Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-04
MURDERERs AND HIGHWAY
MEN.
Merchan; on the Petit Jean Murdered
and His Store and Boat Robbed.
A Brave Officer 10 the Rescue-He is
Shot and Wounds one of the Des-
peradOes.
A Close Chase and Final Capture
The Robbers in the Pulaski
County Jail.


foOtman walked up to the store OF Mr..
A. 2. Stevens, at Rocky crossing on the
Petit Jean river, thirteen miles south Of
DardEnelle. He requested permission
to remain all night at the store, giving
as reason thAt the planters hesitated
and disliked to receive strangers. His
request was readily granted, and about
eight o'clock four others arrived. They
walked up to the front door of the store
and drew their revOlvers. Mr.. Stevens
at once thought they intended him
harm, and turned to walk to the rear of
the store, where he had two loaded shot
guns. as he turned two shots were fred
at him, one striking him in the back,
passing entirely through the body. Mr..
Stevens fell, and it is supposed he
was fatally wounded. The robbers
were all masked, and after the
shooting, while three of them robbed
the store the other two, for the fOotman
was one Of the robbers, run to the boat
on the river, where Mr.. Stevens's fami-
ly resided. They met the injured mans
wife, armed with a revolver, on the way
to the rescue of her husband. She was
disarmed and taken back to the boat.
The robbers Tansaeked the store and the
boat, obtaining in all about one hum
dred dollars and a lot OF merchandise,
consisting of boots, shoes and notions.
After stealing all they desired, and re-
moving the stage-plank from the boat,
so as TO prevent the lady escaping,
they decamped. About this time Mr.
Stevens recovered consciousness, and
called to his wife for help. She could
not Withstand his appeal, and plunged
into the river, swimming to the shore
- A
sent by the heroic woman arrived at
Petit Jean pOstOtfice about half-past
nine o'clock that night, and secured the
attendance of Dr.. Foster. At the time
of the robbery, the sheriff of Yell
Button, forty miles from the
murder. Word was sent to him,
and he at once started in search
of the desperadoes. On Thursday he
reached Dardanelle and procured a war
raut. Soon after taking the trail he
found that the robbers had separated,
two of them going toward Little Rock
and the others striking southwest for
Scott county. Friday the officer reached
PerTyviile, and Saturday he arrived at
the residence of Mr.. Ruffty, near the
mouth of the Palarm, where he found
two men whom he thought were the
ones he was searching for. Desiring to
secure assistance and further evidence if
possible, Captain Cole went over to Col
onel Ben Dalley's, but not until he had
informed Mr.. Ruffty who he was and
his intentions, and requesting him, if
the men attempted to leave, to send him
word. The two villains remained at
Ruffty's Saturday night, and started to
Little Rock early Sunday morning.
Word was Immediately sent to the
officer, who, together with q posse, con-
sisting of Captain Carter, Bob Smith,
and a Mr.. Fletcher, started in pursuit.
One mile and a half down from Palarm,
and Just above the Natural Steps, six
teen miles above here, the men were
seen standing in the door of 8 negro
cabin. The posse dashed up and the
cornered desperadOes drew their six
shooters. They demanded to know
what the officer meant, and ne told
them he was the sheriff of Yell county,
and had a warrant for their ar
rest. With this, one of them cried
"hOld up" and both held up their
revolvers and fred at Sheriff Cole, one
bullet taking effect in the officers right
shoulder, making painful flesh wound.
The, posse surrounded the cabin, and
Captain Cole sheltered himself behind
the building, so as to guard the rear
door. Soon after, one of them, named
George Harris, appeared at the entrance, |
and the officer lodged six buckshot in
his body, and he retreated IN good order. |
AT this time the other man, who gives
the name of John Lampkins, broke |
from the front door, and made for the |
woods. Several shots were fired at the |
fugitive, only one Of which took effect. |
After long chase across the fields, by !
the officer, who, with true courage, re-
CARELESS of his bleeding Wound and /
heavy OvercOat, did his best to capture |
the villain, he reached the woods and !
escaped. While resting near the tim
Der, Harris broke from the back door |
and ran for the woods, but, unfortunate /
ly for him, ran directly toward the /
sheriff, who hid behind tree and cap
tured MIN a. he came up. BY this time |
a posse Of about fifty men had been |
raised, who went in search of Lamp
kins, and finally captured him while Sc
creted in the woods. Captain Cole saws
the men are brave and cool, and |
that during all the fighting they |
did not show the least excitement. The /
officer and a suitable number of guards /
brought their prisoners down in skiffs,
and arrived here about dark Sunday /
evening, and landed the despeIadoes in /
the county jail. Harris is a young man, |
about twenty-three or twenty-four years
of age, and wore pink wire mask, on |
which were painted blue eyes and
heavy, black mOustache. One of the |
men had in his possession an Iron Noun |
tain railway timetable. Captain Cole
is stopping at Prof. Morse's boarding.
house, on Third, between Cumberland |
and Scott streets, where he is receiving !
surgical treatment at the hands of Drs. |
Hooper and Breysacher. Senator Toom- |
er and Mr.. Fulton, from Yell county, !
are unremitting in their attentions to
the wounded officer. 1t is believed by |
many, ana perhaps not without cause,
that these five men are no others than |
the Hot Springs highwaymen. Their
GOODNESS, daring and wickedness are GER
tainly a coincidence.