Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-05

THE RECENT SHOOTING OF CoUSTERFETrERs IN i1Ai'-
DEAAN CousTY.-A correspondent of the memphis
AppeaI writing from Pocahontas, HArdemsn county
under date Of the 18th ut gives the following YER
sion of the recent shooting of four counterieIers IN
that place
Your report of the shooting ARRAY which occur
red here on Tuesday last is not quite some
points Your informant made you say tnat the var
pers were arrested and tried Tor couheeTle lOhg,
which was not the case Two other men VINO were
suspected of horse stealing. and OF being Implicated
IN |. rorrterfsitino operation were arrested and
tried on Saturday last, one OF whom turned ouAtes
evidence the other being bound over Tor ms appear
ance Sampson Carper and his three sons were
present at the trial but not anoer arrest tney
who were the means of having the TWO
men arrested and even went the mans security.
That night on their way home, they MADE qulIe
disnlav of the victory they thought they had
achieved They fired several guns and pls tols IN
defiance. as il were, of the people and the law,
which so exasperated the peaceable and honest por
lions of the citizens that they resolved at all hazards
to put an end 20 it. Early on Tuesday morning a
large body Of the people of this town and vicinity
armed themselves. determined to take the Carpers
and some others whom they knew to be connected
with the gang. They found them all, and had no
difficulty in arresting them, resistance to such
body of armed det rmined men would be sheer
madness. They brought them into town; held a
and have them tried before the circuit court now
in session. They were preparing to tie Sampson
Carper whom they had in custody in groceey,
but he told them they could not do It. de
was answered that they would or kill him, and
immediately after the shooting commenced
Sampson Carper was shot dead his two sons VII
liam and George were wounded it is thought NOR
tally They are both living yet, but 1t is believed
they cannot recover. The youngest son, Judge, es-
capped miraculously. several shots being fired at
him. Two others of the gang escaped while the
people were attending to the Carpers, but the cltl
zens say they will catch themy yet Gruber, Carper's
sonin-law, was also shot, but is not wounded so
dangerously as the others. An inquest was held on
the body of Sampson Carper yesterday. the verdict
was: Come by his death from rifle ball" Will
liam Carper was in the act of escaping when SIX or
seven balls penetrated lhs back, and other parts
Of his person. George Carper secreted himself un-
der bed, but was discovered, and received hVe or
six bullets in his body. 1t is wonderful how they
are alive. The Carper family have been
the terror Of the county for many years, their
character being such the people preferred
having nothing to do with them. This proportion
of the country has been flooded for long time with
counterfeit money and recently severalspurious SIT
gold pieces have been passed upon the people, all OF
which can be traced back to the same source quiet
people afraid TO accuse the parties fearngfor
their lives as they heard to say that any one
presuming to accuse them of passing counterfeit
money might be expected to have bullet put
through their heart Such has been the state OF
society here for some time past, owing to the well
known desperation of the gang. The people OF TINS
place are exceedingly sorry that such Tragedy
occurred but the community at large JUSTIFY une
act and regret that the other man escaped as he is
looked upon as a leading spirit. The headquarters
it s thought are in your city. The police ought 10
use every exerton in ferretng them out, ana Drlng
ing the scOundrels to justice.