Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-03-09
[From the Nashville Tribune, Feb. 1871
The United States Authority DeIied in
Teuuesspe

| In several portions of Tennessee the govern
ment authority is openly and determineily set
at defiance. Two weeks ago we gave an ac-
| count of the officers of the law being driven
| from Gainesboro, and last week the same thing
| occurred in Sumner county We have now to
record q still more daring and outrageous at
tempt to set up mob rule in Franklin county.
| The United States revenue department in the
state having come in possession of the fact that
Illicit distlling was being carried on quite extern
siyely in the above county, on Wednesday last
Mr.. W. A. Gayett of the revenue department,
and John Bently, deputy United States mar
shall, accompanied by Lieut.. Whiteall and five
men of the 10th United States infantry, went to
Franklin county to arrest jesse Aldrich and
others OH the above charge Complaints had
been made to and warrants issued by a
United States commissioner, and placed in the
hands of the parties named above for service.
The officers found the distillery running con-
trary to law, made the seizure and arrested the
parties This was in Franklin county some
nine miles southwest Of Winchester. They Sc
cured two copper stills, worm, pipe, etc., and
seven barrels ofwhiskey. They also found used
on the premises, two yoke of oxen and wagon,
which they seized.
When the party arrived at Winchester in the
afternoon of Thursday, they were met by an
armed body of men numbering some two hum
dred who at once released the prisoners and re
took the captured property. The mob howled
around the little squad of officers and men and
threatened them with instant DEATH The sheriff
of the county, being there, was appealed to by
Messrs. Bently and Gavett, first for assistance
and then for protection from the mob.
Both these requests were refused and q SINH
lar one made to the mayor, met with the same
treatment. On the other hand, many if not all
the leading citizens of the town were acting
with the rioters. Finding the houses even, on
each side of the street, occupied with men hav-
ing arms and ready to fire out of the windows
upon the squad of soldiers and officers it was a
hOpplpSg n n 6uht
such overwhelming odds. Everything showed
preconcerted plan to release the prisoners, and
| finding no citizen willing to help execute the
| law, the party got into their wagon and came
away. The crowd followed up little distance
| using the most insulting language. Cries of
"shoot the id Yankees" and threats of de-
| fiance of the law were freely INDUCED in by the
| mob.
On Friday evening last, Gen. 7. J. Harrison,
U. 5. marshal, Judge Emery, supervisor of the
| revenue, accompanied by deputy marshals Ga
yett and Bently, and supported by fifty U. S.
| soldiers, under the the command of Capt Ward
| and Lieut.. Whiteall, went to Franklin county to
arrest the leaders Of the mob that resisted the
officers at Winchester. Leaving the train at
| Dechard, the party went with all speed to Win
chester, at which place they arrived a little
after midnight. The insurgents having spy
| on the lookout at Dechard, who had rode off in
| great haste on seeing the officers, were notified
of their appearance. The time had been so
SHORT, however, IlldG Iney IOuuu Olcln ArleQge,
county court clerk, and James Fitzpatrick, two
of the leaders in the mob, riding around the
town arOusing the gang for tie purpose of es-
| cape. By deXterous movement on the part of
Lieut.. Whiteall and Sergeant McCOhen, Aredge
was captured. Fitzpatrick, making off in haste,
effected his escape, He was fired at and sup
| posed to be wounded.
The officers then proceeded to arrest the fol-
| lowing persons, for whom they had warrants,
and whom they found either at their homes or
on the streets; T. L. Arledge, Glen Arledge, Jr,
j. G. EnOch, Geo. Syler, j. d. Dildine, d. c A.
len, H. H. O'Rear, T. w. Ransom, James Gus
tar, A. - Oakley, and Mr.. Ransom, father of
the young man Of that name. The expedition
returned to Nashville about four O'Clock on
Sunday morning, the marshahlodged his prison.
ers in the Davidson county jail, except the elder
Ransom who, on account of his age, was taken
care of by Gen. Harrison personally.
AT two O'Clock yesterday, at the request of
some leading citizens, Commissioner Goodwin re-
leased the parties on $4,000 bail, to appear for
examination on Tuesday, Feb, 18th, at the
United States court room at the Capitol. VIM.
Ransom, G. W. White, Judge Turner of the Su-
preme court, and j. L. Spuriock became the
bond smen. 1t is but just to say that Judge A.
S. Marks Of Winchester condems the riotouS
proceedings on the part of the people there in
the most decided terms, and says that the con-
duct of the officers, when overpowered by the
mob, was both brave and commendable.