Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-01

ty-Ie Defies them 10 Attempt His
Capture, Etc, Ete.
In Thursday mornings paper we men,
toned the arrest Of an Individual named
Digs who is charged with having COM
mitted foul. murder in Henry county,
some time in the early part Of last January.
We have since learned some additional
facts, about that particular case, and also
concerning the character OF the alleged
murderer, who is now in confinement in
our county Jail, awaiting the sitting of
court in Henry county, which will occur
next January.
Throughout West Tennessee the name
of Pud" Diggs is familiar to every house
hold as linked with the most horrible out
RACES perpetrated by guerrillas during the
war. His name became terror 10 whole
counties, and brave men have been known
TO turn pale at the bare mention Of this
wretch, such was the dread which the cut
RACES committed by himself and few com
panions had inspired. This desperate,
whose cruel and inhnman deeds will long
be remembered in not few localities of the
western portion of the State, is only about
twenty-fOur years of age. His family reside
near Paris, Henry county, and have the
reputation of being honest, hard working
people. His father was at one time a min
lister of the gospel. WE. Diggs, such is the
true name of the son, who has passed at
different times by different aliases, entered
the Confederate army about twelve months
after the opening of the war, and served
with distinction in a number Of regiments.
AT the battle Of Stone River he received
the medal as being. the brayest man. of his
command. Shortly after the fight at Muir.
freesboro, Digs abandoned his regiment
and joined notorious gang of guerrillas,
commanded by one Phillips, and known as
Phillips Guerrilias. From this time on
the soldier was lost in the cruel and inhu
man wretch whose delight was rapine and
plumber. In the pursuit of booty, es-
pecially money, he has been known to pro-
pose and execute almost unheard-of tor
lures. In September of 1864, Diggs and
several others of the aforementioned gang
captured six Federal soldiers at Johnson
vile, took them out near Paris, and shot
the last man in cold blood; after stripping
the slain, and clothing themselves in the
still reeking and bloody garments of their
victims, they mounted their horses and
rode like madmen through the streets of
the town, with drawn weapons, swearing
they would Kill any one who should speak
a word against their conduct. q -.
About the same time Diggs was impli- |
Gated IN some terrible outrages committed |
in Carroll county. A small party, of which |
he was one, visited the house of Edward |
Gwin, we'll known citizen, and reported !
quite wealthy. They bound the old gentle |
man in a helpless condition and then pro- |
ceeded TO inflict cruel tortures for the pur-
pose of making him discover where his |
money was concealed. They burned his |
feet and ears and tortured him in the most
savage manner with hot irons. From |
6winn they took one thousand FIVE hundred |
dollars, and from another man named |
Frank Thomas, three hundred more.
Shortly after this some of Hoods or For
rests command chased this notorious gang
from the country, and succeeded in captur-
ing two of them, Lueer and McKinsey,
who were court martialed and hung. At
rewards the Independent Company of Con-
commanded by Petty Jones, cap
.ured and killed two more Of this infamous |
gang. The Federals at Jacksonville also
succeeded at various times in disposiEg of |
IF several more. Pud Diggs," however,
vas too shrewd for them and succeeded al
way in eludig their grasp .t
At the close of the war attempts were
made to arrest this young desperate for the
lutrages committed in Carroll county. lei
vas during these efforts that Diggs met the
Deputy Sheriff of Henry county, Frederick
irwin, while that official was searching af-
er him, and shot the man dead in the road.
After this act, Digs left the country and
vent TO Louisiana. He staid some time at
Port Hudson, and afterwards proceeded to
New Orleans and thence to jackson. Missis-rl
ippi. After several months spent in wan
iering about the country, he returned
o Tennessee about five months ago, and
las been living for some time past near
ohelbyvllle, with a man named Webb Il
where he has been going to school. To
,lind the authorities of Henry county, his
etters were postnIarked from different
places so as to lead them astray. At last.
loweSar, they succeeded in locating him at
About three weeks sago two
men went from Paris to Shelbyville to ar
'est Digs, but he learned of their design
md left the country, writing the following
etter, which explains itself, to the editors of
Inc Paris Intelligeneer:
SHELBYvILLE, Tenn, Nov. 16, 1885,
10 the People Of Henry and adjoining Co,ln-
hes: Your orders have been received here
or my arrest. am not surprised in the
east. But they will do no good. l heard
II them too soon for you to get hold of me.
am sorry you went to the trouble of send
ng here for me; / will come without a
yuard. l win say to the people interested
n THIS matter: Gentlemen, you are lust
making good thing worse every time YOU
ry to do what you are wanting to do So |,
ar as having anything against the people
# that county, l have nothing; but if The
inc do es come that am COMPELLED to re-
urn to Paris, will make some think very
TRANCE of things. So far as the killing oil
dr. -, that was all his fauIt; twas
urprise to me. | was very sorry had it
o do. | either had that to do or surrender
o one man; and if had done that the
'eople would have cursed me for
hat So he is killed, and l cannot
ring him to life, and if l could l would
lot. There is no use grieving over split
milk. have left Henry county for the
,urDOse of HAVING M difficulties x,,a,,f |