The New York herald., 1873-12-16
DARING EXPRESS ROBBERY AND MURDER.
Night Raid Upon Franklin, Tcnn.-An
Express Agent Robbed Of $4,000 and
His Skull Crushed In.
IFrom One Nashvilie BANNER, Dec. ISL


from the Nashville Banner, Dec. 1871
We have this morning to record q bloody deed,
coupled with robbery, tina: occurred at Franklin,
Ky at about nine O'Clock Thursday night. Ju' A
before that hour, we are informed, W. B. Wo Da
express agent, lost sister-in-law. Having sase
to go to his Office he unlocked the door, op .ns IL
and walked into the room, followed close ~ an his
wake by three rough looking characters who had
''shadowedn him all the way from hor oe Two OF
the trio passed into the office after n an, while the
third remained at the door. Tns two in.
side demanded the money in I An safe Wood
refused to acquiesce in their xaands Thev at.
tacked and he resisted them an <wasovernowered.
One or the robbers seiziug av rsght 40 Il ,s sup
posed dealt Wood two vioie AZ blows, one in the
mouth ana the ,,, ouhea IN ne back OF the head,
TO the moor, where he AZ until the arrival Of
friends. by whom he W As taken home. lie was
passed that point last gpnlng. lingering between
life and death. ON tn AZ nghta highly interesting
reviva, was in progr ess. Most OF the town was
seen on the streets
The ROBBERS esc lped with 81 ,2oo While passing
TO them 10 IN Att" but they stopped only long
enough nome 20 nre . goQd many shots ut him, one Of
theln passing shrough his hat and then beating q
hasty retreat followed by the last shots from Mr.
Baroor's ph fol. The reports OF firearms aroused
the town TO search after the fleeing villains, but
they succ' seded in arresting only one suspected
party.
| niic ne conductor or q freight train was on MS
way 10 Nashville he discovered two men, who after
ward armed out TO be John MCGUIRE and Duncan
| McPnsTson, In one OF the cars, locked the doors
| upon them and placed brakeman on top with
shotgun, with orders not to allow them to escape
ThuS they remained entrapped until the arrival or
the train at Nashville at hall-past two A. M., when
they were turned over to the night waychman AT
the Louisville depot, and Oflcers Bolton and Nc
Kinney, who, having description Of them by tel
egraph were on the lookout for them and who at
once escorted them to the WOrkhouse.
Mcclure Is 20 years OF age and claims TO have
been born in Ireland while MCPHERSON, 80 years
OF age, claimed to hail from Scotland. They
represented that they were laborers and had
sought work at Franklin, but without obtaining It,
One OF them said he was brick mason. and dis
played his hands TO show that they had been
clustered quite recently; otherwise his hand
was as soft and pliable woman's. Both
were roughly dressed, and appeared really to carry
out the idea that they were laborers which they
claimed to be, W ith the exception OF the hands
mentioned, and a comely foot, enceased IN neat
fitting fine, b0x-tOed shoe. one was minus an
eye. No money was found upon their persons nor
other than the suspicion resting upon the peculiar
circumstances OF their departure IRON Franklin
and the manner in which they left on the freight
train.
J. P. Edwards and Mr.. Barbor arrived here on
che morning tram and accompanied them back to
Franklin, Mcclure and MCPHERSON cOnsentlng to
return without putting their custodans to the
trouble OF getting out a requlstion.
1t was reported here that gang OF thieves were
supposed to have collected at Franklin with not
only the purpose TO rob the express oice, but the
banks in that place. the latter undertaking having
been thwarted by the reports OF firearms, which
brought the people into the street.