The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-09

The Sheriff OF Clay County and party
OF four armed men arrived In the city
yesterday, having in. charge two men.
named James Turner aud Francis Pace,
said to be men OF the most desperate
character. The immediate cauee OF their
arrest was the murder, IN 1879, of two
men, named Middleton and Fields,
whom they waylaid at night, dthe pub
liz highway.
The history OF Turner is ono OF worry
startling nature. Although of good fa-
mily and in easy circumstances, yet his
love for deeds Of csuelty was such that
he disregarded all law of society in graft
Tying his savage passions. During the
war, he became the leader Of a baud of
guerrillas, who harassed or murdered in
cold blood all Southern sympathizers on
whom they could lay hands. In Harlan
County, on the Virginia line, lived an
old man, named James Middleton, O re-
spectacle old citizen, whose sons, David
and William, enlisted in the Southern
army. In 1868, Turner, with his bush-
whackers, secured that County. For
fear OF their attacks, and knowing their
desperate character. old Middleton left
his homo and hod into Lee County, Va.
They heard OF his retreat, and, follow
ing, captured him and brought him bat k
to Harlan County, Ky, on the Virginia
line, where they put him to death in the
most cruel manner. Tying him to u
tree, they cut off his ears and nose, and
tore off his nails, besides otherwise mu-
tilating his person; after which they sat
around him, watching him slowly die of
his suferings, the object Of their ribald
iests and most inhumnn torture. Iu the
same year, David and VIM. Middleton,
learning of the .frightiul death which
their father had died, returned to their
home in Harlan, bent on revenge. Here
Turner succeeded in killing David Mid
djeton. ond then escaped with his band
from the vicinity, pursued by party of
Southern troops. who heard OF his de-
predations and were in searoh of him.
He is charged with many other murders,
amounting in all to thirteen. One OF his
victims was the Sheriff of Lee County,
Va, whom he caused to be stripped and
buried alive in mudhole.
Until the close of the war, Turner's
name was q terror to the country, over
which he and his band OF outlaws roamed
at will, killing or maltreati.g the de-
fenceless. bnt avoiding always conflict
with body OF armed men like them
selves. Their deeds we're dark and
bloody, and many tale Of horror is told
along the Virginia and Kentucky line Of
Turner'S blood-thirsty bush whackers
There dre those in this city at the pre-
sent time. who served in the army of
Virginia at the period Of which we write,
and who recoIlect the terror which the
very name of Turner inspired in the
bosoms Of those who were compelled to
remain in the Counties subject to his
raids. He spared not women or ohil.
dren, and no one was ever known to ex-
perience mercy at this hands.
After the war, Turner returned to his
home in Lee County, where he went to
work as farmer and amassed quite O
fortune It is said that he is now worth
$4,000. He could not refrain, how
ever, from deeds of violence, and more
than once he had to fee from his homo
to evade the officers of justice. In 1872
William Middleton, accompanied by a
man named Fields, travelling on horse.
back. came to the place where Turner
lived. At the public inn, Turner learned
the direction the travellers were TO follow,
and taking with him Francis Pace, they
lay in ambush for them. Building fire
in the road, they took their places in the
brush, and as the men passed on horse
back, and came into the light, tue con-
cealed murderers opened fire with fatal
effect. This last outrage 80 shocked the
community and enraged them to such
an extent, that they rose in arms and
pursued the murderers until captured.
They were carried in irons to Clay
County, to await trial, under strong
guard the while. Finding it impossible
to try them at the last term of the Clay
Circuit Court, and it being too expensive
to keep guard over them for several
months, the authorities sent them to the
Jail ut Lexington until October, when
their trial will come off, aud they will
be delivered once more to the Sheriff of
Clay County. Here no rescues are pos
sible, and Judge Lynch has no power
over the jailor, SO that it is likely, when
the proper time arrives, they will be
banded over to the proper officers to
meet their deserts at the hands of that
Justice they have so foully outraged.
Lexington (Ny. Press, July /.
The farmers. in their movement against
high freights, are entering moro into de-
tail, and taking practical and economical
measures in matters pcrtnining to the
farming interest. The Indianapolis