Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-11-12
He Promises Ransom Money
and Is Released-A Threat
ening Letter.
Another Citizen Shot ut from
The Roadside and Pain
fully Wounded Monday.
The People Aroused Hum
dreds Securing the COun-
try with Guns and
BlOOdhOunds.

an organized gang Of negro robbers II
the northeast portion Of the county VIII
scruple not at even the taking of life +
accomplish their purposes. Within tn
past few days revelations have come Il
light which leave no doubt that tn
country within circuit of eight or tel
miles of Hickory Withe depot, north o
this city, on the Memphis and Obi
railroad, is similarly cursed. For sew
eral weeks robberies, whose authors i
was impossible to trace, have occurred
in the vicinity. They were generally
believed to have been the work of ne
groes, but more recently facts have
trahspired calculated to clear up Tho
mystery, and prove the existence in thu
neighborhood of as daring a set o.
scoundrels as ever infested community
On Saturday last Mr. Greenleaf, q
we'll known merchant, residing at the
depot, while in the woods mile or two
from the town, was suddenly confronted
by white man, who, with gun leveled
commanded him to halt. Mr.. Greenleai
was unarmed, and even had he posses.
sed weapon, could not have produced
it in time to prevent the other from
firing. He at once obeyed the summons
and the man approached. His money
was demanded. 1t happened that he
had only dollar or two in his pocket,
which the rbber deemed too triaing a
sum to notice. The highwayman was
enraged at the poor pickings his victim
afforded, and peremptorily ordered him
to strip for death, as he designed making
daylight shine through his body. Mr..
Greenleaf expostulated, but the robber
again leveled his gun, and the
unfortunate merchants outer cloth
ing was off in a moment. To
be shot down like dog was too horrible
to contemplate. Life seemed never so
sweet to Mr.. Greenleaf as at that mo.
ment, and he determined to make one
more effort to save it at the risk of draw.
ing the scoundreps fire. He turned to
the highwayman, the muzzle of whose
gun still stared him in tie face, and
opened negotiations: He supposed the
robber cared more for money than his
victims life, which was of no value the
discovery of the corpse could result only
in the community being searched thor
oughly for the murderer. Therefore,
nothing could be gained by his death.
He had some money at home; in three
hours he would cause 800 to be placed
at the foot of the tree under which they
stood. The robber seemed to be struck
with the force of the logic. After DELHI
Grating moment, he replied: "Well,'
sir; 1 don't particularly desire to kill
you; I'll trust you; but remember you
cannot escape me in three hours shall
expect to find the money here; gol"
Mr.. Greenleaf lost little time in reach.
ing the town, although for quite dis
lance he could not overcome the fear that
the highwayman was skulkiug behind and
would sooner or later execute his original
intention of killing him. Upon arriving
at home his first impulse was to send the
money as promised; but several friends,
to whom the adventure was revealed,
demonstrated against such course.
They argued that Mr.. Greenleaf was not
in honor bound to keep promise ex-
torted as the price of life, and were deter
mined to set trap for the capture of the
scoundrel and any accomplices he might
have, 1t flashed upon all that the affair
furnished the key to the mysterious rob.
berries lately perpetrated in the neighbor-
hood
Accordingly several men stealthily
the vicinity of the tree
alluded to, armed and determined to cap
ture, dead or alive, whoever came to
receive the money. The robbCr either
discovered their proximity from his place
Of concealment, or had begun to doubt
The merchant. No one came, and the party
returned home without making any new
discoveries. The next morning, however,
4 man answering the description given
by Mr.. Greenleaf was found, arrested
and brought into town. Upon being
,lesely questioned, he admitted having
been within fifty yards of the scene of
he previous, days adventure when it
occurred, but denied that he was the
,uilty party. Mr. Greenleaf was I'M
.ble to positively identify him, but the
we're deemed sufficiently
uspioious in warranting the citizens in
etaining the man, who was soon after
Tard taken before Esq. Brewer and
ommitted.
On Sunday night a note, addressed to
ir. Greenleaf, was showed uader his
DOR. As nearly as orr informant could
eeolleot, il read as follows:
Ma GREESLEAF; II you have me ar
esied, which think you can't do, you'll S
c shot. You have betrayed the clan,
nd need Rpt think to escape its ven
eance. WILn AVEYGER Y
The hote, which bore no other sigma. S
are, seriously alarmed Mr.. Greenleaf, 70. (,
HON it was now plain that he had to h
cal with men unscrupulOus rs to the c