The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-09
A Dreadful Criminal-Capture In Clay
County, Ky., Of a Man Charged with
Thirteen Murders.
tLexington lKy. Press, July I'LL

Lexington lKy.) Press, July IL ~
The sheriff of Clay county and party of
four armed men arrived in the city Yesterday
having iii Charge two men. named james
| Turner and Francis Pace, said to be men Of
| the most desperate character.
| The immediate cause Of their arrest was
| the murder, in 1872, vi two men, named Mid
dleton and Fields, whom they waylaid at
night on the public highway.
The history of Turner is one OF very
startling nature. Although of good family
and in easy circumstances, yet bis love for
deeds of cruelty was such that he disregarded
I'LL laws Of society in gratifying bis savage
passions. During the war he became the
leader Of band of guerllas, who barassed
or murdered in cold blood all southern
S, mpathizers on whom they could lay hands.
In Harlan county, on the Virginia line,
lived an old man named James Middleton, a
respectable old citizen, whose sons, David
and William, enlisted in the southern army.
In 1868 Turner, with his bushwhackers,
secured that county. For fear of their at
tacks, and knowing their desperate charac-
ter, old Middleton left his home and fled IN
to Lee county, Va. They heard of bis re,
treat, and following, captured him ana
brought him back to Harlan county, n.y.,
on the Virginia line, where they put him TO
death in the most cruel manner. Tying hlm
to tree they cut off his ears and nose, and
tore off his nails, besides otherwise mutha,
ting bis person after which they sat- around
him, watching him slowly die OF DIS suneT-
iugs, the object of their ribald Jests aad mos,
lnhuman torture. In the same year Davlu
and William Middleton, learning OF the
frightful death which their father had cleo.
~bo,,- in EQrIQn nanE
revenge. Here Turner succeeded In kilnng
David Middleton, and then escaped with ms
band from the vicinity. pursued by parry
of southern troops, who heard OF his depre-
datjons and were in search 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 mud.bole. ru .&3t
Until the close Of the war turner's name
was a. terror TO- the country over winch ne
and bis band of outlaws roamed ht VIII, XIV.
iny or maItreating the defenceless, out
avoiding, always a conflict with Dody or
armed men lise themselves. Their deeas
were dark and bloody, and many saleoi
horror is told along the Virginia ana Nell
tucky line Of Turner'S blo0dthlrstv Dush7
whackers. .sfts,s.I ~ s.,f(l
i There are those in the city at the present
time who served in the army Of Virginia ot
the period Of which we write, and who TO.
collect, the terror which the very name ot
Turner inspired in the bos0ms Of those WHO
were compelled TO remain in the counties
subject to- his raids. He spared not women
or children, and no one was ever known 70.
experience mercy at his hands. j
After the war Turner returned 10 nis
| home. Ia Lee county, where he went to WORK
as farmer and amassed quitea fortune. sls
| Is said that he IS now worth ten thousand
| dollars. He could not refrain, however,
from deeds of violence, and more than once
| he had to fee from his bone to- epsde the
officers Of. Justice. IN 1879 William Middle-
ton, accompanied by man named Fields,
travelling on horseback. came 70 the pace
Iswhere Turner lived. At the public ann
Turner learned the direction Inc traYeiiers
| were to follow. and taking with him Francis
Pace, they lay ID ambush for them. Build
| ing a fire In the road, they took their places