The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-10-16
MURDER, ARSON
B|GAMY CHARGES
DON'T JOLT HIM
n Have No Remorse," Walter
Lee Hammond, Tells Cops
As He Goes to Mississippi
10 Face Court.

Il have no remorse foreany Of my
acts"
Flaunting this statement at police
detectives Saturday morning, Walter
Lee Hammond, heavily handcuffed
and manacled, was taken back to
Okolona, Miss, to face charges or
first degree murder, arson and big
amy. The third charge is the result
of investigations here showing that
Hammond, alias James M. Lee, mar
ried a woman by the name oL Dicker-
son, in Nashville, Tenn, some time
ago He was arrested here friday.
Hammond bore q hard look al
though he smiled frequently as he
told his story Friday to Chief Of De-
tectives GBiffin. Hammond denies
the murder charge, and declares ne
did not burn his home.
He admits that following the Kill
ing of negro in his home he saw
a chance" for his wife to collect the,
$4,000 insurance he had on his lift.
His wife, the woman with whom ne
was living in January 1915, at Oko-
Iona, has. been fighting for three
years in Mississippi state courts to
recover the insurance.
: 1t Is not believed she knew that
he was alive. .>
Hammond is charged with killing
negro by the name of Gillespie II
is>said that he carried the negro INTO
his home, set fire to 1t, and then dis
appeared, while his wife began ac-
tion to recover the $4,000 insurance.
Hammond tells different story.
Seated in a comfortable chair IN
the chief of detectives office Friday,
bearing an air of a man held for
some minor offense, Hammopd de-
clared that ON the night his home
was burned he had an alteration
with two negroes for hunting on his
farm at Egypt, Miss. He said that
the negroes came to his house later:
while he was alone, and attacked
him. One of them attempted to beat
him with a wagon spoke.
During the fight 2 lamp was over.
: turned. at the same time, Hammond
declared coollx he shot one 0fassthe
blacks, the other running. He start.
ed To chase the runaway negro, ana
while he was away from tbs house,
the OVERTURNED lamp set Tire to It,
and when he returned he found II IN
flames. !,
aThen it came to me-my chance. :
said Hammond
He told detectives here that he
planned to disappear and collect the
insurance, although no record OF ms
personal attempt to get IL back mas
been proven. The fight to get the
money was waged, it is said, by his
wife in Mississippi, who, 1t Is pre-
sumed, believed him dead.
The insurance suit came to sud
den end recently, however, when the
insurance company issuing the poiicy
and against whom the suit was in
a1ituted. learned positively that Ham
mond was alive. Warrants for Ills
arrest were then issued and sent TO
Memphis, when Detective Sergts'
Clark and Joyce were detailed TO the
case. ...
Hammond, Mississippi authorities
charge placed the negro who 1t is
said he murdered brutally. in tne
house before he set fire to 1t, with
fhe idea that the charred remains
would lead to the belief that ne
(Hammond) had been burned. lie
denies this. w..
When the woman with whom Ham
nond has been living here with TOT
four months, was brought to police
headouarters, she said ,she coulo
nrove that she had been legally mar
Aried to him in Nashville some time
Uo. She gave police the name ol
zakninister whom she said married
Hammond denies this en-
Aally
the alleged crime he has beer
Ing almost constantly. He Is
Ito have been in Kansas City
Ale and st. Louis.
2ond was taken to Okolona by
6heriff W. j. Williams.