The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1922-08-24

Laying aside all apprehension O
danger with an astonishing degree o.
boldness, a colored man Sunday nigh
about II o'clock entered the court
house, climbed the long flight of step.
to the main court room and through
a closet door leading into the sheriff.
office, gained entrance to that office
but failed in his purpose. He played
into the hands of two of the sheriff,
deputies, Messrs. G.. A. Hamilton anC
w. E. Walk, who were placed il
guard over the sheriff's large loci
box, containing a large quantity Of
liquor. The officers had been tippeC
off indirectly and were waiting ex,
pectantly for their man.
Stationed in the office of the circuit
court clerk, they heard on the stair.
way the approaching footsteps of the
man. He went to the main door of the
sheriff's office, turned the knob, find.
ing it locked. He then went to the
clerks office, trying that door, which
was also locked. At this interval he
started down stairs, only to change
his mind, ascending the stairway
again. This time he went into the
main court room, the double doors be-
ing unlocked. In the southeast corner
Of the room he found the closet door
leading into the sheriff's office, which
he forced open with little noise, FIN,
ally reaching the coveted spot.
When the two officers were sure
their man was in the sheriff's office
1t was their intention to capture him
without difficulty, but this plan
failed. They opened the door to the
clerks office, where they were hid
ing, but the sound of the latch be-
trayed their presence, and the house
breaker with lightning rapidity fled
from the office, jumping from the TOP
Of the stairway to the first landing
80 feet below.
At this instance Deputy Sheriff
Hamilton, armed with a double-barrel-
led shot gun, ordered the man to stop,
but his demand was UNDECIDED. There
upon he fired into the darkness. the
load from his gun being INSTRUCTED
by banister post, behind which the
negro fell when he leaped from the
top of the steps. He instantly re-
gained his feet, jumping again to the
bottom Of the stairway and running
through the corridor, hotly pursued
by the officers. who lost him in the
of the Citizens Ice
plant. The extreme darkness and
great speed of the man on his feet
served him advantageously in escap-
ing with his life. His hat, which he
left behind on the first landing of the
stairway, was punctured with several
shot holes.
The hat furnished the officers a
clue and later on in the night they
arrested L. Snow, colored, a former
inmate of the county workhouse. The
officers, even though Snow claims he
is innocent, are firm in the belief
that he is the right man. A warrant
was issued for him and he was lodged
in the county jail to await prelimi-
nary hearing the latter part of this
week before ESQ. J. E. Walker.
AS soon as the hat was identified
as one similar to that Of Shows they
went to his home Immediately and
awaited his coming. When Snow ar
rived he was wearing a cap, showing
self-composure when the
officers approached him.
1t is thought that the person enter
ing the sheriff's office Sunday night
was familiar with the surroundings,
IS evidenced by the ease in which he
found the closet door leading into the
office from the court room.
The sheriff's office was entered
,nce before about three months ago,
/ complete still and and small |
Of liquor having been stolen.
The object of the recent attempt was
undoubtedly to rob the locker Of it's
iouor. No valuables are kept in the
'ffice except legal documents and the
,ffice fixtures.