“Reward Sought For This Murderer

REWARD SOUGHT FOR THIS MURDERER. SHERIFF OF CHILTON COUNTY WANTS THE GOVERNOR TO ACT ON MAPLESVILLE MURDER. REPORT ON WALKER OFFICIALS. Special to the Birmingham News. MONTGOMERY, Ala., Nov. 2–Sheriff J. M. Morgan, of Chilton county, was in the city yesterday afternoon to see the governor about offering a reward for the capture of Jim Hardin, a negro, charged with killing E. W. Davenport, of Maplesville, last Sunday. Sheriff Morgan stated to the Birmingham News correspondent that the citizens of Maplesville had offered a reward of $150, and that one of his deputies had offered a reward of $25, making a total reward of $175. The sheriff is very anxious to get the negro, and says he hopes the governor will offer a reward. The governor was out of the city, but will return today when the matter will be taken up.
The sheriff said that there were two negroes fighting near Mr. Davenport’s residence and Mr. Davenport went out to stop them. He had a pistol in his pocket. As he walked up to the fighter, Jim Hardin, another Negro, snatched the pistol from him and shot him twice. There was much indignation at the time and a mob formed to lynch the negro, but he was not captured.