Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-03-02
MAJOR EARL.


a Leading Citizen Of Arkansas Arr
rested on the street by Virtue Of n
Regulation from Clay ton-Dragged
bleeding TO the statfon-hOuse and
Ironed- Intense Excitement among
His Frfends-ApplfcatiO for Ha-
beas Corpus TO be Heard this After
noon.
This morning at half-past eight o clock,
Major Josiah Earl, prominent citizen
Of Crittenden county, Arkansas, was ar
rested on Second street, in front OF the
Webster Block, by two policemen, on
requisition from Governor Clayton on
Governor Brownlow. Major Earls wife
and children and his father-in-law we're
in buggy near by, and we're Fastening
to the river to take, if possible, the eight
o'clock boat for Mound City, and Major
Earl was going down to see them of.
He WAS pointed out to the police by q
sneak, supposed to be named Turner, to
whom he was to be delivered. A crowd
began to assemble, and the man who
pointed out Msjor Earl sneaked of, and
will probably keep out of sight. The
prisoner asked 10 be allowed to speak to
his wife and children, but the bystand-
ers allegs that this was denied him. He
offered some resistance, and slight
struggle ensued, during which one OF the
policemen struck him two or three times
about the face, and he bled freely. la
this condition he was led or dragged to
the station-house, where he was hand
cuffed and searched. Two small pistols
and some private papers were found upon
his person and taken away. He was
then taken to the levee to be sent across
the river to Arkansas.
In the meantime the news spread
rapidly over the city and caused much
excitement. Groups of men could be
seen on every corner discussing the
event and expressing the widest range OF
opinion and comment. Major Earls at
torneys, Messrs. Lyle and Brown, were
notified. and in the shortest possible
space of time prepared an application
for habeas corpus, setting forth that the
reauisition was illegal, no indictment
having been made, or true bill found
against the prisoner in his county, in
Arkansas; that no papers had been shown
in the case, save the warrant, and pray
ing the discharge of the prisoner. This
application was carried before Judge
Harry L. Lee, of the Common Law
Court, who granted hearing, which will
take place at the Law Court room this
afternoon. at three o'clock. Meanwhile
Major Earl had been taken back to the
station-house on Adams street, where we
paid him visit about eleven o'clock.
He bears his arrest with fortitude, but
has little hope of escaping with his life II
taken to Arkansas AS far as we know
anything of Msjor Earl, he bears the rep
utation of being heightened, law-ablding,
honorable gentleman, whose chief offense
to Arkansas Radicals consists in his de-
cency and in being man who pays his
debts and provides for his family. The
warrant upon which he was arrested
charges him with assassination -
lying allegation, concocted by me-
gro or meaner white man, who
hoped to have him murdered, and
make probably FIVE dollars by the trans
action. Major Earl was for many years
Clerk of the County Court of Crittenden
county. During the war, he was gal
liant member of Forests command, and
since be has been the good citizen that
he always was. When the militia came
to his county, he was pointed out, and
had to leave home. He came over to
Memphis and remained ever since,
though he was anxious to return, and
thought that he could soon do so in
safety. In this he was sadly mistaken,
and his arrest has east a gloom over the
minds of many who were desiring to
return to their homes in peace, The day
of prescription and bloodshed, it seems,
:. 1T over. But another day will come.
Retribution