Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-03-27
rI,e Ru.se,,vi,,e Rauk Robbcry.

4 knt AAloatAhNhAEC AhtAhha hhODD1AJ
The Russellville Herald of Wednesday
contains a lengthy account of the recent
daring robbery of the bank of n. Long &
Co. at that place. After detailing the pre-
liminary visit to the bank, some ten days
previously, of the leader of the robbers,
made for the purpose, doubtless, of inspect
ing the interior and surroundings, the Ha-
aid says;
And now we come to the final, and despe-
rate, and bloody issue on Friday, the goth
inst. The scene being the banking house
and vicinity. The bank is located on Main
street, opposite the Baptist Church, some
distance south of the public square; is sur
rounded by private residences, with no
business houses in the vicinity. The hour
was two o'clock in the afternoon-a time
when few persons are usually passing in
that part of town. Mr.. Morton, the CASH
Ter, who lives in the northeast portion of
/ town, about a mile from the bank, had
started to dinner, on horseback, and had
been gone about fifteen minutes. Nj. c.
Owens, who lives in the residence adjoin-
ing the bank, was through with din
ner, and had not been long gone
to his store, down town. n. Long,
one of the proprietors, Hugh Bar
clay, Jr., Clerk in the bank, and T. II.
| Simmons, farmer who resides a few miles
| from town, were behind the bank counter,
and the only persons present. Two of the
robbers came down East College street, on
horseback, and stopped few yards from
Main street, near the corner of the Bap-
fist Church, and in full view of the front
| door of the bank The other three robbers
| came up West College street stopped in
sight of the bank, dismounted, ard hitched
their horses to a fence. None of their
movements had been observed by the gen
| tlemen in the bank, as they were anticipa-
ting nothing of the kind. The three rob
bers LAT hlcn';, DoI y al fanceI nb Wee.
/ College MO 4halH s.ree,, aud entered the
bank, side by side--qmith, Coleman, and
| another, whose name is not known. They
went up TO the bank counter, with saddle
bags and satehel on their arms
Coleman threw down $50 note, with
an impudent air, and slid, 81 reckon you
will take that, sir" Long answered, even
before he had picked up the note, "No, sir,
| can see it is a counterfeit without my
glasses" He ran his hand in a side.pocket
to get out his spectacles for the purpose of
| examining the note more closely, when
Coleman suddenly drew a navy revolver.
placed it near his face, and ordered him TO
Surrender p The other robbers simnlta-
neously drew navy revolvers, pointed them
at the faces OF Simmons and Barclay, and
| ordered them to surrender also. Long,
| comprehending the situation, and knowing
that he, Simmons and Barclay would be
/ powerless without assistance, determined
to brave every danger, get outside and give
the alarm. Wheeling suddenly around, he
sprang toward door opening into back
| room-hoping thus to get ont into College
street. But, unfortunately, Smith antici-
/ pated his design, intercepted him by an
other door opening into the back room,
placed a pistol within six or eight inches
of Longs head and fred = the ball
grazing the scalp for about two inches,
tearing away the hair and flesh, but
no fracturing the skull. Smith then
| commenced beating him on the head
with the pistol, with terrific blows, and
| knocked him down to the floor. Long,
| regardless of all danger managed to get on
his feet again, seized hold of the pistol,
and made a desperate effort to wrench it
l from the hand of his assailant, and still
| making an effort TO reach the back door of
l the back room, which let into a passage,
running ont to College street. The strue-
l gle lasted only few seconds Long finally
| reached the door, got loose from the robber,
| and made his way into the street. Smith
did not follow, but Immediately made his
way back to the bInking room remarking
as ne entered, that he had finished that
| fellow, doubles supposing, as Mr.. Long
was bleeding profusely, that he was serious
| ly injured and would not give them further
trouble Smith then commenced plumber
| ing the bank vaults, assisted by Coleman
| the other robber standing guard over
| Simmons and Barclay. They found in the
money drawer nine thousand and thirty
five dollars in currency, and only finding
in the vaplt 'one private deposits, con-
| sisting of sman sums OF go,d and SILVER,
| but did not take and bonds. There was
| only about 200 in the handsome of
which they did not find
In the meantime, Mr.. Long, though
mangled and bleeding, made his way
around into Main street, passed between
| the two robbers on horseback, who were
| around the corner of the church, and the
bank, and commenced giving the alarm.
| The two men then fired twelve or fifteen
| times at Mr.. Long as he passed down Main
| street, but, miraculous to tell, not one of
| them hit him. But now the town was in
an uproar, and the excitement was terrible
many persons rushing into the streets with
| buckets, thinking there was fire; but a
number ofcitizens, who had procured such
| arms as they could, advanced to the scene,
| firing at the two sentinel robbers as they
| advanced. Mr.. NJ. c. Owens who had
made his way across some back yards to the
| rear entrance of his residence at the bank
| and secured his pistol, made his appear
| ance at the front entrance, and opened fire
/ on the sentinel robbers Just across the street,
as the citizens were advancing up Main.
/ These two rascals who were armed with
/ Spencer rifles and navy revolvers, stood
their ground and displayed GOODNESS and
bravery that would have been commenda-
| BILE under other circumstances. The sentries,
having received two shots from Mr. Owens,
| Immediately fred a volley at him-one ball
passing through his left arm few inches
| below the shoulder, entered his side, ranged
around and lodged in his back, imme
diately under the skin. Smith had now
l come 10 the lTOui uOOI Vi but bdhh1 hiCu i
few shots, and seeing the people gathering
called to his comrades in the bank to come
on or they would be surrounded. Coleman
and his comrades Immediately came out,
bringing their saddle-bags and booty with
them, and were greeted by heavy volley
from citizens who were ,advancing-the
two sentries vigorously firing all the time.
Smith, Coleman, and. their comrade, were
soon mounted, and by the side of the SEN
tries All this occupied bnt a few seconds.
| A number of citizens were now but a short
distance from the robbers-fring and
being fred at as they advanced Smith
Immediately gave a signal. and the band
sped at lightning speed out of town towards
| the Gallaiin road-citizens following and
firing al them until they got ont of range.
A mile from town the robbers were seen
TO leave the road and enter cedar thicket.