The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-04-24
WILKES TA[KSOF
 JAIL DELIVERY;
 DEN|ESSHOOT|NG
Man Held in Connection With Shooting of Officer Crab tree Admits He is
 Bank Robber

charles Wilkes bank bandit, gave an interview yesterday, the first he has given out since his arrest here Thursday by a posse of police under the direction of Chief of Police Fred H. McDuff.
 Wilkes is being held in the county jail on a charge of assault with in- tent to muder. following the shoot ing of Police Officer s. S. Crabtree last Wednesday night.
 Wilkes will be held until Officer Crabtree is out Of danger. and will then be transferred to Roanoke, Va. where he has a sentence of 35 years hanging over him for the robbery of the Glasgow, Va. bank, which oc- cured in November, 1920.
 Asked as to whether he preferred to stand trial here on charge of murder, in case of MT. Crabtree's death, or be returned to Virginia to serve his 35year sentence, Wilkes replied:
 T don't give a damn what they do with me. You know, 35 years is long time to spend in jail, and you can say for me that I don't intend to spend that many years in any mans jail.
 'I was arrested in Roanoke in No vember, 1920, just few hours after myself and another man had broken into and robbed the Glasgow, Va, bank of $42.000, most of which was in stocks and bonds. I was tried and sentenced to 35 years for my part in the affair and my puddle drew a sentence of g years. l remained in jail for several months following my trial, awaiting the hearing on an ap- peal.
 Broke Jail
 About o'clock on the morning of June 27, 1921, I broke jail, by saw ing my way out, with saw brought into the jail at the time of my arr l rest, seven months before. I waited this long in order to let interest in the case die. l did not make my get away in an automobile, but walked calmly down to the Norfolk and | Western railway station, where l bought ticket to Bluefield, W. Va, where I got off the train and bought ticket to Cincinnati, reboarded the train and arrived in Cincinnati
 where I remained for several days, and then went to Laredo, Tex, ana then into Mexico. Since leaving Mex ico I have wandered all over the
 states, coming to Birmingham about l three days ago"
 When questioned about his move
 ments since his arrival in Birming- ham. Wilkes refused to talk. He woudl not state where he had been living and what connection, if any, | he had with the shooting of MT. | Crabtree. Wilkes did state, how
 ever, that he had known Claude Will son, who is now in the Hillman hos pital recovering from wounds re ceived during the battle with offi- cers who effected his capture, for
 three or four days.
 Third Member The local police are of the opinion
 that the third member of the party | that made the attack on the two po- | lice officers is none other than | Thomas B. Gibbons, also a notorious
 bank robber, who escaped from the
 Roanoke jail along with Wilkes. ! wilkes denied this when questioned
 as to the identity of the third man in
 the party.
 1 understand, I am not admitting that I was in that party of three said | to be guilty of shooting the police officer" said Wilkes, but I want l the public to know that if Thomas B. | Gibbons is in Birmingham it is with | out my knowledge. for have no'
 seen or heard of him since the morn ing of June 27. 1921. when we parted just outside the Roanoke jail. l went one way and he another"
 According to authorities at the Ems
 ley infirmary. the condition or oIIi, cer Crabtree is greatly improved, and unless complications set in he Will recover. ,r.,,
 Claude Wilson, who Is at the Hill man hospital as result or inJuries
 sustained at the hands of officers l who captured him Thursday after' noon at the same time that Wilkes | was taken, is also reported out oi danger, according to attending physi-
 clans yesterday