Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-14
THE WINCHESTER AFFAIR.
Return of the Military Force. -
The other Side of the Affair.
COwardIy Assault upon a Prisoner

We stated, few days since, the particu-
lars attending the rescue of Jesse Arledge
and others from the hands of a party of
Revenue officials at Winchester. We gave
also such information as We had obtained
IN reference to the proceedings Of the
mob at Winchester; and also stated that
squad Of sixty soldiers had left this city
since that time for the pupose Of re-arrest-
ing the prisoners originally captured, and
also those who were concerned in effectiDg
their release.
The party that went out from this city
the second time, consisted of several Rev.
enUe officials and sixty soldiers belonging
to the 10th United States infantry.
They disembarked at Decherd, and the
party went with all speed to Winchester,
which place they reached little after mid
night. We may state, however, that on
arriving at Decherd, they found a man on
picket, who was watching for the party,
and who at once galloped his horse 10
Winchester to give the alarm. A large
number Of men who were expecting the
arrival of the squad Of soldiers, were in
| the woods, and endeavored to secure
themselves from capture. Soon after the
party of United States officials arrived at
| Winchester, patrol was put upoo the va
riOus streets, aud this patrol being secre-
| ted, watch was kept for the parties they
| desired to arrest. A number of soldiers
were sent to the house of Jesse Arledge,
but he had left. The party, however ar
| rested twelve men who were said to have
been engaged in the rescue of the prison.
| ers, end Judge Marks, of Winchester,
| promised United States Marshal, Harrison,
that he would attend to the capture of the
| other perties.
We have obtained from Commissioner
| Goodwin the names of the following par
ties who were brought to this city: A. 2,
Oakley, George Syler, Thomas W. Ran
som, Glen. Arledge, ST., Glenn. Arledge, |
Jr., Tilmsn Arledge, John g. Enoch,
James Gustav, Henry o. Rair, d. g. Aller,
J. B. Dildine, Thomas Gregory, James
Fitzpatrick, Howard Newman. The prison
ers arrived in this city on last Sunday, at 4
| o'clock in the morning, and the prisoners
were lodged in Jail.
Commissioner Goodwin was called out
of church by a number of gentlemen on
Sunday, and after going to jail, baled the
parties ont until Monday.
Yesterday jesse Arledge was brought in,
and the whole party had a hearing before
Commissioner Goodwin. Jesse Arledgs
gave bonds in the sum of $50 600 for ms
appearance at the next term of the United
States Court. The others, whose names
are given above, were bound over to the
next term of the Federal Court in the sum
of So, COO each.
We may state that the following named
gentlemen are among the bondsmen for
the above mentioned parties Judge P.
Turney, Geo. W. White, b. F. McGAee,
Judge A S. Marks, Chancery Judge at
Winchester, NJ. Ransom, ]. B. Fitzpatrick,
and A. S. Colyar We may also remark
that the United States officials seized the
distillery of Jesse Arledge, five hundred
acres of land, four-story grist mill and a
saw mill. 1t is also said by the Revenue
officers here that jesse Arledge will be re-
quired, either to return to the United
States the property recaptured from the
Revenue officers, or pay for the same.
THE OTHER SIDE.
We publish below the statement of Col
Arledge, with regard to the recent difficult
ty at Winchester. The details Ct the affair,
as first published, were obtained from the
revenue officers, who it seems were not
disposed to tell all they knew about the
matter. The statement below is written
in a plain, unvarnished manner, and
speaks for itself:
To THE PUBLIC.-The statement pub |
lished in the papers of Nashville, on Satur- |
day last, as coming from revenue officers, |
in reference to a mob at Winchester, aud |
duplicating me, and my conduct as being |
the cause AID responsible for the rescue Of !
prisoners who had been arrested for Illicit |
distilling, is one not only prejudicial to |
me, but so seriously involving a whole |
community that my duty to the public as |
well as to myself requires a candid ard |
fair statement of facts.
On Thursday morning before day, was |
arrested at my house IN Franklin county, |
by squad of armed men, who informed |
me was charged with illicit distilling. l |
had been suffering greatly from an attack |
of rheumatism which affected my heart so |
that to walk on rough ground endangered |
my life, and had my horse ssddled and |
asked permission to ride to the still-hOuse |
where it was aid 1 was first to be taken |
the officer IN charge refused to allow me |
to ride my horse, saying, however, 1
might ride in wagon, but this was worse |
for me, the ground being so rough, aud |
made me walk was hurried along, The |
ground being very rough, and but for the
kindness of a private soldier who
helped me, 1 might have suffered NOR 9
than l did. When l got to the |
stiIl-house 1 was well nigh exhaust
ed. l found that three men at the distil-
lery had already been arrested, one of
whom was suffering from blow which the
Lieutent, Whitehall, had struck him with
musket, breaking his collar bone. The
officer, Gavett, seeing that l was greatly
exhausted had allowed me to take some
spirits, and had invited me in the still
house to take the dram. Whitehall alb
ruptly ordered me out. told him that l
was invited in by an officer, and l did not
think he ought to interfere with me. he
then ordered me to sit down, and repeated
it, and his tone and manner we're so insult |
ing that I refused to sit down, but told
him l was making no reslstance-was |
prisoner and uuarmed. At this, Whitson,
who was suffering intensely from the blow
he had received, spoke and said to White
hall, you struck me tor nothing At
this Whitehall drew his sword and struck
him, WhitsOn, a severe blow over the
head. This enraged me, and l said to
Whitehall, You are a id coward-no
man but coward will strike a prisoner
At this he drew q pistol, cooked it and put
it to my breast, and swore he would shoot
me-. l repeated that he was id COW
ard; that l was unarmad and be might
take my life bat 1 had friends who would
avenge my deaih
He soon lett for town, but before he
started, the whisky on hand was rolled
into a wagon and the prisoner with his
collar bone broken was made to help load
it, and was repeatedly ordered to help load
the whisky, which my feeble condition
would not permit my doing. L had
nephew who saw my treatment, and went
OF to town and reported what had been
done, and although not single person Gas
is alleged passed us going to town, that
now remember, yet the conduct Of the
squad was known, my nephew having told
ali the facts. Winchester had long been
nv home, and I had many friends there,
and the recital of the Outrsgas had pro
duced some feeling and excitement.
When we got 10 town, however, there
was no mob, and no resistance. l told the
officers that Fitzpatrick was my lawyer and
| wanted to go to his Office. When we
went in the Office the door was locked TO
| keen out the crowd, aud no decent man
will saw it was locked for any other pur-
| nose. During the time we were IN the
Office, the Lieutenant, Whitehall, wanted
to 90 out, and did go out and in, keeping
I