Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-08-25
gailg empire.
Terrible COndAsiOn ga Affairs An
Missouri. ...


The St. Louis Republican, Of the 2lst,
brings us the particulars of an awful political
tragedy enacted in Phelps County, in that
State. There is nothing in the annals of bar.
tarity that excels it. 1t seems that Colonel
Baocoke, with a squad of militia went to the
residence of Judge Wright, who lives about
ten miles from Rolla, are arrested him with
Eve Of his sors. What thus took place is thus !
narrated BY the Republican,
"Some sort of an investigation was made
into accusations brought against the parties
either iancied or real, when it was Determined
to take them TO Roa as was gwen out, Tor
further trial Mrs. Wright, the wife and step.
mother Of the Judge ,and his sons, at first i'm.
plored Colonel Babcoke not to take her family
away. Finding that her entreaties we're un
avsiling, she then besougbt him TO permit her
to accompany them. This was also refused,
but upon her lmploring him TO do something
for her protection, as she was fearful of bel g
murdered IT lets alone, the youngest son, u
mere STRIPPING, was released.
"The Judge was then mounted on horse
by himself, and his four sons upon two other
horses, under guard of the squad of militia,
ostensibly to be taken to Rolla Before
reaching that point as stated above, they
we're all inhumanly butchered, and their bodies
left lying in the brush by the roadside. No
less than twenty.six shots we're fired into the
persons OF the FIVE Twelve of them took
effect in their heads Before the bodies were
reached by the frantic wife and mother, and
her remaining son, four OF the five we're
dead, and the fifth insensible and dying.
"About FIVE o'clock Thursday evening word
came to Rolla that the murders had been
committed, creating intense feelings of cor
sor and ndindignation Nothing, however, was
done in the matter that evening. Next morn
ing wagon was sent out, and the bodies of
the murdered men we're brought into Rolla.
A gentleman who saw them says they present
ed horrible appearance, their faces all ghast.
iy with wounds and blood, and backened with
powder Judge Wright had been shot in tire
side OF the face, the weapon being held so
close as 10 burn it,and leave large blotehes of
powder sticking in the skin.
"The Judge is represented to us as being
about sixty years Of age, and an estimebe
lciuEen, For the past twenty-five years he
had resided in Phelps County, and held the
office of County Judge for q number of years
prior to the war Ever since the beginning
OF our troubles in Missouri, he had enjoyed
the confidence and esteem Of the military in
command in his neigbborhood, bis hou 20 be-
Iing frequently the stopping place of officers
whose men were camping at beautiful
spring on his premises,and near bis residence,
Two gentlemen Intimately acquainted with
Fhelps, assure as that no more honorable or
more respected ciliz lived iu the country
"ltis said that two of the murdered sons
had been in the rebel army, and had returned
'nce the surrender of General Dick Taylor,
under whose command one of them had serv-
ed 1t may be that this was the cause iudu-
eng the cold'blooded murder of nearly whole
family 10 their credit, aud to the credit of
the whole neigbborhood, it should be said,
however, the young men we're behaving
themselves with becoming propriety, their
iconduct gaining them the confidence and
lgood will of many Union soldiers and citizens
in that community. SO indignant we're some
of these soldiers at the brutal outrage perpe~
trated in their murder, that they at once ex-
pressed willingness 10 volunteer and 'elean
out their cowardly murders And it ia all
the more damning TO the lawless brigauds at
whose bands this atroeity WAS perpetrated,
that they should travel many miles from their
homes to perpetrate it, while the loyal and
law abiding of that community were willing to
afford them countenRHce and encourage
ment l1 ~ -
HWe understand that some days previous,
this Colonel BAbcoke started either from
Jefferson City or the northern part of Miller
County, with detachment of forty or more
men, on this errand of blood From thence
hey travelled through Miller into Pulaski
. County Near WsynesvIl, the county seat
, OF Pulaski County, they arrested W. Stewart,
; Esq, q respectable citizen, formerly Deputy
sheriff OF the county, whom they cruelty pot
to death. They also arrested number of
men and women on their route, aud woman
is said to be still missing. whom these red
handed outlaws are believed to have made
. away with.
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