Cowardly Was the Crime of a Band of Whitecaps In Elmore County
- Title
- Cowardly Was the Crime of a Band of Whitecaps In Elmore County
- Source Type
- Newspapers
- Publisher
- The Birmingham News
- Publication Place
- Birmingham, AL
- Publication Date
- 04/04/1895
- Transcript
- COWARDLY Was the Crime of a Band of Whitecaps IN ELMORE COUNTY. An Innocent Negro Cruelly Murdered at His Own Home by Night. Six Men Are Jailed. THREE OF THEM CONFESSED ALL. To-day's Montgomery Advertiser says: Six white cappers with the blood of an innocent negro resting upon them are now lying in jail in this city for safe keeping, awaiting justice to be meted out to them when the Elmore Circuit Court meets. They were arrested by a posse at their homes near Central Institute twelve miles from Wetumpka In Elmore county Wednesday afternoon and brought to the county prison that night. They were brought down here last night. Last Saturday night a week ago a band of white cappers went to Rufus Swindler's house, near Central Institute, dragged him out of bed into his yard, and, when attempted to escape, one of the men shot him dead. They then assaulted the victim's wife with a bullet and threatened her to keep silent. The brutal murder by the band of midnight marauders created intense excitement in the community. A mass meeting of the law-abiding citizens was held and it was determined to hunt down the murderers at any cost and bring them to justice. Sheriff Sedberry, of Elmore County, on hearing of the murder, set about with every assistance, to locate and arrest the murderers. No clue was found on which to start until Wednesday, when one of the band made in clean breast of the crime. This led to the arrest of Josephus Jowers, John Edwards, Jr., Luther Ingram, Alonzo Edwards and John Morgan by a posse. Yesterday Luther In-gram and Will Jowers made a full confession in jail of the crime and those involved. Last night Sheriff Sedberry, accompanied by Mr. A.E. Williams and others, and the prisoners, came down from Wetumpka for the purpose of placing the prisoners in jail here for safe keeping, since it was feared their friends would attempt to rescue them custody in Elmore. A reporter saw Sheriff Sedberry and asked him about the murder and asked him about the murder and arrests. He said that immediately after he had been notified of the murder, he set about to hunt down the perpetrators. Wednesday he was in an extreme part of the county serving papers in view of the coming term of court. He received at Deatville Wednesday a telegram from Mr. Williams to come to Wetumpka. This he did, reaching there that day. Learning that Alonzo Edwards had come to Wetumpka that morning and had confessed everything about the crime; and that Mr. Williams had made up a posse and had gone to Central Institute to arrest the white cappers who committed the deed, Sheriff Sedberry set off immediately to Central Institute to join the posse. He met the posse and their five prisoners returning four miles away. All reached Wetumpka late in the evening. The reporter then saw Mr. A.E. Williams who, together with Dr. O.S. Justice, of Central Institute, and Tax Assessor J.T. Plott, was active in working up the case, and asked him of the affair. Mr. Williams was the special Coroner of the jury that held the inquest over the dead man's body. To him and the other two gentlemen is directly due the credit of the arrest of the white cappers. He related the following story of the murder: Wednesday morning about 4 o'clock Alonzo Edwards who is a boy 19 years old came to my room in Wetumpka, woke me up, and said he wanted to unbosom himself to me. Alonzo said that at the solicitation of the captain, Josephus Jowers, the band, numbering six, met in the woods near Central Institute Saturday night a week ago, and made up a fire so as to smut their faces. After having disguised themselves by blackening their faces, the captain required them all to sign a compact, which provided that the parties in the band were to obey the command of the captain, and a failure to do which subjected any punishment the captain might inflict, and the man who revealed any part of the proceedings of the plan should suffer death. Each man signed the law, representing himself by a number and alias. The captain was called the "Texas Jack," another was "J.W. Black Jack," others "Bum Frizzle," "Blue Grass," "Ramsoses Red Bull," etc. After signing the compact two of the band Will Jowers and Luther Ingram tried to back out, but the captain told them if they did death would be their lot. This they did not do; so all then proceeded to the house, of Rufus Swindler near Central Institute, arriving there about 10 o'clock, two were ordered to break in the door. This done all rushed into the man's house, one holding a bull's eye lantern. They discovered Swindler and his wife in bed. They dragged the poor negro from his bed and wife, striking him two severe blows on the head. The victim then attempted to escape, but in vain, for when he started to flee, the captain ordered him to be fired upon. John Edward immediately shot him through the heart, causing instant death. The wife of the dead man was brought out and asked if she knew any of the crowd, to which she answered in the negative. During the excitement she was struck on the head with a bullet to prevent her cries from fright and distress. Being taken into the house, she was enjoined to remain therein, and told that the house would be guarded. The band of whitecappers then left the place, returning to their respective houses. After the band left the woman slipped from her house and went to Mr. Henry Stacey's house nearby and told him all about the crime and band. Mr. Stacey summoned several citizens and they remained there for the balance of the night. Next day an inquest was held by Special Coroner Williams over the dead man's body, the verdict being death at the hands of an unknown murderous band. The
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