Evening star., 1953-12-22
AgentsSeiize
in
West Virginia
Maryland Fugitive
Captured Unormed
In Home of Cousin

West Virginia State police and
Federal Bureau Of Investigation
agents last night captured
Thomas E. Dickerson, one Of the
FBI'S 10 most wanted criminals,
as he watched a television show
at the home of a cousin in Yer
dunville, w. Va.
Dickerson. 80, wanted for ques-
tioning in the Staying of a mes
senger for a finance company in
Mount Rainier, Md. surrendered
without resistance when six FBI
agents and two State troopers
moved in with drawn guns.
Dickerson is under indictment
in Montgomery County for q
$612 loan company holdup. has
been charged by District police
with robbing two Rhode Island
avenue NE. liquor stores. and is
wanted by Ohio authorities for
parole violation.
Moved to Stronger Jail.
Special precautions were taken
today in the light of Dickerson' S
record of five escapes.
United States Commissioner
Charles A. Breneman of Logan,
w. Va. visited the Logan County
Jail where Dickerson was lodged
during the night under heavy
guard. He issued a temporary
order committing DickerSon to
custody of a United States mar
shal and fixed bond at $25, 900.
The marshal then took Dick
erson to the Cabell County Jail
at Huntington, w. Va. described
as much stronger than the Logan
jail. Dickerson will be held
there pending receipt of official
papers from Baltimore, at which
time he will be arraigned before
United States Commissioner Jo-
seph w. Fitchett at Huntington.
District police said they will
await Dickerson's return to this
area before questioning him in
the Staying of Thomas N. Selph.
jr.. "a, who vanished october 9
with more than $3,100 belonging
to the American Finance Co.
Mr.. Selph's body was found
40 days later in a lonely wooded
area near Davidsonville, Md. He
had been shot in the head.
Dickerson has been sought
since he and a companion over
powered a guard at the Spring
Grove (Md) State Hospitals
maximum security ward in Sep
tember and fed.
Fled in Hail of Bullets.
He was captured December 5
near Sanders Hook, KY, but
sawed his way to freedom from
the Elliott County (Ky0 jail.
and fled in a hail Of police bull
let's. He took five fellow prison.
ers with him.
The FBI traced Dickerson
from Kentucky to the West Vir-
ginia area about 40 miles south
west Of Charleston.
Indication that the FBI was
closing in on Dickerson as early
as four days ago came when
they filed a warrant last Satur-
day at Ashland, KY, charging
Glenn johnson, 81. Of Gimlet,
KY, with harboring a fugitive.
Johnson. Dickerson's uncle,
also was arrested in last nights
raid on the home of Virgil
Skeens. the cousin. State Po-
lice Corpl. H. C. Fullmer said
Mr.. Skeens "is completely inno-
cent in this, and no charges will
be filed against him."
Pair Are Unarmed.
Corpl. Fullmer said Dickerson
and johnson were sitting side
by side watching television, and
were unarmed when the officers
entered the home.
Commissioner Brennan set
bond at $4,000 for johnson. He
also was removed to the Cabell
County Jail.
Dickerson was arrested here
July Is, the day after the $612
holdup at a loan company in
Bethesda. Md. He was trans
ferred to the Spring Grove hos
pital after he had slashed his
wrists, tried to hang himself,
and went on q To-day hunger
strike.