Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1865-10-07
Horrible Atrocity in Missouri---;A
Father and four Sons Inhumanly
Dutchered.

Father and four Sons Irhumanl.
Butchered.
From tho st, Lous Republican Of tho 2lst ult.
On Thursday afternoon last Judge Lew
is +, Wright and four Of his sons wer,
cruelty and iGhumanly murdered by th'
roadside on the route from Rolla to Ilous
ton, some five miles sonthwes, of the form
or place. The murders, as We are inform
cd, were committed by n squad Of Miller
County militia, some nine in number, I'M
der command of Col. Babcoke, who resides
in either Miller or Cole county.
1t appears that this Colonel and his squad
of militia, on Tuesday last, went to the res
idencc of John Wright, in Phelps county
about ten miles from Rolla. On that day
they arrested Judge Wright AMI five Of his
sons. Some sort Of an investigation was
made into the accusations brought against
the parties, either fancicd or real, when it
was determined to take them to Rolla. as
was given out, for future trial. Mrs
Wright, the wife and step.mother of the
Judge, and his sons, at first implorcd Col
Babcokc not to take her family away. Find
. ing that her entreaties were unayailing,
I she then bcsought him topcrmit her to accom-
pany them. This was also refused, but up
on her imploring him to do something for
her protection, rs she was fearful Of being
murdered if left alone, the youngest son, a
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, ostensbly to be taken to Rolla.
Before reaching that point, as stated above,
they were al! inhumanly butchcred, and
their bodies left lying in the brush by the
roadside. No less than twenty.sx shots
were fired into the persons Of the five.
Twelve of them took effect in their heads.
Before the bodies were reached by the fran
tic wife and mother and her remaining son,
four of the five were dead, and the fifth in
sensible and dying.
About five o'clock Thursday evening
word came to Rolla that the murders that
had been committed, created intense feeling
of sorrow and Indignation. Nothing, how
ever, was done in the matter that evening.
Next morning wagon was sent out, and
the bodies of the five murdered men were
brought into Rolla.
A gentleman who saw them, says they
presented horrible appearance, their fac
es all CHASTITY with wounds and blood, and
blackcned with powder Judge Wright had
been shot in the side-face, tho weapon be-
ing held so close as to burn it, and leave
large blotches of powder striking in the
skin.
The Judge is Represented to us as being
about sixty years of age, and an estimable
citizen. For the past twenty-five years he
has resided in Phelps county, and held the
Office Of county Judge for q number of
years prior to the war, Ever since the be-
ginning of the troubles in Missouri he had
enjoyed the confidence and esteem of the
military in command in his neighborhood,
his house being frequently the stopping
place of officers whose men arc camped az
q beautiful spring on his premises and near
his residence. Two gentlemen intimately
acquainted in Phelps, assures US that no
more honorable or respectable citizen lived
in this county.
So indignant were some Of these soldiers
at the brutal outrage perpetrated in their
murder, that they at once expressed their
willingness to volunteer and clean out their
cowardly murderers. And it is all the
more damning to them, to the lawless brig
ands at whose hands this atrocity was per-
petrated, that they should travel many
miles from their homes to perpetrate it,
while the loyal and law abiding men of
:hat community were willing to afford them
countenance and encouragement.
We understand that some days previous,
this Col. Babcoke started either from JEFF
ferson City, or the northern part of Miller
County, with detachment of forty or
more men, on his errand of blood. From
thence through Miller into Pulaski County.
Near Waynesville, the county seat of Pu
laski, they arrested VIM. Stewart, Esq,
respectable citizen, formerly Deputy Sheriff
of the county, whom they cruelty put to
death. They also arrested number of
men and women on their route, and wo-
man is said to be still missing, whom these
redhanded outlaws are believed to have
made away with.