The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1872-01-06
BARTON,s CONFESSION.
An Express Eobber Details His
Varied Experience.
How Els Gang GRerafedfn ~ est
Tennessee.
IFrOm the Nashville Banner. ]

robbers, who lives in Nashvile-if sucl
: an outlaw can be said TO live anywhere
and is we'll known here, has made fu
confession, in writing, of the operations
of the gang.
Barton commences his statement by
saying that he is nov but twenty-oDt
years of age. After giving an account
of his early life. he says that he frs
formed the acquaintance of the Earring
tons in Nashville some three and a hall
years since, while engaged IN the saloon
business. Last spring himself and Levi
Harrington went to Memphis, where they
met Hilliard, who bad just been released
on bond from Jail, where he had been
placed upon the charge Of horse steal
ing. From there the three went to Little
Rock, but subsequently returned to this
State, rowing about near Union City and
surrounding towns. While on their
trip to Little Rock the party won 81 300
throwing three card monte, and practi
cing other like cheerful amusements.
/ During all their travels Levi Harrington
passed under the name of Edward II
Russell and Hilliard under that of j Ohm
Henry Clarke.
After their return to Tennessee, Levi
Harrington, who had been travelling a
great deal op the railroads, conceived the
idea OF rohbing the exp, ess car at Mos
. COW, small station on the Mobile and
Ohio railroad The plan was that
Levi and Hilliard shouId~jump on the
express car, cverpower the messenger and
rob his safe, while he guarded the door
OF the first passenger coach to prevent
any one coming out to interfere. This
was carried into execution the two Far
ringtons jumping on the car at Moscow
the 2lst of July last, and with drawn
reVolvers, oyerpowering the messenger
and robbing his safe In accordance
with previous agreement, the whole
party, after committing the robbery,
jumped off the train as il Stacked up for
q wood yard After leaving the train
they struck into the woods and divided
the spOIls. Levi, who carried the mon
ey, said that there was but 81 600, and
gave S355 az his share. The amount
the express really lost at that time Was
between S1,7O0 aud 81 500
After this they rode over the country
for about a month when they concluded
to 20 to Lusters landing, a short dis
s4hNE bSiUR II III LA4aUs hLL 0+aAA StDlC.
This was done, Barton says, as blind, |
and TO cover up their real business, that
of robbery. In October last they COZ
eluded to rob the express company again, /
this time fixing Union City as their
place Of operations. Taylor, who is now I
in Jail at Union City, and who had been /
employed 81 Luster'S landing as a wood /
chopper, was, at the suggestion of Levi, /
taken into the plot this time. By agree /
ment, they all met ut Union City the |
evening of the 20th of October, with the /
understandings that they should rob the !
car th4t evening q ceiGy C oas u ,l5 4
trains that met at that point caused them |
to postpone the job until the following |
evening. In the meantime they camped /
out a spot about mile from town, /
wishing to avoid observation as much az
possible.
The next evening they all walked into /
town, arriving there about dark. In a
short time the train arrived and was
boarded by them and backed down. This
time Barton entered the car with Levi,
being determined to see the amount Of
ske money secured, as he thought that he
had not been fairly dealt with in the
former job After getting the money
81 300-they stopped the train, and,
going into the woods, divided the money.
Levi again handled the roll, aud only
showed up" $500 to Taylor, who re
,eived only s125 as his share. while the
was equally divided between
Barton and the Farringtons.
Shortly after this detectives Pinker
on and CoDnell got after and pursued
hem very near all over West Tennessee,
lntil they finally brought up at their +
tore at Luster's landing Before arriv
ng there Taylor left the party, and
hortly after their arrival Levi also left.
With the avowed Intention of going to
Missouri. 4 few days later Pinkertou
nd Connel surprised himself and Hill
lard as they were sitting, one evening at !
Iuster's store. After an exchange of 5
,istoI shots, they both escaped, and after
Watching around until the detectives left. !
anne back and ate their suppers in the q
tore. That night they crossed over to I
he Missouri side, and slept in the open
ir A few days later they were Joined r
y Levi. and together the whole party q
ecrossed the river in this State, aud i
ity aud board the train which carried =
hem to Waverly, where the mother of h
ne Farringtons then lived. While there $
,artou gave Mrs. harrington about +,
ghteen hundred dollars to keep for G
i'm Levi and Hilliard also gave her 81
,me money to keep for them. From a.
lere they proceeded by various modes, Z
Point Pleasant, Missouri, where, after
urchasing horses, they struck across the =
,untry to Verona, where an uncle OF
le Farrington's named Durham was n,
wing. While on their way there they r
card that parties were in pursuit of a,
lem. and at one time they stopped for D
le purpose of waylaying and killing n,
lem. They intended hanging their b,
1rsuers and then afix placard to their ..
odies stating that they were horse re
ieves. m
When they arrived at Verona they &C
! stayed together for few days, when r;
evi announced his intention of going A
Pennington. Illinois, (where he was "
forwards captured). A few days after A
, left they were surprised while sitting id
Durham's house by a large party OF d,
tizeus, headed by one of Pinkerton's Ill
.tectives named Curtin. As soon as
e nature Of the business was made
lown to Durham, that worthy prompt h(
removed his family from the house th
llling on them to surrender and being in
severed by pistol shot from Hllliard, G.
e citizens aud detectives opened fire ex
was regular battle on a small scale pr
r about two hours, and seeing that he oc
uld dislodge them in no other manner, e,
lr.in made Durham take lighted ex
rci and fire his own dwelling. DIR
To see that he did it right, Curtin
,de shield of Durhams body, and