Cherokee County AlArchives News.....Martin Caught Here September 29, 1899 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Richard Reed Fleming rfleming@whnt.net March 9, 2006, 1:32 pm Coosa River News September 29, 1899 Centre Alabama Friday Morning September 29, 1899 Martin Caught Here Slayer of James Reed Near Centre Arrested in Home of Mrs. Serat Rome Tribune, 22nd Henry Martin, the man who shot and killed James Reed Sunday evening, near Centre, Alabama, was captured in the house of Mrs. Serat, a notorious woman in the 4th ward at an early hour yesterday morning. The arrest was made by Officers Logan and Copeland assisted by Mr. Watkins. The police saw Martin enter Chamlee's saloon under the Central Hotel about 9 o'clock. "Tom, I beleive that fellow is Henry Martin who killed Reed at Centre," said Policeman Copeland to Logan. They decided to keep a sharp lookout, and finally saw the man enter the Serat woman's house. After midnight the officers entered the house and found Martin asleep on a bed. Chains were placed on him before he roused up and he was greatly worried when he realized he was in the clutches of the law. A double barrelled shotgun was found under the mattress. It was loaded with heavy charges and a dozen shells were nearby. Martin was very much under the influence of liquor. He had three bottles of corn whiskey with him. Denies the Crime Martin was locked up at the police station and yesterday morning a Tribune reporter interviewed him. He is a heavily built, sullen looking fellow and has the appearence of a hard drinker. He was dressed in a very ragged suit and wore a light colored slouch hat. Though rough and uncouth he showed a certain shrewdness in parrying questions. Martin laughed several times during the conversation. "Martin, won't you tell why you killed old man Reed? You must have had some reason for doing so." "I didn't kill him. I wasn't the man. I had nothing agin him, and we was fairly good friends." "Did you know that he had been killed." "Not until I was arrested night." After asking some other questions the reporter said: "Why did you leave home? Did you bring cotton to town?" "No, I hearn'em say I had been accused of killing Reed, so I though it best to leave for awhile." Then realizing he had bluddered he hurriedly added: "That is, some one, I disremeber who, said they had a fuss over in the settlement and somebody had been hurt or killed. They axed me if I had anything to do with it and I told em no. They said I was accused of it, I left." Martin said the girl who married Claud Reed, the son of the murdered man, was fifteen years of age. He objected to her marrying Reed because the fellow was a bad character and no account. Martin said he had five children at home, two of them grown sons. He said James Reed had always been quarrelsome and drank considerably, but that he and the old man had always been good friends. He says he can prove by his family that he was at home all day Sunday, and couldn't have done the killing. Officers Copeland and Logan get a reward of $400.00 by their good work. Cherokee county offered $100 and the governor $300 for Martin's arrest. Additional Comments: transcribed from a handwritten copy of the article. Statements made by Martin are as printed and not typos. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/cherokee/newspapers/martinca169nw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/alfiles/ File size: 3.7 Kb