The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-08-25
Horrible Outrage in Phelps Co.
Missouri.
Jadge Wright and Four OF His sons
Murdered.
FROM The Missrun RepubIioan, Aug. q.


were cruelty and inhumanly murdered
by the road side, on the road from Rol-
Ia 10 Houston, some Eve miles south
west Of the former place. The muir
ders, as We are informed, were commit
ted by a squad of Miller County militia.
some nine in number, under command
Colonel Bs5coke, who resides in either
Miller or Cole County.
Il appears that this Colonel and his
squad Of militia, on Tuesday last went
20 the residence Of Judge Wright, in
Phelps County, about ten miles from
Rolla They remained there until
Thursday. On that day they arrested
Judge Wright and five of his sons
Some sort of an investigation was made
into accusations brought aga INST the
parties, either fancied or real, when il
was determined 70 take them TO Rolla,
IS was given out, for further trial Mrs.
Wright, the wife and step-mother Of
the Judge and his sons, at frat implor-
ed Colonel Babcoke not 70 take her
family away. Finding that her en-
treaties were unavaiiiDg, she then be-
sought him 10 permit her to accompany
them This also was refused, but upon
her imploring him 70 do something for
her protection, AS she was fearful OF be-
ing murdered il left Rlone, the youngest
son, mere STRIPPING, was released.
The Judge wss then mounted on a
horse by himself, and his four sons
upon two other horses, under guard Of
the squad Of militia, ostensibly 70 be Ia
ken 10 Rolla. Before reaching that
point, g. stated above, they were all in
humanity butchered and their bodies
left lying in the brush by the roadside.
No less than twenty Six shots were
fred into the persons Of the five.
Twelve Of them took effect in their
heads. Before the bodies were reached
by the frantic wife, mother and her re-
manning son, four of the I'VE were dead,
and the 9Th insensible and dying.
About o'clock Thursday evening,
word came to Rolla that the murders
had been committed, creating intense
feelings OF sorrow and indignation.
Nothing, however, was done in the mat
ter that evening. Next morning s
wagon was cent out aud the five muir
deTed men brought into Rolla. d gen.
tleinsn who saw them says they pre-
ssnted q horrible appearance, their
feoes all ghastly with wounds and blood
and hlackenec with powder Judge
Wright had been shot in the side-faoe,
the weapon being held 20 close as 70
burn il, and leaving large blotches of
powder sticking in the skin.
The Judge il represented 70 as 80 be-
ing about sixty years of age, and an es>
Unable citizen. For the past twenty
6ve years he had resided in Phelps
county, and held the Office Of County
Judge for 8 number of years prior TO
the war. Ever since the beginning Of
our trouble in Missouri he had enjoyed
the confidence and esteem of the mill
taTy in command in his neighborhood,
his house being frequently the stopping
place Of officers whose men we're en-
camping At n beautiful spring on his
premises and nesr his residence. Two
gentlemen intimately acquainted in
Phelps, assure us that no more honora-
ole or more respected citizen hves in
the county.
Il is said that two Of the murdered
sons had been in the rebel army, and
had returned since the surrender of
Gen. Dick Taylor, under whose COM
maud one Of them had served. II may
be that this was the cause inducing the
cold-blooded murder Of nearly q whole
family. To their credit, and 20 the
credit Of the whole neighborhood, II
should be said, however, these young
men were behaving themselves with be
coming pTopriety. their conduct gain
ing them the confdence and good will
Of many Union soldiers and citizens in
that community.
inoIgnant were come Of these sol-
diers az the brutal outrage perpstrated
10 their murder, that they at once ex
pressed willingness 10 volunteer and
solean out" their cowardly murderers
And il d al the more damning 70 the
laWless brieapds 81 whose hands this
Atrocity was perpetrated, that they
should trSvel many miles from their
homes to psrpetrate il, while the loyal
and law abiding Of that community
were willing 20 ahord them counte-
nance and encourag cement
We understand that some days pre-
Tious, tina Col BAbOoks started either
from Jefferson City, OF the northern
part OF Miller county, with detaeh
ment Of forty or more men, on his er-
rand of blood From thence they traV-
elled through Miller into Pulaski coun-
". Near Waynesville, the county seat
Of Pulaski. they arrested W. Stewart,
Esq, respectable citizen, formerly
deputy sheriff Of the county, whom
they cruelty put % death. They also
arrested number Of men and women
on their route, and 3 wOmsn is said 20
be still missing, whom these red-hAnded
outlaws Ars believed 10 have made
away with.