Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-18
IMPORTANT ARRESTS.
Two Desperate Characters Captured
and Lodged I'm Jail.

In Yesterdays UNION AND AMERICAN
was noticed the arrival in this city OF the
Sheriff of Fentress county with two prison
ers, Robert Step and James Hull, charged
with the murder Of man named Lewis
Hill in Fentress county the Goth of NOvem-
Der, 1871. The facts in relation to the ar
rest, together with the alleged circumstances
of the murder, are these: Last year some
time man named William Smith was ar
rested for stealing horse from gentleman
named Nathaniel DObbs, and indicted by the
Circuit Court of Fentress county. The
murdered man, Lewis Hill, was the
chief witness against Smith, and in order
to escape conviction, it is said Smith in
company with Hull and Step,went to Hills
house in the night and there the three shot
him four times, producing instant death,
Hills family, consisting of a wife and six
children, were terrified at beholding this act
and rushed frautically from the building.
Hills body was dragged out and left about
eight feet from the house, which was then
set on fire. The neighbOrs being informed
of the murder went to the scene and found
the house in ashes. The charred remains
of the murdered mali were dragged from
under the burning debris, and
so badly disfgured as to be almost beyond
identity. Smith, Hull and Step were ar
rested and indicted, but owing to the in
security of the jamestown jail were carried
to Livingston, Overton county, and confined
in Jail for safe keeping, the trial having been
in the meantime postponed. just before
Christmas they broke jail, using instruments
furnished by friends from the outside, and
made their escape going in the direction OF
| Scott county. j. G. Taylor, Sheriff of Fen
tress county, went in pursuit of the fugi-
| tives and succeeded in arresting Smith the
10Th of December, who is now confined in
| jail at Jamestown.
1t was thought that Hull and Step had
made for Missouri or Illinois, and measures
were at once taken to ensure their appre-
! hension, the Governor having offered a re-
ward of $500 for each Ofthe fugitives. Sher-
! if Taylor, accompanied by young man
! named L. 7. Smith, left home on the 18th
and coming to this city reported to Gov.
! Brown, who at once made acquisitions tOI
| the criminals upon the Governors of Mis-
! souri,. Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. Last
Monday Sheriff Taylor and Smith started
via Evansville for St. Louis. Upon the
train reaching the depot at Henderson, Ken
lucky, sheriff Taylor stepped out on the
platform to take hack for the transporta
ton boat. As he did so he saw both of his
men, Hull standing with his bach
towards him and Step looking hin
full in the face. Taylor caught Hull by
the arm, and drawing his pistol, presented
it at Step, who started TO run, telling then
to give up. This they did, though SteI
was heavily armed. The accused were
lust in the act of purchasing tickets to como
towards Tennessee, and as the train was
leaving in a few minutes, the Sheriff saved
them this trouble, giving them free pass tt
this city where they are now confined IL
Jail until the July term of the Fentres
County Circuit Court. The Sheriff yester
day received his reward of 5000, and lef
this morning via Lebanon for his home IL
| FentTess county.