Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1853-08-04
Vicksbarg in 1885.

lerS ana abandoned women sprea(
themselves all over the city a Sc
Of desperadoes. Respectable womel
could hardly pass the street withou
insult. Other outrages we're com
mon. At length young planter
with large sum of money entered
one of their hells and was seen nc
more. The respectable citizens o
the town determined to rid them
selves of these nuisances. A public
meeting was held and resolutions
passed, giviDgfhe gamblers "a hours
to leave in, all being found after that
time to receive 80 lashes at the pub
lie whipping post.
The result we copy from our
friend "Falconbridge's'' Life Of DAN
MARBLE:
AS the twenty-four hours drew to
a close, the citizens were gratiied to
see that nearly all the blacklegs had
taken warning and departed, or were
busily getting their goods together
to leave. The gamblers had taken
fright by the resolute stand and de
termined bearing of the Vicksburgi-
ans, and saw that they were not to
be tampered with. At the expira-
ton of the time, the courthouse bell
called the citizens again together,
and a report of the committee'of vigil
lance showed that all the gamblers,
with their women, had taken leave,
save five or six of the most desper-
ate, who had barricaded thems elves
i4 their dwellings, and defieh q all
Vicksburg to eject them!
Upon hearing this, the meeting Of
citizens delegated a committee to
wait upos these gentlemen and order
them to leave at once, or suffer the
consequences. The Vicksburg vol
unteer company was also ordered out
to help to keep the peace. The
committee was accompanied on its
mission by a large number of the citi-
zens, to witness the result. The
gamblers defied them, and swore they
would fire on the first man who at
tempted TO enter the house. A par
ty of citizens then made a rush to
the door, when several shots were
fired from within, and DR.. Bodley,
one Of the most popular young men
in Vieksburg, fell dead, being shot
through the lungs.
At seeing him fall, the citizens, as
may easily be imagined, became ex
The barricade house was
in moment carried by storm, and
the five gamblers made prisoners, af-
ter desperately defending themselves.
One of them was dangerously woun-
ded in the conflict. and doubtless
would have died before night if he
had not been hanged!
Upon getting these desperadoes in
to their hands, the citizens with one
voice, cried-"To the Cou rt-house!
There letus judge theml''
The volunteer company now form
a hollow square; the prisoners were
placed in the centre, the wounded
man in cart, which some one had
provided. Somebody else provided
ropes, and somehow or other they
were noosedabout the gamblers necks
nobody could tell by whom. All
seemed done by one impulse, as if.
one spirit only governed the multi
tude. To the sound of dirge they
were marched TO the green in front
of the Courthouse, the citizens fall
ing in behind the soldiers in orderly
procession. Arriving at the court
house, they marched silently on, en-
the gallows that stood near.
No voice had said, Ito the gallows!'
Not a tongue had breathed hanging
Yet each man iustinctively felt What
was going to TAX e place each Fead
it in his neighbor's looks!
The gallows was surrounded IN
proioi,nd silence. Three men stepped
ont and lifted the wounded man from
the cart and placed him on the low
er step of the gallows. Others LED
the four desperadoes to the beam
and fastened the end Of the cords to
the cross-bar. The fifth was secured
in his place beside them,
Up to this time nothing had been
said by any one Of what was to be
aone. Nobody had given an order
of any kind. Men acted as II
moved by one emotion las II the