San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-02-24
NEGRO Tells
Of 1 SERIES
Of R0BbER|Es
"Black Hawk" Admits
Holding Up a Number
of Places.
SAYS HE WAS BROKE
Used Money to Pay Debts
and Tuition in Cores
pondence School.

Walter Sayles, alias "Black Hawk, {"
in statement TO Distract Attorney
d. A. McAskill in the 37th district
court room Friday afternoon took full
responsibility for the series of drug
store holdups for which he and Rob
ert Martin Jr., recently were arrest
ed. Martin, who was first arrested,
and was thought to be the BLACK
Hawk" has persistently denied that
he committed any of the rObberies.
Sayies in his voluntary statement
completely exonerated Martin.
The two negroes, of nearly the
same size and with some resemblance
in features, though there was a dis
tinct difference in color, sat close TO
one another in the court room, and
those who observed them admitted
that their identity could easily have
been confused. Martin is light
brown. while Saylcs is coal black, but
at night. when the hOldups were
staged, they could easil! have been
confused.
Il was broke, out of work, couldn't
get job, and SO l started holding
up eople," Sayles told the district at
| torney.
Did Not Drink Liquor. u.
His statement was made voluntarily
| but was not made n court record, as
| it was Martin VINO was up for ha-
bcas corpus hearing and not him.
| Judge W. 5. Anderson refrained from
| listening to the negro's statement and
stated that it could not be used
against him in the trial which may
follow.
Although Sayles stated positively
| that Martin had not participated in
any of the robberieJ- committed by
him. Judge Anderson held the latter
in $1,000 bail, this amount being re,
duction from the $4,000 bail fixed
by Judge S. &. Tayloe in the 45th
| district court.
Following ,p his questioning. Dis
trict ATTORNEY McAskill was told BY
Saylcs that the largest amount in a
single haul made b. him vas $50.
well. what did you Go with the
money YOU so :" the pcsro was
asked.
Il paid my debts with art Of it,
was the reply.
What kind of dcbts:" tn, district
attorney asked.
i paid my tuition in correspond
encc course and for lessons in show
card writing" the prisoner replied.
! Further questioning brought out the
admission that the man had held NJ
q grocery store and obtained a gun
with which he staged The other hold.
up. lie also admitted that he had
secured some booze" from this store
| although be added that he had not
drunk it rs llc did not drink. He said
h" had given ii away. The negro
gave n list of the places he had held
up. stating that one was HCller's about
seven weeks ago. a0othcr place was
on Ruiz street. ono on Burnct, thc
Denver Heights Pharmacy. Goliad
Stree drug store. Tobin Hill Phar.
macy.
Says Ii5 Shot at Ceiling.
Did you shoot at any ono in the
! Tobiu Hill Pharmacy" Mr.. McAskill
asked.
IL ,hot 1T the ceiling TO scare him. Ct
| ibc neg o replied.
tn" proprietor of the drug store
h. said. fired at him several times.
Further attemrtS by the district nj.
toruc' 10 ascertain wha; became Of tho
money the negro had secure, in the
hoidunS failed, as Saylcs said he could
not remember.
District Attorney MSAskilI Cy-
pressed tho opinion later that Saylns
might have had confederate. al
though ,h"rc is 10 clue at present to
: Liy i,IontIty