CAPTURE OF JOE JACKSON.
During the summer of 1890, after having been routed from his haunts on
Yellow River on February 6th, it was known that Rube Burrow was in the
swamps of Florida, near East Bay, and that Joe Jackson was not with
him. It was definitely ascertained that they had separated at Flomaton,
Ala., on the 14th of December, 1889, when Rube drove his ox-cart into
Santa Rosa County, Florida. It was known that the two men had made an
agreement to meet in Baldwin County, Ala., on the 20th of February,
1890. The information as to this proposed meeting was reliable. It was
evidently their intention to rob a train at Dyer’s Creek, a point about
thirty miles north of Mobile. The routing of Rube, however, from his
hiding place in Florida interfered with this project.
Joe Jackson was promptly on hand at the rendezvous, the exact locality
of which was not then definitely known to the detectives. He had seen
in the _Courier-Journal_ a notice of the pursuit of Rube Burrow in
Florida, and was very cautious in going to the place agreed upon. He
however made his appearance at Dyer’s. He waited about there only one
day, and not finding Rube, he left, especially as he casually heard
that the detectives were looking for Rube Burrow in that country.
Traveling from place to place until May, 1890, and restless over the
long separation from Rube, Jackson went back into Lamar County, as it
was expected he would. His presence in that locality was soon known
to Detective Jackson, but there were so many hiding places among the
Burrow kinsfolk that it was difficult to locate him. It was expected
daily that Rube would join him, but not so. Rube still confined himself
to Florida.
Detective Jackson knowing that Joe was in Lamar County, determined to
capture him. Taking a trusty man with him he went into Lamar County,
traveling by night and afoot, and camped in the woods a few hundred
yards from the home of Allen Burrow. His night vigils were soon
rewarded by observing suspicious movements, and an interchange of
visits between old man Allen Burrow and Jim Cash. They were evidently
preparing for a trip.
About dark on the night of the 15th of July Jim Cash and Joe Jackson
rode out from the home of Allen Burrow in the direction of Fernbank, on
the Georgia Pacific Road. The detectives were close upon their trail,
and as it was evident that Jackson was _en route_ to take a train on
the Georgia Pacific Road it was not deemed safe to attempt the capture
at night on the open roadway.
Detective Jackson covered all trains east and west of Fernbank
with careful men, and he himself boarded the train at Kennedy, a
few miles east of Fernbank, with ex-Sheriff Pennington and Sheriff
Metcalf, of Lamar County. At Fernbank Joe Jackson boarded the train.
He deliberately walked into the ladies’ car and took a seat. The
detectives were in the smoking car ahead, but kept the robber under
close surveillance.
On arriving at the first station Detective Jackson got out and went
to the rear of the ladies’ car. Entering, he took a seat, unobserved,
immediately behind Joe Jackson, and sat there until the train reached
Columbus, Miss. When the train stopped, and Joe stepped out of the
coach, he was covered by the pistols of the detectives and was arrested
without a shot being fired. He had left his pistols at Allen Burrow’s,
and, as afterwards learned, was _en route_ to Pleasant Hill, La., the
home of his uncle, J. T. Harrell, having become tired of waiting for
Rube Burrow’s arrival.
The prisoner was taken to Memphis, Tenn., where, upon being confronted
with the overwhelming evidence against him, he made the confession
recorded in the next chapter.