Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-10-23
A Bloody Expiation in Middle Tennessee
The Brother Of Guerrilla Decoyed and
Murdered.

Tho Brother Of Guerrilla DeoOyed and
Murdered.
Another Of those terrible tragedies
which have followed upon the late war,
and one which, perhaps, for the cold
blooded system characterizing its execu-
ton, rivals anything Of the kind yet
recorded, occurred few miles south Of
Jacksonville a few days since.
During the war the farmers between
Big Bottom and Waverley suffered
greatly by the depredations Of guerrillas,
losing a large number Of horses, which
were said to have been stolen by Lon
Porter, notorious bushwhacker, who
infested that region at the time. A
brother of Lon was said to have received
and sold the stolen horses, the proceeds
being divided between the two. For
some time the life of the latter has been
threatened The man he most feared
was desperate named Bill Pierce, who
lived but short distance from him, and
whose reputation did not serve in any
way to allay the fears of Porter
On the day the murder, six horsemen
left Waverley together, armed with rifles
and shot guns, and followed by a mum
ber of hounds, as il on hunting excnr-
sion. They took the road leading to Big
Bottom, and, when part the way, were
hailed by farmer, who inquired if they
we're out riding. They replied that they
we're going down to Big Bottom, as they
believed game to be plenty there.
Arriving at the house of Bill Pierce,
they ascertained that Porter was at
church, and the whole party put up their
horses and took dinner, afterwards going
to the house of Porter, which was in
sight, and demanding to see him. Porter
having returned, came to the door, when
one of them in friendly way threw an
arm about him, saying, Porter, you
must 90 along with us; we have busi-
ness with you"
At this juncture, Porter's wife came to
the door and said to him, "You had
better not go with these fellows. | know
they mean to kill you, and if you must
die, you might as well die here at home
as in the woods"
The horsemen returned that Porter s
brother, Lon, was under arrest at john
sonville, and that Porter was needed as
a witness.
To allay the fears of his wife, Porter
then said to her. You need not fear;
these men all know me, and they know
that / never had anything to do with
Ions doings."
With this, he mounted his horse and
Joined the party, suspecting nothing
whatever, but that all was right. They
soon reached the forks of the road lead
ing to Johnsonvile and Waverley, but
taking neither, they started up an old
and lonely road, which had not been
used for thirty years, saying they had
changed their minds and would go on to
Wayerly.
This at once aroused Porter's suspi-
cions, and he declared they were taking
him somewhere that Bill Pierce might
shoot him. They quieted his fears, how:
ever, and all moved on until about a half
mile from the fork, when one of them
gave low whistle, which was answered
from clump of bushes near, and Bill
Pierce stepped out, leveled gun, fired,
and Porter dropped dead from his saddle,
the blood streaming from a CHASTITY
wound in the breast.
The body fell with heavy thug, and
the horse bounded away toward home,
saddle and skirt dripping with the life
current of the murdered man. A little
boy, relative Of Porter, who had per-
sistently followed him, and who had been
whipped back by some of the party, saw
the smoke of Pierce's gun, and that
Porter had disappeared from the saddle.
Realizing what had occurred, he ran
homeward as soon as possible, and both
the horse and boy being met by Clint
and John Winfreys, who lived not far
from the scene, the boy related to them
what had occurred. They at once has
tened to the spot, and on seeing the
body of Porter reused a number of
neighbors, who shortly after removed it.
Pierce and the balance Of the party
were next day arrested, and prelimi ,
nary examination was held before JUS
tice Ellis. Subsequent to this, Pierce
obtained permission to visit home, ac-
companied by guards, from whom he
managed to escape, and is now at large.
The Others were sent to Dresden, where
it was to be decided whether they should
be admitted to bail.