Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1848-11-17


Rockcastle hills. Suspicion Immediately fixed
upon the iarPes as the perpetrators, and Capt.
flallenger at The head Of few bold and rssO-
luIe men started in pursuit. They experienced
great difficulty in following their trail, owing 10
a heavy iall ofsnow, which had oblilersIed most
tracks, but finally came upon them while en-
camped 10 bottom on Greene River, scar the
spot where the town Of Liberty nov stands. Al
first they made show Of resistance, but upon
being informed that if they did not immediate.
y surrender they would be shot down, they yiel.
dsd themselves prisoners.
They were brough, back to Stanford, and
there examined. Among there efforts were
found some fine linen shirts, marked with the
initials Of Landlord. One had been pierced by
bullet, and was stained with blood. They
had also considerable sum Of money in gold.
Ii was afterwards ascertained that this was the
kind Of money Lankford had with him. The
evidence against them being thus conclusive
they were confined in the Stanford Jail, but were
afterwards sent for trial at DanvilIc, where the
district court was in session. Here they broke
jail, and succeeded in making their escape.
They were next heard of in Adair county,
near Columbia. In passing through that coun-
ly, they mel small boy, the son of Col. Traube,
with pillow-case Of meal or -four, an article
they probably needed. The COY, it is supposed,
they robbed and then murdered, as he was new.
er afterwards heard Of Many years afterwards
human bones, answering the size of Col.
Traube's son at the time Of his disappearance,
were found in sink hole near the .place, where
he was said TO have been murdered.
The Harpes still shaped their cou rse towards
the mouth of Green River, marking their path
by murders and robberes of the most horrible
and brutal character. The District of country
through which they passed was at that time We.
ry thiny settled, and from this reason their'out.
RACES entunpunished. They seemed inspired
with the deadliest hatred against the whole hu-
man race, and such was their implacable mis-
anlhropy that they were known to kill where
there was no temptation TO rob. One of their
victims was little girl found at some distance
from her home, whose tender age and helpless
ness would have been protection against any but
incarnate fends. The last dreadful act of bar.
barity, which led to their punishment and ex-
pulsion from The country, exceeded in aTocity
all the Others.
Assuming the guise Of Methodist preachers
they obtained lodging one night at a solitary
house on the road. Mr.. Stagall, the master oil
the house, was absent, but they found his wife
and children, and stranger, who like themselves
had stopped for the night. Here they conver'
sed and made inquiries about the two noted
Harpes who were represented as prowling abou
the country. When they retired to rest they
contrlved 10 secure an axe, which they carried
with them into their chamber. In the dead o
the night they crept softly down stairs and as
sassinated the whole family, together with the
stranger, and then setting fire TO the house, made
their escape.
When Stagall returned, he found no wife tc
welcome him; no home 10 receive him. Dis.
racted with grief and rage, he turned his horses
head from the smoudering ruins, and repaired
TO the house of Capt. John Leeper. Leepel
was one OF the most powerful men Of the day
: and fearless as powerful. Collecting four OF
FIVE other men, we'll armed, they mounted and
: started in pursuit Of vengeance. 1t was agreed
that Leeper should attack "Big Harpe," leaving
: "LiltIe Harpe" to be disposed Of by Stagal.-
The others were to hold themselves in READINGS.
to assist Leeper and StagalI, as circumstances
might require.
|, The party found the women belonging TO ihC
Harpes attending to their little camp by the'toaC
slde-the men having gone aside into the wood:
TO shoot an unfortunate traveller of the name @
Smith, who had fallen into their hands, ant
whom the women had begged might not be dcs
patched before their eyes. 1t was this halt tha
, enabled their pursuers to overtake them; the
women Immediately gave the alarm, and the
miscreants mounted their horses, which were
large, fleet and powerful fled in separate direc.
tions. Leeper singled out Big Harpe, aud be.
, ing better mounted than his companions left
, them far behind. Little Harpe succeeded in es.
Gaping from Stagal, and he, with the rest Of his
companions, turned and followed on the track oi
, Leeper and Big Harpe. After chase of abou
nine miles Leeper came within gun shot Of the
latter and fired. The ball entered his thigh
passed through it and penetrated his horse
Harpe's gun escaped from his hand and rolled
some eight or ten feet down the bank Reoa.
ding his rifle Leeper ran up TO where the woun.
ded outlaw lay, weltering in his blood, and found
him with one thigh broken, and the other crush.
ed beneath his horse. Leeper rolled the horse
away and set Harpe in an easier position. The
robber begged that he might not be killed.
Leeper told him that he had nothing TO feaI
from him, but that Stagall was coming up, and
could not probably be restrained. Harpe ap
peared very much frightened at hearing this
and imPlored LeePer TO protect him. In a mo.
ment Stagall appeared and without uuerng q
word raised his rifle and shot Harpe through The
head. They then severed the head from the bo.
dy and stuck itupon pole where the road eros.
ses the creek, from which the place wasthen nam,
cd S is yet called HarPe's Head. Thus persisted
one of the boldest and most noted freebooter:
that has ever appeared in America. Save cour
age, he was without rsdeeming quality, anG
his death freed the country from a terror which
had long paralyzed its boldest spirits.
The little Harpe when next heard from wa:
on the road which runs from New Orleans thro
the ChocIaw grant, to Tennessee. While there
he became acquainted with and joined the band
of outlaws led by the celebrated Mason. Ma.
son and HarPe committed many depredations
unon tho ahnva ~o.l IL ,,.-. Il :