The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-13
AMMAN STILL
 ENJOYS FREEDOM
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| (COnC1nued from Page One) along the roads throughout the district brought a sharp announcement from Sheriff T. J. Shirley that those guilty of firing at motor cars, which fail to halt on signal, and of footing homes while seeking Milton, would be prose cuted.
 Motorists have been terrorized and the homes of negroes robbed, it was stated, by possemen who lack the authority to enter residences without search warrants.
 Sheriff Shirley issued statement, which follows:
 "On account of the rumors and re- ports about the ax-murderer, I deem it necessary to give a statement from the sheriff's office in order to inform the public of the intense feeling and con- tinued rumors that are constantly con- ing into the office.
 "A most horrible crime has been com mitted by brute upon a defenceless mother and her baby child, rathlessly murdered while pressed to her bosom in a struggle to save it's life from a rabid demons murderous blows.
 This enough to make the blood boil in every human being, and especial ly in her friends and neighbors in the community where she resided. It is a blood-curdling story of the worst type and the good citizens, both old and young, have slept little since this oc- curance, but have been searching in every nook and corner in the hills for miles and miles around. Every effort has been made to apprehend the culprit and reports of his capture have come in from many different sections of the country, and men are being sent out to investigate these reports almost hourly.
 Tt is very unfortunately true that some of the searchers are too young to know how to use discretion, and we are having many complaints of autoists being stopped at the point of guns of every description from a cap-and-ball pistol to the latest models and from three-inch barrels to old hog-rifIes. Some say they have been approached by gun men on the roadside, and, thinking they were robbers, tried to step on the gas and escape, but their tires were shot off and in some cases bullets from rifles and pistols penetrated their cars,
 Tt has been reported that young men have been searching negro quarters in the vicinity of New Castle, breaking down doors, assaulting negroes and in some cases taking away weapons and other articles of value. This kind of conduct is condemned by the good sane people, and officers have been assigned to collect evidence ill such cases with view of prosecution in the courts. I am convinced that the negro who as- saulted the lady and killed the child has never been closer to New Castle than where he left the horse, which is about five miles, notwithstanding crowds have been covering the woods from New Castle to Arcadia by the thousands ever since the crime was com mitted. Yesterday men were seen on picket along the road every hundred yards or so with shot guns apparently expecting the negro to come along the road.
 We feel sure that warrants will be sworn out for parties who ,recklessly shoot into automobiles passing along the highway, as well as for the other depre- dations committed in a mob spirit by reckless, irresponsible persons in the vicinity of Fulton Springs and New Castle, and this is warning that such conduct is unwarranted and a serious breach of the law.
 '1The public may be assured that this office does not cater to press reports, which tend to block our efforts to ap- prehend this criminal, but that not a thing is left undone, and without ex- perience and the means at hand we ex- pect to effect his capture in very short time. To the citizen who brings him in alive we will give pass to the hang ing, besides the $350 reward.
 TT. J. SHIRLEY, Sheriff."
 "Very respectfully,