Just how the Negro will be taken prob
ably will be known within a few hours.
That he is hiding on the Peninsula, is the
firm belief of all who are aiding In the
search.
FUGITIVE SOUGHT FooD.
Fountain s whereabouts became known
Wednesday night when he appeared at the
door of John Turner, Negro acquaint-
ance, who lives on the farm of Norman
Tavlor, about a quarter of mile from
Hamhleton, in the Trappe district and
asked for something to eat Turner's wife
answered his call, and after talking with
him gave him some bread. Both Turner
and his wife are afraid Of Fountain and
were too frightened to refuse his request
for food,
Taylor happened to hear the converse
ton between the Negroes and recognized
Fountains voice He called TO him, and
when he failed to get an answer he got
his shotgun and attempted TO capture
him. Fountain took refuge in the woods
and Tavlor then made the trip TO Easton
in an automobile at breakneck speed
and spread the news.
sEARCHERs DRENCHED BY RAIN.
Sheriff Charles NJ. T. Soulsby, who has
been in charge Of the hunt. was forming
posse at the moment. Within few min
utes more than q score of automobiles,
crowded with armed men, were making
all possible speed toward the TAYLOR farm
All Negro dwellings in the vicinity, va
cant houses. outbuildings silos and even
pig pens were searched, but without re-
sult. A heavy rain and wind storm ragged
during most of the time and every man
in the posse was drenched. Travel over
water-soaked fields and freshly plowed
around was necessarily slow, but with the
aidof automobile spotlghts they came upon
footprints which the posse feels sure We're
made by Fountain. These led into the woods
On the peninsula and this was soon sur
rounded The news spread TO all sections
rapidly and reinforcenents arrived dur
ing the night.
Fountain has q chance Of escaping from
his hiding place, but II Is considered re-
mote The peninsula just out into the Chop
tank river and there are but two WAYS 70
leave II. One is over q bridge known as the
Dover bridge and the other is by way OF the
railroad bridge which spars the river al
this point Each bridge Is being patrolled
by a number OF men. II is said Fountain
might attempt to get to the Dorchester
county shore in a small boat or even by
swimming. He is said TO be an expert
swimmer To offset this probability the
entire water front Of the peninsula is being
patrolled by men in rowboats and launches
Fannie Fountain, mother Of Isaiah
was arrested this morning and is now
locked up at the Easton jail. There Is no
charge against her, but she being question
ed with q view to establishing whether
or not she attempted to assist Isaiah In
ms escape.