The Van Buren press., 1872-07-23
From Russelyillo Tribune.
ATR0CI0US MURDER.
Murder Of Joe Misunderstanding .Ners-
OuHaws Abroad-uurderers Gone
70 little Rock Cryinq hu kLur.

On Tuesday morning, the 9th instant, we
were startled by hearing that Josiah Tucker
had been killed. and W. T. Hale had been
mortally wounded at Shiloh camp ground,
While i'll the possession of Sheriff DOdson
hlckoS and company, rs prisoners being car
ried from Dover to Dardanelle to stand their
trial before Judge May, being accused of
shooting at John Williams a day or two pre-
vious with the intention of taking his life
We will say in the beginning that the most
intense excitement prevails over the way in
which our fellow-citiZen come TO his death,
and the treatment of the other prisoners. TO
be brief in our statement of facts rs detailed
10 us by the prisoners who escaped, we will
only give short sketch Of their testimony
in this weeks issue.
MIR. n. j. Hale one of the eldest and best
citizens of Pope County, states that
ON the sth of July, he was arrested by ShorG
Dodson, liiekox and company while at home Dod-
son said for being suspected of shooting at Deputy
Sheriff Williams few days before. lie says be was
there kept some time under guard in the court house
TIL about o'clock in the evening. when they were
ordered TO leave Dover for Dardanelle. But while
~ town DOdson made one moro arrest-Mr. Lib
Wc.t-he then had four of us prisoners, and moved
on down towards Dardanelle about six miles and
stopped at the camp ground near sun down. and
Dodson said he was going to stay all night and would
send out after forage. did not ike the movements
Of the party as they seemed 10 be talking very low
about something. The most of them went out Of the
church twherewe had been conducted) and saw
Dodson and llckox talking together through the
window, very low, There were but few left in the
house to guard the prisoners. In the course Of an
hour part of them came back and Dodson said
that he could not get forage and that we would have
to move on to Russelvilie. At this time felt very
much excited. as a part of the men had left and
Dodson, SAID to the prisoners if they were fired
that they (the prisoners) would suffer for it.. We
were ordered TO mount our horses, and Dodson,
mainder Of the company behind us. We were order
ed TO march on, and when we got about three quar-
ters of mile from the camp ground in the edge Of a
thick woods, heard some one say behind me IT is
as dark as Egypt. and Dodson said Yes, but
Egypt has no eyes. and just at thi. time heard the
cooking Of guns, and then my attention was called
to hrng OF guns on my right, the blaze of all going
up in the air; then Dodson and llckox whrlod
their horses to the right between wo prisoners and
to do your work, and began firing into US | ran
my horse forward and made my escape. "
This is a brief statement of Mr.. N. j. lIale's
testimony, made and sworn to before the
Mayor of Dover. We will now give brief
synopsis of the testimony of Mr.. Lib West:
when the firing began on the prisoners, | threw
myself on the side of my horse, and the saddle
turned. throw lng me to the ground. | crawled into
The bushes and all was stil for few seconds. Then
heard low talking and laughing, and heard Dod-
son S voice ask Where is the prisoners Some one
answered. don't know. Shortly afterwards |
all over. Then heard Dodson say Now God
d you, I've got you. lay still and directly they
commenced laughing and talking and rushed of to-
The person, alluded to in the above testi-
mony, whose groans and cries ofdistrcss were
stopped by the assassin Dodson was Joseph
Tucker His body was found Tuesday morn
ing. Utterly riddled with bullets. \ jury was
summoned and an inquest held over his
body; after which it was handed over to his
friends for intermcnt.
We have now given Il brief and as correct
report rs we can gather. We will give a
more extended report in our next issue.
DOdson went Immediately to Little Rock
with llickox and reported "ku-klux to the
Little Rock Republican, and Thursdays
morning paper had his story in it. Dodson
says he with q men arrested the williams
who attemptep the murder of Deputy Sheriff
Williams, and was taking them to Dardanelle,
when they were fired on by the ku-klux, and
one of tue prisoners was killed and the rest
were taken to Dardanellc for safe keeping.
baser lie was never published. The pris-
oners were never taken to Dardanele, but
escaped, save Joe Tucker who was killed.
That this whole affair was II prcconccrted
thing from the beginning, We expect to cs-
tablish by men OF their own party. whose
depostions will be published for the world to
see.