The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1922-06-28
FUGITIVE CAUGHT
AFTER LONG CHASE
Tom Boutwell, Trails Beavers
Over Three States Before
Capture.

John Beavers, slayer of Bob More
ton, Brookhaven lumberman, is now
in the Kinds county Jail, after being
a fugitive from justice since last
Christmas eve.
Beavers was brought to Jackson
Saturday afternoon in custody OF
Tom Boutwell,, by whom he was cap
tured at Monette, Mo-, on Thursday
The tragedy was "a shock to the
entire state, Mr.. Moreton being one
Of the best known lumbermen in
this section of Mississippi, and was
especially well-known in jackson
where he had a host of friends.
The killing occurred at a lumber
camp in Franklin county, near Bude
and was result of a fit of temper
displayed by Beavers after he had
been discharged from the company's
service.
GOOD DETECTIVE WORK.
The capture of Beavers was a clev-
er bit of detective work by Mr.. Bout
well. He had been interested in the
case for some time, spurred on by the
$1,000 reward offered by Brookha-
ven citizens. A rumor reached him
several weeks ago that Beavers was
hiding in Sullivan's Hollow. This
proved to be false, Boutwell, having
made painstaking search of that
neighborhood.
Finally Boutwell, heard that the
wife of Beavers had moved to Brink
ley, Ark, so he took UP the trail
from that point.
Inquiry showed that Mrs. Beavers
had left Brinkley, and he finally To-
Gated her at Exter, Mo-, she having
taken her three children to that
place.
Nothing could be learned from
the wife, but Boutwell, was confident
that Beavers was somewhere in Mis-
souri, and by clever work he finally
succeeded in locating the fugitive at
Monette, Mo-, where he was working
for the Frisco railway under the as
sumed name Of John Curtis, being
employed as a switchman.
Beavers made no effort to deny his
identity, and offered no. resistance.
He had sworn before leaving Lincoln
county that he would never be TAX
en- alive, and large posse had scar
ched several days for him after the
tragedy. He was not armed at the
time of the capture, otherwise Bout
well might have encountered trou-
BILE.
Boutwell, notified Sheriff R. c. Ap-
plewhite of Lincoln county, of the
capture, and left for Jackson with his
prisoner. The Lincoln sheriff advis-
ed him to stop in this city, as he did
not want to incur any possibility-of
mob violence. Bob Moreton was
one of the most popular men in
Brookhaven.
STORY OF KILLING.
The killing occurred in the early
morn of Christmas eve. An alter
cation had occurred between Beavers
and Moreton on the afternoon of the
previous day, and Moreton had told
Beavers that his services would no
longer be needed by the Central
Lumber Company. He had been
employed as engineer on one of the
logging trains.
Mr.. Moreton was sitting on the
porch of the lumber company's hotel
at Bude before breakfast when Bea-
vers approached, and without warn
ing opened fire. Three shots
struck Mr.. Moreton in the right side,
and he died ten minutes later.
A heavy rain was falling at the
time of the tragedy, and continued
throughout the day. This made
pursuit difficult, and Beavers man
aged to get away, despite the fact
that a large posse secured the coun-
ties of Lincoln and Franklin for
several days.