Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-01-26
DOC" PAXTON CAPTURED.

ed man who has been a fugitive from
Justice since last July, was captured in
Fairnont, w. Va, last Sunday after
noon. Payton Is charged with having
attacked a ten-year-old white girl in
Martlnsourg on the 4th of July. He
eluaed the officers at the time, and is
believed to have been in the woods near
Shepherdstown for some weeks. State
police and other officers diligently
searched for him. but he got awav. and
was next heard from in Coatsville. Pa.
where he narrowly escaped CAPTURE aS
the constables closed in on him,
Last week Sheriff Dean. of BerkeIev
county, received communicative fro,,,
colored student-detective, working
with the Clark agency, of Cumberland,
suggesting that he might be able to
nelp run down any fugitives that the
sherif sought, including Payton, about
whom he had heard. Sheriff Dean com
municated with the man, who had ask
ed the sheriff to send him badge, and
otner authority, and on Saturday night
ne received telephone call from the
man, whose name is Elmer Johnson.
MOT sure OF the reliability of the man
Sherih Dean communicated with the
police OF Fairmont and asked them to
look up the Student-detective, and a
few hours later the sheriff was advised
that II he would send the warrants the
chief believed they could round up Paw.
ton IN day or two. Not caring "a
take any further risks, Sheriff Dean
decided to go to Fairmont himself
AS soon as he arrived there he got in.
TO communication with the police de.
partment and the detective, A negro
oootlegger was taken into custody, ana
under pressure he gave information as
10 where Payton might be found
Payton, it appears, had been telling
fortunes and doctorilg corns for a
living, and is said to have been in
Fairmont two months. Sheriff Dean
and the city police proceeded to a
rooming house for colored people,, and
entering the sheriff saw Payton sitting
In corner of the room. He grabbed his
man and first of all looked for the tell
tale scar on his left arm. 1t was
there, and he was at once handcuff-
ed. He finally admitted that he was
Payton, but denied the charge made
against him.
Sheriff Dean took his prisoner to
the police station, where he was ouizz-
ed generally about his record and wan
derings, but he gave little information.
He told one of the officers that he
was forty-nine years of age. He made
no effort to resist arrest when the
officers surrounded him. The sheriff
experienced no difficulty in getting
him back TO Martinsburg and getting
him in Jail, where he is being guarded
securely.
A reward of $500, offered by Sher-
iff Dean for the arrest of the man
or information leading to his arrest,
will be paid, the sheriff said Mon
day, TO the student-d detective and pos
sibly some to the other negro who gave
information. The money was offered
by the sheriff's Office after the negro
eluded the officers consistently.
Payton will likely be tried at the Feb
ruary term Of the Berkeley Circuit
Court The offense with which he is
charged occurred between 7 and 8
o'clock on Sunday morning. July fourth,
south of Martinsburg. The little girl,
it is alleged, was on her way to get the
cow when she was approached by Pay
ton, who offered her a quarter if she
would help him find his COW. She
agreed to do this and it was while she
was with him that he is alleged to
have made the attack.
Payton is thought by some persons
to be a Hindu. He has been in this
section for the past year or two,
where he worked among the colored
people Of Winchester, Martinsburg.
Shepherdstown, and Charles Town.