The Arkansas advocate., 1835-07-10
From He Randolph Recorder.

ARKANSAS EBOOTERS-MURDERS.
 Another most audacioas and yillainous at tempt to plunder fat-boat, was made few days since by some unknown though suspected individuals, living or proving about l5 miles below Randolph, on the Ar kansas shore of the Mississippi, the spot of similar robbery and robber hunt Of which we gave a detailed account a year ago, The circumstances, to the best of our information, which IS conclusive, are as follows:
 A flat-boat from Kentucky, ladened with 5 hogsheads of Tobacco. was driven ashore at this place (Arkansas) about four weeks since, in the night, when the boat was fastened, and all hands went ashore but the captain, who threw himself down in the bow of his boat, and fell asleep. He was soon awakened by cry from on shore that his boat was sinking. He sprang. up and found the boat gunnel deep with water, which soon sank. A number of persons had collected at the place that evening ex- pressly for a drunken frolc and a TOW, which they had in a most horrId sense of the expression, as they murdered one of their companions, William D. Bunch, by shooting him simultaneously with two rifles, and nearly beating to death his brother.- After Bunch was murdered, his head was most inhumanly mangled by an internal de- mon, with blows from a pistol. In the morning the captain of the boat was told that he should get protest, and have the boat and cargo sold for the benefit of the underwriters. This lie replied he was for bid doing under any circumstances by the owners. But the freebooters were not to be silenced in this manner telling him that 1t was the way thai such business was done n Arkansas, and that he should do 1t, ac- comPanying the order with threats and cur ses. The captain, d young moral man, inexperienced on the Mississippi, awed by witnessing the brutal murder the evening previous, was fot,edi foI for his his oevf, safety to yield to their demands and applied for pro- test, when the tobacco was sold at auction for $250, being really worth ' or S8,000. Sheriff Lloyd was the auctioneer. and Mir. Jehu Barney the purchaser, there being but 5 persons present at the sale. lie captain llmmsdiateiy left, and was told if he ever made Hls appearance there again they would lall hin. And so firmly does ile be- lieve 1t, that he would consent neither by persuasion nor money, to return with the owners to the boat.
 The owners arrived in our town few days since, and on Tuesday afternoon last several of our citizens accompanied them to the place where the boat sunk. The boat had been examined on the Sunday previous, aud, as was suspected, there were auger holes found in the bottom, which ac- counted for its sinking. Part of the to- baeco had been rolled into the woods, but twas safely shipped on board steamboat though not without much grumbling from the new owners; nor would 1t probably have then been recovered but by superior power. The owners and new claimants are now on their way to New Orleans, the latter intending to claim the tobacco by yir- lure of their purchases.
 And this robbery and murder occurred in Christian country that boasts of it's laws. It is no isolated instahce. Count less are the robberies and cold blooded . murders that almost daily occur in this re- zion, mocking and defying all laws human ane divine. The murderers of Bunch now ia safety recline upon the blood stained spot