The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-03-24
HOLD ILLINOIS
MAN IN EAST ON
MURDER CHARGE
Odd Character Taken
for Crime of %
Years Ago.

Quakertown, Pa, March 24.-Po-
lice authorities who have been en-
deavoring to connect an unkempt
prisoner here with the murder of a
constable % years ago, today were
convinced that the stranger is not
Adam Weaver, who disappeared aft
er the killing of the constable.
While some persons who lived in
this vicinity at the time of the kill
ing believe the man resembles
Weaver, others who know him well
said he is not the man wanted.
The prisoner said he sold news
papers in Philadelphia years ago
and this statement was confirmed
by two Philadelphia policemen who
knew him and sad he was a harm
less character. The prisoner is be-
ing held by Chief of Police Harry
Rhoads for further investigation.
There was a reward Of $4,000 for
the capture of Weaver.
Quakertown, Pa, March "a
Further efforts were made today to
identify the strange prisoner in the
Quakertown Jail, who claims to be
Roy Hecox of Homertownship, H.
linois, but who a number of resi-
dents of this vicinity, after a visit
to the Jail last night, said bore a
striking resemblance to Adam Wea-
yer, wanted for the. Staying of a
constable % years ago.
Despite his long red beard and
hair that reached almost to his
shoulders, two persons who said
they had been well acquainted with
Weaver, identified the prisoner as
the long sought fugitive. Others
were doubtful and said they would
have to wait until the Jail barber
had visited him. Chief of Police
Rhodes made an engagement for
the barber today. Weaver was
smooth shaven. sssslz. ~
Farmer folk for miles around
Haycock mountain, where Weaver's
shack was located, crowded the lit.
tie Jail last night in response to a
call from Chief Rhodes for persons
who had known the fugitive and
for whose arrest there was a re-
ward of $4,000. They came in
steady stream and were admitted
to the Jail in squads of Is. Scores
who could not get in stood on the
outside for hours, peering through
the windows.
Denies Identity.
To all the prisoner, who has only
one arm, denied he was Weaver or
that he had ever known of such
person.
Every time l stop. anywhere
they pinch me-" he was quoted as
having said. This is nothing new
to me; I'm used to it. l have nev-
er resisted arrest, never used an
alibi, but the police just won't let
me alone. Were it not for my ap-
pearance, l would not be molested,
but a man has a right to wear his
hair and whiskers the way he
wants to-"
He said that he had attended a
preparatory school connected with
the University of Illinois when he
was IL years old, but that his faith
er died and he was forced to give
up school Since then. he said, he
had been a "wanderer over the
earth" He told the authorities
that he lost his arm Is years ago
while working as freight brake
man in the west.
Inc pTiSO0GI gave MS o6C as
years, but the police said he looked
to be 65.
Religious Fanatic
Homer, Ill, March 24.-Joseph
Thomas, an uncle of Roy Hecox,
said Hecox was in Homer about a
year ago and told him he had been
wandering over the country. Mr..
Thomas said that he had never
heard of the Quakertown crime,
and did not know whether Hecox
was away from Homer % years
ago or not.
Hecox is known here as relig-
ious fanatic and wears his hair and
beard long, and has but one arm.
He was considered harmless. His
mother lives in Santa Barbara, Cal,
and a brother in San Francisco.