Cherokee County AlArchives News.....Martin Caught Here September 29, 1899
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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.

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