The Lincoln County herald., 1867-11-07

Gov. Fletcher's Band Of Regulators
iD@sutheast Misssuri-Thsy Over.
Dewsr, lnSslt and Rsb.'
Acorrespondens Of shsst. Louis Times,
writing from Southeast Missouri, under
date Of October 20, says,
I end two editorial articles In the
Southeast Missouri Enterprise, Of the
current week, Radical sheet published
at Ironton. These articles, put in jux-
taposittcn, present rather singular state
Of facts s-if both bs true.
Tho one states that Captain Monks, of
Howell county, 10 after the horse thieves
and desperadoss in the county Of Howell,
and other counties adjoining, and that he
has cleared those counties Of the afore-
said desperadoes. The other states that
tie militia ION duty. In Howell and
Shannon counties, had, on the Sunday
before the issuing Of the Enterprise %.
per Of tho 10th Of October, visited Iron.
ton and Pilot Knob, in Iron county !;
that they arrested citizens on the road
below town, and compelled them to act
as guides; that the squad came to John
Laymams farm. ETC.; that thoy proceeded
to search Layman's premises, and appro.
priated several articles of value, and told
LIS little daughter that they intended to
kill her father, etc. Now, il is q we'll
known fact in sll Southeast Missouri,
that Tom Fletcher has recently author.
lied this Monks to raise q company Of
militia for "duty" in the counties of
Howell, Oregon, Shannon, etc.; that
Monks and his band are of the Babcook
order Of men; that they 60 opt with full
power to kill horse thieves, bushwhack.
crs, etc., under which power they kill,
stoal, rob and burn, as to thcm may seem
ct. It has come to the knowledge Of this
present writer that the people in those
counties have become terror stricken, and
many have fed with fear from their
homes. Can any one doubt this informa-
ton in the face Of the admissions of this
Radical organ? If those cat-throats have
done in Iron county what the "Enter.
prise" man says they have, what have
they not done in those counties where
they had license to commit oil manner OF
crimes2
The comments Of the editor Of the En-.
terprise upon tho conduct of the cut.
throats who arrested Mr.. Layman are
we'll timed and appropriate.
He remarks that the sheriff of Iron
county apd her citizens ore fully able to
attend to all the violators Of the law in
that county, without tho aid Of the Monks
militia. The same can be said of all the
counties which have been cursed by these
rowing, lawless thieves, who pretend to
be acting under the authority of "aail.
road Tom" There is no doubt but the
counties in Southeast Missouri are more
or less infested with horse thieves, and
the country ought to be rid of them
but it is equally true that this same mi.
litia ION duty" are men of the Babcock
order, and while pretending to rid the
country Of desperadoes, rob and steal,
themselves, and drive out the better class.
of men. I have no hesitancy in sayiug,
that if the truth we're really known there
have been more robberics, thefts and mur,
ders committed since those men went on
"duty, than have been committed in these
counties within the last twelve months.
Monks and his militia arc not the men
to suppress crime. The people have
never asked for them and do not want
them. If they are not able to suppress
the crime alleged to bs committed In
these counties, without the aid of mill.
tary authority, they deserve to be cursed
with horse thieves and desperadoes. The
men Of that character are plenty enough,
in all conscience, everywhere, and thi
Governor should not send upon that peo
pie . still more desperate and hungry
set.