The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-11-15
Lawlessness in Davidson County.
Gangs of Outlaws Constantly oPe-
rating.
Thieves at Every MANS Door.

Thieves at Every Mans Door.
The vicinity Of this city is fun Of thieves,
robbers, and murderers Crime IN every
grade is rampant-goes almost unchecked.
Tbe malefaeiors 20 in gangs, and single
thew are both black aux white, and some
times these two classes operate together.
They hover around, from two 70 i've n les
from the city, 50 that they out Of the
Jurisdiction Of the police, yet are near enough
10 Eaylay and rob ell parties aPproaehlng or
departing from the city
They - armed 70 the teeth csrry rifles,
Government muskets, aud pistols and are
ent RELY reckless Of human lie, murderlr
as If il were q delightful psstime. They ap-
pear 10 take 60 much pleasure in killing tnat
they would rather strike down their victim
than 70 rob him unseathed.
Who these men are, and whence they
come. it Is difficult 70 say but they conduct
their operations with boldnesa that must
satisfy any one that they are beyond 81 re-
dsmption; that there is but o single way Of
preventing their further inroads-by hang
ing them The ordinary penalties Of the
law have no terrors fUr them; pursuits Dy
eonsta bles aud sheriff. are regarded as e1-
eelient practical Jokes; and they have no
dread offhe walls Of the lail-hOuse, because
they never expect 10 see their inner surfaces
A few dsvs since. we detailed the murder
Of 3 man IN BTOad street, near 70 ChatlaA
uoopa Railroad and still later the killinB oi
the old man H smlet on the NolensFllle PIKE
also the murder Of several parties AZ q short
distance from the city, IN Robertson Ooeh-
~. vet no clues have been found % the per-
r.-atr,tor, of the foul deeds; the villains 60
unpunished, and are unpublished. VI the
remedy for existing evils, il Is the duty OF
the bubble TO seriously thiak they must not
be permitted 70 continue; the prosperityofthe
country demands that property and life
should be safe. There is not an honest mau
10 the country, but is deeply interested in
the preservation Of order.
But TO specific cases. On Saturday
night last, a man named James Fenton,
who lives some fifteen or twenty miles from
the city, was riding on horseback, along tins
Gallstin pike, and when within four miles
OF town, he saw a crowd Of four or i've men,
dressed in citizens clothes, some distance
before him, but travelling in the same way
with himself. Not liking to encounter them
he rode slowly along, hoping not 70 overtake
them. They sauntered along, and he fol
lowed, for half a mile or more. They ev-
identity had seen him. and desired 10 maze
him believe that they were peaeeable eiti-
zens; but finding that he was not gaining
on them, they halted, one Of them, at the
same time taking off his boots, as if to take
out something that annoyed him. The
horseman was now in q dilemma, but he
determined to ride on; and putting spurs 20
bic steed, he was soon even with them, /
when one Of them ordered him to halt, ana |
az the same time, drew pistol. Fenton |
seeing that he was in desperate situation, |
laid down on his horse, and put it out, at |
full galiop, and passed them, and at the |
same time, half dozen bullets whizzed by /
him The heetness Of his horse, however, |
saved him, and he escaped unscathed-