The Washington times., 1923-07-17
ARRESTED
At WORK
IN OHIO
PLAN
Killer Of Officers in May, 1918,
Armed When Taken, But
Surrenders Quietly.

Herbert Copeland, Washington
negro man-killer, is today en- route
home in the custody of Detective
Sergeants Kelly and Sweeny, In
spector of Detectives Clifford L.
Grant said this morning.
The slayer of Police Lieut..
David ]. DUNCAN, Policeman John
Conrad and Deputy Sheriff Nc
Partland was captured at the plant
of the Firestone Tire Company at
Akron, Ohio, yesterday evening as
he left the plant after work.
Armed When Caught.
Though he was armed with As
caliber automatic, he failed to CORY
out his announced boast of shooting
his way to freedom if he was ever
surrounded.
Information given to Inspector
Grant two days ago led to the es-
capped murderer's arrest. The detec-
tive chief wired the Akron authori-
ties complete description of Cope
land, together with a request to
arrest him Immediately. The chief
did not fail to warn the Ohio police
that they were dealing with man
who would not fail to shoot to kill
If killing meant his freedom.
Last night at o'clock detec-
tives Kelly and Sweeney, two Of
the most fearless men in the
detective bureau, left to bring Cope
land back. They went armed
heavily, with extra heavy hand
cuffs and with the memory of their
slain brother officers in their mind.
Copeland, who was going under
the name of Golden said that he
would come back with the officers
without protest.
The arrest of the triple murder.
er clears up one of the most ex-
haustive man-hunts ever engineer
Ever since Copeland sawed
Jail April 21st, of 1919, he has
been sought in remote corners of
the country. known as a desperate
man, he notified the police through
underground channels that he was
always heavily armed and he
Dragged that he would never be
taken alive.
Country Hunted Over.
It was May 21st, 1918, that Cope.
land shot down Policeman Conrad
and Deputy Sheriff Mcfarland in
the doorway Of his home at North
Capitol and streets. The Of
ficers had gone to arrest him on
a warrant charging assault In
Maryland.
Then began one of the most
thorough man-hunts in this city
Three hundred police, many armed
with rifles, took up the search.
Copeland was seen at his half
brothers home at Carlolburg and
o streets southwest. Lieutenant
DUNCAN rushed in after him. He
fell dead with two bullet wounds
in his breast.
Dashing out the back door Cope
land ran into Policeman e. S.
Waller, now stationed at the Sec
ond precinct. That officer prompt
ly shot him five times in the
that desperate will that he had
shown, Copeland dragged himself
into the house and once or twice
fire d shots to let his would be
captors know. he was still there.
3 The house was surrounded and
armed police and detectives poured
a steady fusillade into it. Giant
search lights were brought. into play
at night and a stream of shots
was poured into the house. Inspec-
tor Grant. in personal charge of the
attack, ordered his men not to risk
their lives. and a policy of watchful
waiting was adopted.
Grant Greatly EIated.
Inspector. Grant said this morn.
ing that he would rather have cap
tured Copeland than any other sin
gle individual ever sought here. He
was highly elated at the apprehen-
sion Of the triple slayer. Inspector
Grant said that he had ordered
Kelly and Sweeney to use every
to get the negro back
to this city without any trouble.
Copeland is a big man with power
full shoulders and limitless courage.
There were many persistent
rumors that the police had slain
Copeland while he was at the Jail
and had thrown his body into the
river. This had been done. these
rumors said, because of the intense
hatred against Copeland. It was
said at the time that the ESCAPE
had been concocted in order to ex-
plain the Negroes absence from his
cell. The small hole through which
Copeland slipped to freedom was
too little for a detective rated as
being about the Same size to get
through.
The only previous trace of Cope
land was in Canada. Copeland left
Canada at about the time the police
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