The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-21

Wilson fell the victim Of gun
 battle between the three yeggmen
 and n posse of policemen led by
 Chief Fred McDuff. The officers
 found the men i'm hiding in the
 wooded area at the rear of Rick
 wood park. spectacular battle
 occurred in which score or more
 of shots were fired. Chief Me-
 Duff and some Of his men were
 armed with long range Winehes-
 ter rifles and in the firing that
 occurred Wilson was shot over
 the heart. He was carried to the
 Hilimnn hospital I'm a police ear.
 His conditions vvnk reported ser-
 ious nt n late hour last night.
 Wilkes. who surrendered when
 the bullets began to whixz about
 him, was finger printed at police
 headquarters and found fo have
 n record. He is said to he an
 escape from the jnii at Roanoke.
 Va, where 1t is alleged he was
 sentenced to 30 years in the peni-
 tentiary for bank robbery and
 having burglary tools in his pOs-
 session. He was charged local
 ty with assault with intent to
 murder.
 Officer A. l. Appling who was working with Officer Crabtree at the time he was wounded, positively iden- tified Wilson last nght as one of the three mon whom he and his partner attempted to arrest. He was not so sure about Wilkes but said he
 Receive Tip
 Police were placed on the direct trail of the men by two street car men who had seen the three lettering just back of Redwood ball mark In a bushy swamp, Chief McDrff and two automobiles full of policemen and I half dozen motorcycle scouts imme- diately left for the scene.
 The posse was a-scouting through the swampy apea when they ran across the fugi1ives. Both sides open sd fro. Chlef McDuff and one CT TWO Of his officers were equipped with riflegs and one of the bullets struck wilson who fell with his hands n the Alf. Wilkes threw up his hands and surrendered.
 Tie third man engaged in the sbsotiME darted across a creek into | ciunip of Sushes and escaped. He e1ra d ittk ssftt ofe,iothes and a cap i2a as aiao dlstin&uished by s chnh. lNrache.
 Biooa auds ware callad ont Jas, night aid placed onf nis trail which led tow4rd Bessemer. Bessemer po- lice were notified and squad of of feers from the Birmingham office continued the search.
 When first arrested Wilkes gave his name as Walker and his home as Ga. When questioned he ienied being connected with the shooting spf Policeman Crabtree.
 Finger Prints Tell
 Finger prints taken by W. L. Bran- non, chief of the bureau of identifi- ,ation, disclosed his identity. Com oaraon of the prints with the records Detective Brannor was soon able to earn that he was an escape from He was being held in the city jail there pending the outcome of an appeal he had taken to the supreme court. Wilkes had on his per : son at the time he was arrested a pass over several railroads. He said he came here from Chattanooga and that he slept Tuesday night in a box car.
 Claude Wilson refused to say a word about his alleged part In the to make statement" he told the officers.
 Fund Raised
 A fund to be offered as a reward for the capture of the men who shot crabtree was begun by the police de- partment early yesterday morning. Chief McDuff headed the list with a of s10 and other sub- scriptions during the day totalled more than S150. The award is not to be given any member of the police but to the man who gives the information leading to the ar- rest
 Crabtree Shot Above Heart
 Officer Crabtree was shot once a above the heart when he and his com rade, A. l.. Appling, stopped three men in the vicinity of Fairview to investigate a bundle cared by one of them. The men showed fight and in the scuffle that took place Crab tree was shot. Several shots were fired at Policeman Appling who escaped uninjured.
 A package which one of the men carried contained full equipment of burglar tools and a supply of soap used in safe blowing. It Is believed they were preparing to crack a safe In the vicinity during the night.
 The wounded officer was rushed to the Ensley infirmary where he was
 (Continued on Page Nine)