Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-04-28
Bloody Saturnalia in Cass County,
MissOuri---A Masked and
Brutal MOb---Reign
Of Terror.
Fall Particulars of Ithe Most
DastardIy Outrage on Record
"A Warning to Bond
Thieves.
Horrible and Narrowing Details
Intense Mathematician
Of Future YiOlenee--CasS
Should be Cleaned Out.
From the st. Louis Republican.

49, ALAt-k ia
tense excitement in this city, and the
widest rumOrs are a1Oat a. to further
proceedings to-day Of the murderous
mob. The statements Of the terrible
outrage as published in the papers here
to-day, are from the most part obtained
nom two eyewitness, who were on
the train, and who left it at Holden. ar
irving here late in the evening. One of
this number was the eO-bOndsman with
DutrO for j. C.. Cline, County Attorney.
As might be expected, he wa not in the
ealmest state Of mind imaginable,
neither was his companion, and there
fore their statements were more or less
confused. This morning a well-known
gentleman from Cas- county, and who
was on the train, a careful observer Of
all that happened, arrived in this city,
and it was from him the following de
tails were obtained.
STATEMENT OF AN EYEWITNESS.
The train was the regular express on
the Missouri, Kansas and Texas road,
due at Holden at seven o'clock in the
evening 1t consisted of but one passen-
ger-cOach, a baggage-car and engine. In
the coach were, in all, about thirty pas
sengers, among them General 10. Shell
by, Captain Mark Belt, James Ellis,
contractors for the building and grading
of the Memphis road, 5. E. DutrO and
another gentleman, Cline's bOndsman,
Judge Stevenson. Cline, and two or
three other gentlemen, We're forward in
the baggage-car smoking. The train,
about half-past six o'clock in the even
ing, reaching Gum City, a little town
about ten miles from Holden andtWelve
miles from Jacksonville, the engineer
owed up, and just as the train glided
slowly in, a crowd of men rushed from
-everal stores and shanties near the
rack, and at nee commenced firing
w the train The engineer, noticing
n obstruction on the track, came to a
tul stop, and Immediately the train was
DOarded by the mob, nearly all Of whom
were masked. They were led by a tall.
raw-bOned, rather middie-age appearing
man, who, though not issuing any or
ders, seemed to be looked upon for GER
tain signals. -Four men mounted the
engine, and forcing the engineer and
fireman back in the cab, stood guard
Overthem with drawn reYOlvers. Others of
the mob rushed to the doors Of the coach
and baggage-car, and held all within
prisoners. Shouts were made for Cline,
and in response he came out Of the bag
gage-ear, calling upon Judge Stevenson
to accompany him, but Stevenson re-
fused and remained in the car. Cline,
as sOOn as he made his appearance, was
seized by several men, and then COM
menced a noisy dispute, charging him
with completely in the bond operation,
and accusing him of firing on the mob
as it came up. Cline asserted his viii
lingness to submit to capture, and stout
" denied that be had fired on the mob,
at the same time yielding up his arms.
By this time he was standing on the
ground near the track, and Whilehe was
speaking, n of the mob fired on him.
This vas the signal, and in a seconds
time, almost, hefell riddled with bullets.
Several emptied their revOlvers into his
mangled body, and then a rush was
made for Stevenson. Failing in their
attempts to kick in the door of the car.
a battering-ram, in the shape of a huge
log, was obtained, and an entrance was
forced. Stevenson stood ready to meet
them, but before he could make the
slightest show of resistance, his body
was pierced with bullets, and he fell
dead. Dragging the bloody remains out
of the car, they were thrown
down near the track, face upward.
LItAa GAACE MEAC Az DAAAAE EUL CAAELDN
TO come out. The General, who sat in q
seat almost the centre of the coach. paid
no attention, but prepared himself to
fight to the bitter end. A crowd of the
murderOus gang forced their way into
the coach, inquired for Shelby, and upon
being told he was there, concluded they
did not want him. Poor DutrO they did
find, and shot him down in his tracks,
not killing him instantly, but infiictimg
mortal wounds. Having wreaked their
vengeance, the mob removed Obstrue-
lions from the track, and informed the
engineer he might go on. He had Just
started up, when several pistOEshOts sig
nailed to stop. He did 50, and a crowd
boarded the train again, and dragged
the dying DutrO out of the coach where
he had been left, and threw him on the
ground near the bodies of Cline and
Stephenson. Again was the engineer
told to go ahead, and again was he sig
nailed to stop. This time the leaders of
the mob compelled the engineer, con-
ductOr, brakemen, fireman and passen-
gers TO swear that if any of the mob had
been recognized, nOneOn the train would
ever appear in court against them, or in
any way give information concerning
the murderers. A leader loudly pro-
claimed that the mob present were only
a portion. of a committee of one thou
sand, and that they had only Just COM
menced their work of murder. He
threatened certain death to any and all
who dared % give information, and then
permitted the train TO pass on to Holden.
The gentleman who furnishes the
above details states that many of the
mob were unmasked when they first
rushed forth upon the train, and that as
they came running toward it they pulled
masks over their faces that apparently
had been hidden under their hats. The
Instructions on the track were rails piled
up saw-horse style, but the engineer de-
clares he could easily have run through
them had he known what was coming.
The mob at the onslaught numbered be-
tween seventy and eighty, but before
the train left a crowd of at least two
hundred had eOngregated. There is
hardly a doubt but what the mob are
continuing their murderOus works to-
cay, and the report has just come in
that Judge FOrsythe, another of the
Gass county judges, has been shot and
his body hung up to a tree. A gentle
man just from Holden states that several
citizens of that town are out On a hunt
ing excursion, at least that was their
avOWed intention when starting out this
morning.
THE LATEST PARTICULARS.
l a.m.-The special reporter of the
Times of this city has lust returned from
the seem Of the massacre at Gum City
full particulars. In the main the
already t~elegraphed are correct.
The towns of H~arrisOnville, Holden and
Pleasant Hill are in a state of great ex-
element through fear Of further viO-
lence at the hands Of the mob. At Har-
r~isOnville the public square was crowded
all day with excited men, talking to-
in groups, but generally in low,
muttering tones. Occasionally a man
would speak out to the point: "We
knew what was coming" 1--WE knew
all the while" "Only three have
been cared for, there are plenty more
yet" ave win never stop until the
last man is dead
In so great a fear of the mob stood the
people, that none dared to tell the
tale in all its horrid details. 1t
has transpired that the entire party
were warned of what was to be done be-
fore leaving HarrisOnyille, but they
and refused to believe it. The
that Judge Forsythe had been
killed is not true. He received a friend
b warning and with il a horse all sad
lied and bridled in time to make good
bis escape. Hines and Nichols We're
also notified and succeeded in getting
off from Holden on an ea~stern-bOund
train.
And now to the fated train again.
Just as il was leaving HarrisonviIle
three men jumped aboard the train and
paid fares to Gum City. At the next
two more got on the train, and
they also paid their fares to Gum CITY.
All five were recognized as citizens Of
aE.lanl. riLIo nnA ..o..l 4 l. -