The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1920-07-01
FLEEING NEGROES ARE
CAUGHT NEAR LODGE

Little Ole" Georgia negro, who
has been working recently with con-
struction ganR near Hot Lake, the al
legged murderer of Otis Mayes. 0. w.
r. & N. brakeman, and two compan-
mos. were captured Thursday afternoon
within 100 yards of Mount Hood Lodge,
| in the Upper Valley. Homer Rogers,
host at the resort, Sheriff Chrisman, of
Wasco county, and dad" Maulson, an
other member of posse, surrounded
the negroes in a thickly wooded plot
Except for Ole, who carried a small
pistol. presumably the weapon used
Wednesday night, none of the blacks
were armed. Sheriff Chrisman returned
the negroes here, taking them to The
Dalles, where Ole will probably be the
| first murderer in the state to face a
death sentence under the new capital
punishment law. Others of the blacks
may be arraigned as accomplices in the
murder, one of the most brutal ever
committed in this section.
Two white boys, Tom Burr, aged Is.
of Centralia, Wash. and Burt Mitchell,
81, of San Francisco, and two other
negroes were. captured here Wednesday
night. Mays was not missed by fellow
members of the freight train crew un-
til the train reached here. On investi-
eating the pools of blood discovered on
the floor of gondola car, a man whose
name was not learned by local authori-
ties, hearing the conversation of the
train crew, gave the alarm when he
saw the two young whites and the two
negroes in the local freight yards. The
Quartette was Immediately arrested by
! Night Officer Hart. After questioning
| the prisoners, the officers and train crew
drew out the story of the shooting.
Harry Allen, of Kansas City, and
Council Oliver, of Norfolk, Va, were
the names and addresses given by the
negroes captured Wednesday night.
divers right shoe and his overalls
were blood covered, and it is thought
that he may have assisted in throwing
the body of the brakeman from the
train. He says, however, thaat the
blood was smeared on him as he crowd
ed between the sides of the car and the
boilers with which the gondola was
| loaded. Allen claims that Mayes was
collecting fares of so cents each from
the trespassers on threat of making
them Jump from the moving train. He
declaress that he had paid for himself
and another negro and was proferring
fare for third, when the black
called Little Ole, who had no money,
drew his gun and fired it into the
brakeman's mouth. Pieces of silver
found on the floor of the car tally with
his story. When the train slowed down
for Hood River, according to Aliens
story, Ole urged all the blacks to join
| him and flee to the mountains. The
white boys were in another car. They
state that they heard the shooting but
did not see Ole fire the fatal shot.
Accompanied by DR.. j. w. Sifton and
the stranger who gave the alarm that
led to the arrest of the boys, the train
crew and officers ran a locomotive
slowly over the track between here and
The Dalles in search of the body. 1t
was first sighted near Chatfield siding.
Just east of Mosier, by Hugh G. Ball.
as he stood on the steps of the caboose.
The white boys, all the negroes and the
stranger will be held at The Dalles as
witnesses.
"There is no doubt in my mind"
says Marshal Frazier, las 10 the guilt
of the negro called Little Ole." |
believe, however, that the big negro,
who gave his name as Council Oliver.
will obe charged as an accomplice. 1t
appears that Oliver aided in boosting
the body of the brakeman over the side
of the gondola car.
Mr.. Frazier pays the highest praise
to Upper Valley residents for their aid
in the quick capture of the fleeing ne
groes. He communicated at once on
Thursday with j. F. Thompson, former
justice of the peace for the Parkdale
district. Mr.. Thompson Immediately
telephoned and sent messengers to ev-
cry man of the district.
"As a result, says Marshal Frazier,
''by the time we arrived every adult
male of the district was armed with
rifle or revolver and was out searching.
Mark Weygandt, Robert Leasure and
Marion Shear, experienced woodsmen,
are responsible for our quick action in
rounding up the prisoners. These men
can trail through the forests as we'll as
bloodhoupds, and in the early afternoon
they had located the blacks after they
had penetrated the woods and made a
camp on Sand Canyon"
Sheriff Johnson learned of the murder
through a news story in the Portland
Telegram Thursday afternoon, but he
possessed the paper three hours before
he read the news.
"While | can see large type close at
at hand without my spectacles, says
Sheriff johnson, smaller type is blur
ry. 1t was raining when bought the
Telegram and | passed my wife the
inner section, retaining the other for
myself. We placed the papers over our
knees. noticed the banner head. but
didn't go to the trouble to get my
glasses then. as a parade was passing.
Three hours later | decided to scan the
paper for the detailed news. You can
imagine how hustled then.
Sheriff johnson Immediately secured
his automobile and hurried to Hood
River, arriving at 10 o'clock Thursday
evening. He was delighted to learn
that Little Ole," the negro charged
with the crime, and his three accom-
plices had been captured without blood
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