Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-04-16
THE FATE OF A RUSSELLVILLE
BANK ROBBER,
oliver shepherd IL Traced 30 Jack
son eesuty, Missouri : HIS DesPe.
rate Resistance and Deash.


son Coauty, Missouri : HIS Despe.
rate Resistance and Deash.
The description given by the citizens of
Russellyille Of The two daring freebooters
who kept the citizens at bay while others
Of the band robbed the bank, not only en-
abled detective Bligb, of louisville, to
identify one Of them in the person Of Geo.
w, alias Jack Shepherd, now imprisoned
in Louisville, but TO ascertain that the
other one was the latters cousin, Oliver
Shepherd, who had returned Immediately
after the robbery TO his home in Jackson
county, Missouri. Officer Bligk then for
warded to the bankers and police of that
section circular describing the person,
and informing them that, from Information
he had obtained in working up the RUSSELL
vile affair, he (Bligh) was satisfied that
Shepherd had been concerned in certain
startling bank robberies in Missouri. The
sequel will be gathered from the following
account, which We clip from the Indepen-
dence Mo- Sentinel of April llth:
Many Of our readers saw the account of
the bold and daring robbery of the bank
at Russellville, KY, some two or three
weeks ago The act was committed 30
publicly that many of the citizens who
witnessed it were enabled to give an accu-
rate description of the perpetrators. On
Friday, Sd inst, Deputy Sheriff Strobe re-
ceived a document Containing a descrip-
tion of one who was engaged in the rob
berry, which said description suited Oliver
Shepherd, who had been absent from his
home, in Lees Summit, in this county, for
several weeks. Mr. Strobe learned that
Shepherd had returned home that day, and
having a writ for his arrest from Ray
county, he (Strode) resolved to arrest him.
lie accordingly took the eight o'clock P. NJ,
train, and went TO Lees Summit. He
there called upon some ten men to 20 TO
Shepherds house, surround it and wait
until daylight, when he (StrOde) would in
form Shepherd of his business. The party
at once proceeded to Shepherds house,
but he was not there. They learned that
he had left that evening in his carriage,
taking with him his family. They returned
and reported to Mr. Strode who ordered
them to search the neighborhood for him.
Under these orders, they went to the house
of Shepherds father, where they found his
carriage This was between three and |
Eve in the morning. The Captain of |
the party stationed tine men around the |
house, and then called TO know |
il Oliver Shepherd was there, and |
was answered by female that he was not |
but at the same time they heard him Jump |
from the bed that part of the house being |
neither lathed nor plsstered, and conse-
qnently offering but little obstruction to |
sound or bullets. The Captain being well |
acquainted with him, called to him and |
told him that they had been sent BY the /
Sheriff to arrest him, and that il he would |
mbmit quietly he should not be hurt. |
Shepherd replied, with oaihs, that he would /
give them hill az soon as he got his |
clothes on, and at the same slime fred two |
Or three shots through the Weather-board- /
ing in the direction of the party who were
talking to him. Two or three shots we're
returned, but no one hurt. The parties
without then took their position so "a TO
prevent his escape aud resolved to wait /
until daylight At every noise from that |
until day, Shepherd would fire out at the
window8 and curse terribly. When day
had fully come he rushed out at the west
front door with pistol in one hand, shot
gun In the other, and one or two pistols in
his belt around him. He made for the
brush, shooting as he ran. The party fred
at him, several Of the balls taking effect |
and killing him almost instantly. The
party reported without delay to the Deputy
Sheriff, who approved of the action under
the circumstances and his orders.
We have thus given detailed and spe-
cial account Of this affair that the public
may see that Shepherd was not murdered
by mob or the irresponsible vigilance
committee, but that he was shot by party
Of men selected and called out bv the |
Deputy Sheriff for the single and express
purpose TO arrest him. From the above
statement, which was detailed TO us by Mr..
Strobe and some Of the party sent out, it
will also be seen that harsh and extreme
measures were only resorted to after every
mild measure had failed to induce Shep-
herd to yield himself to the requirements
of the law. He knew the party, and had
every reason to know that he would not be
mObbed or maltreated by them. He was
told the charge for which he was being
arrested, and If he were innocent of 80 foul
a crime, he shculd not only have been
willing, but anxious to have had that in
nocence vindicated and his character
purged of the aspersions by public judi
ciAl investigation. But his rashness and
defiance of law have caused his death 'un-
der circumstances calculated to impress
the public mind with the belief that he