Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 August 1909 — A BAD NEGRO IN JAIL HERE [ARTICLE]

A BAD NEGRO IN JAIL HERE

“Razored” a G. & E. I. Gonductor About a Year Ago. ARRESTED IN ILL LAST WEEK And Brought Here Sunday From Kankakee By Sheriff Sawyer of Newton County, Whose Guest He Will Remain Until Court Sits In That County, Newton Having No Jail of Her Own. . jr Sheriff Sawyer of Newton county and Howard Myers of Brook brought Arthur Morgan, colored, here from Kankakee, 111., Sunday and he was lodged in jail to await trial at the next term of the Newton circuit court for having cut up Hugh Worthington, a C. & E. I. conductor, near Momence on May 18, 1908, over a dispute about his fare. He then made his .escape and has eluded arrest until last week when he was caught at Momence, after a strenuous chase through the railroad yards there. Morgan’s father, .George Morgan, resides in McClellan tp., Newton county. The assault for which Morgan must stand trial occurred while the latter was enroute to some point in Indiana on the Brazil division of the C. & E- 1., says the Kentland Democrat. The negro boarded the train at Momence after purchasing a ticket to Hopkins Park. Conductor Worthington took his ticket as he did those of the other passengers on the train. On pulling out of Hopkins Park the conductor noticed that Morgan had failed to get off and asked him where he was going. The negro replied that he was going to Elmer, which is but a few stations across the state line into Indiana, whereupon the conductor requested the fare to that point, which was but ten or fifteen cents. The negro refused to pay the amount and after a few words between him and the conductor, other passengers in the car fearing a fight took up a collection and paid the negro’s fare. The train arrived at Elmer and the conductor stepped out upon the platform. As he was about to step down off the train the negro was upon him with an open razor and made several slashes at the conductor, who received an ugly slash from the elbow of the right arm to the wrist, one slash across the right shoulder and an ugly gash across the face. The negro then jumped from the car platform and made his escape. The conductor was hurried to a physician where his wounds were treated. Although he recovered from the wounds he has been disfigured ever since.

A thorough search was made for the negro at various times since that date but he was never captured. He made his home near Hopkins and had been seen several times in that vicinity and around Momence, always coming into the town by night

and every time eluding the police and deputy sheriff.