The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-13

started, we were SClll pumping our HOSES
against the blank wall. If the murderer was
in that camp, and we believed he was, his
tracks were carefully covered. For the
stevedores either could not or would not
help us.
1t seemed as if every member of the staff
at the Base Headquarters became interested
in the case, questions were continually
hurled at US about it. Even at the daily con-
ferences with the Commanding General, I
was always greeted by the "Old Man" with !:
"Well, Major, who killed Hand?"
Our Chief at Tours also added to our
irritation by continually prodding us about
ii till it seemed as if the very housetops
were shouting the same question:
"Who killed Hand?"
But, try as hard as we could, the only
thing that we discovered was that blank
wall. We were handicapped because our
white detestives could not mingle with the
stevedores. Finally we realized that it was
absolutely necessary to place a colored de-
tective in the Bassens camp if we ever
hoped to find the solution of this most baf-
fling crime. Colored detectives do not grow
on trees. The man we needed must be
quick to act, for there was no telling what
emergency might arise; keen of mind, so
that he could eliminate suspicion from HIM
self observing, so that he would not over
look details, that while small in themselves
might point to the way of the murderer;
and bragg enough to face and run to earth
a desperate criminal, who having killed one
man, would not hesitate to kill another
if his life and liberty were il. jeopardy. It
required a painstalng search to find such
a man. At our Central Records Office at
Bourge feverish examination of the rec
ords of the colored troops finally produced
the name we were looking for
His name was Wilson. Before the war he
had been connected with the Texas Ran
gers. The records showed that the Chief
of the Rangers spoke highly of Wilson's
courage, determination and intelligence, and
that meant great deal coming from him,
because the Rangers hold place in mill
tary estimation, comparable to the distinc-
ton of the Northwest Mounted Police
Wilson must be our man. He belonged
to a combat unit and was with his company
in training at the front, and the question
was how to get him back to us. After care
fully considering the matter, we were con-
WINGED that an open formal transfer would
not do for we found that there was more
or less correspondence carried on between
the negro combat units at the front and the
negro stevedores at Bassens. We must ar.
rest Wilson on a trumped up charge and
bring him back that way
We took his captain into our confidence
and explained to him the urgency of the
He in I'm 10 ccsc o.
cry possible way. The company was pa
raded and there, in front of all his bud
dies Wilson was called from the ranks. The
charges of the fictitious crime were read
to him and he was formally placed under
arrest. Wilson Indignantly denied the ac-
cusations. Appealing to his captain, he
said:
captain, you know that am innocent of
this charge. did not do it! For Heavens
sake don't let them take me back to the
rear and railroad me to Jail! want to stay
here with my buddiesv'
1t was seemingly a most unjust thing to
do, but if we were ever to find an ans
wer to, "Who killed Hand?" we must have
Wilson and this was the only way to secret
ly place him in the Bassens camp.
81 am sorry, Wilson," said the captain,
but l have examined the charges and they
are in regular order. No doubt but you will
be successful in disproving them, but you
will have to go with the major. l will do
everything possible to help you" To make
a greater impression on Wilson's comrades
we handcuffed him. and hustling him into
the automobile, we drove away.
Miles away from his camp we stopped,
and releasing Wilson, we told him the why