Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-11
HUNTED DOWN.
The Perpetrators Of a Series of Elk.
fensiye RObberies Arrested.

na0OS tdSJelcu together IN STELLAR manner.
These men had just been brought in from
Wilson county and were en- route for Lou
isville, Ky, for which place they departed
yesterday afternoon. The circumstances
connected with their arrest are as follows:
A series of robberies having occurred in
the vicinity of Louisville lately, ]. S. Cave.
detective of that city set about ferretting
out the perpetrators. His suspicionspointed
toward a man by the name of w. II. Wat
son, and another by the name of James
Daniel, living in Jefferson county, KY, not
far from Louisville. Last Monday he WIS.,
tied the home of these men but found they
were out hunting. He waited at the house
until they came home. Watson made his
appearance first, ard the moment he saw
Cave, suspected his business, and raising
his shot gun, backed of, warning the de-
tective not TO approach him. He managed
10 make his escape, but Daniels was arrest
ed when he threatened to
SPLIT CAVES HEAD
open with an axe which he picked up when
he saw the detective.
Daniels was taken to Louisville at once.
and very valuable information concerning
the rObberieS and his associates was OBJ
tanned from him, though he invsited an
the time that he knew nothing personally
with regard to the robberieS, but said
he had been told so and so.
Upon the strength of this information
Cave came 10 Nashville Friday, accompan-
led by Mr.. w. A. Long, who had had three
horses stolen, and who has been employing
w. +. Watson to work on his farm in JEFF
fersOn county.
Upon reaching Nashville, Cave and Long
called upon Capt. Yater, and explained
their business. Capt. Yater detailed Of
ficers Bolton, Dale, and Ryman to assist
the detective. The services of Detective
Ryan were secured, and the party started for
Wilson county on the cars Friday evening.
They got off the train one mile this side of
StringtOwn, which is five miles this side of
Lebanon, and secured a guide to direct
them to the residence of l.. L. Watson.
a brother of w. +. Watson, and who was
supposed to be harboring the latter at the
time, as it had been found that he had left
his home in Jefferson county, Ky.
The house Of l.. Z. Watson is situated in
an abandoned field, is about a mile from
any road, and is surrounded with young
cedars. The party waited quietly until
about ten O'Clock and then approached the
house carefully and surrounded il. The
building was one story log house, with
log kitchen adjoining. Officers Bolton and
Dale came up to the front and raped at
the door which was Immediately opened,
and w. F. Watson appeared with a double
barrelled shot gun, saying he would
SHOOT THE FIRST MAN
that approached him. Bolton rushed in on
him at once, and was followed by Dale.
Ryman, Gaze and Long then ran up from
the positions which had been assigned
them, and the two brothers, seeing the
chances were against them, surrendered,
and were handcuffed Immediately.
The mulattO above spoken of, and whose
name is Henry Jones, was in the kitchen,
and when he heard the noise, stole quietly
out and was endeavOring to get out into the
cedar thicket at the back of the house,
when he was intercepted by RYAN, who
cooked his revolver on him and demanded
his surrender. Jones was so taken by sur
prise that he had no time to draw his wea-
pOnS, and after little parleying gave him
self up. After securing their prisoners the
house was searched and quantity of bur-
glars tools were found. The prisoners
were brought to Nashville on the morning
train, and full list ofthe goods recovered
will be published shortly. The men are
suspected of being implicated in the recent
robbery of five stores in and about Leba-
non; the robbery of Saunders store at
Burke's Station, fifteen miles from Louis
Vile, on the Sth of November. at which
time the postOfiice at that place was robbed
Of about $500 worth of goods and large
quantity Of stamps; that of Dealers store.
four miles from Old Deposit, XIV, on the
Ttl41s If +T,a.- IL
of stealing Mr.. Longs three horses, two OF
which have since been recoveoed.
\ THOUSAND DOLLAR MARE
was in the stable from which these horses
were taken, and it seems strange that she
was not taken, as Watson knew all about
Mr.. Longs horses, having worked for him
eight months last year.
Among the articles taken from Dealers
store was shot gun, which was found at
w. +. WatsOn's house in Jefferson county,
at the time of Daniels arrest. 4 large
amount Of fancy dry goods was also found
in this house at that time. \ full deScrip-
ton will be furnished Deceive Ryan by
Detective Cave, by neXts Tuesday II is
supposed that these men have been ship
ping stolen goods from Lebanon to Louis
vile, and vice versa, for three months past,
and Cave says there can be no Eloubt bu
that they belong to a regular organized
band, whose operations have been very ex-
tensive.
APPEARANCE OF THE PRISONERS.
The two brothers are medium-Sized men.
are evidently uneducated, are plainly dress
ed in course clothing, and look like COM
mon farm hands. W. F. Watson is 81
years old, has heen married five years and
has two children, his family being in Jeiler-
son county, KY, at this time. He says
that when Cave arrested Daniels at his
house last Monday, his wife fell to the
floor in a swOOn; that he (WatsOn) went
back to the house after the arrest had been
made and found her in that condition with
their youngest child lying on her breast,
while the oldest, boy, stood in the door
calling for him and saying that ''the man
had killed his mother" Watson cried bit
terly as he related this to our reporter. He
said that she remained inSenSible for some
time, and that when she came to she
urged him to come to Wilson
county in this State, and said she
would come on this week, with the chill
dren. He remained there that night, and
started to his brothers the next morning,
and Immediately set about building house
to live in.
L. E. Watson is 20 years old, has been
married eight years, but has no children.
His wife has a daughter who lives with
him. He has been livingin Wilson county
nearly all his life, coming from North Car
oliGa to this State when he was a boy.
Henry Jones, the mulattO, is large man,
and has the appearance of being the smart
est of the three. 1t was observed that
while the two brothers, and especially the
elder, converSed freely with regard to "the
Jones kept still, and hardly spoke
from the time of his arrest until he reached
the Nashville police station.
When these men were arrested Friday
night, three bills of lading were found in
their possession, showing that they had
shipped to relatives al their old home in
North Carolina, some 5000 worth of dry
goods. Before leaving Nashville, one of |
the WatSons said that if they were going to |
be punished, that others who were equally |
guilty would have to suffer too, thus init !
mating that they proposed to "blOw' on
their cOnfederates.