The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-04-15
MISSOURI MARAUDERs

to greet their friends and acquaintance.
MISSOURI MARAUDERS
TOO MUCH FOR PINKERToN's FREE I,ANcFs-
HE CAPTURES A PURSUER AND HOLDS HIM
AS A HOSTAGE.
AS an instance of the audacious daring and
downright desperation of Missouri border
rufians, the following is reproduced from
the Carrollton Journal: Three detectives.
supposed to be of the Pinkerton gang, hav-
| ing in their possession q requisition from
| the governor of Kansas upon the governor
OF Missouri, arrived in CarrolIton Thursday
night OF last week. The order of arrest
was Tor man named Miller alias Hines,
| and was addressed to John W. Clink-
scales, the sheriff of Carroll county. Miller
is charged with being implicated in the cap
| ture and robbery of passenger train on the
Kansas Pacific railroad, a few months ago,
at a small station some twelve mi O. from
| Kansas City, called Muncie. How the de-
| tectives ascertained that the man was a
party IN the commission of that bold deed,
| or that he was in this county, are known, OF
course, only to themselves; but certain iU is
that they had not only learned of his being in
this county, but his exact whereabouts.
They learned that be was domiciled at Mr..
Sharpe Whitsett's, farm about six miles
south of west of Carrollton, the accused man
being an uncle, we believe. of Mrs. w hitsett.
AbO uctcCelfOS udNlDS ucliFeT6u bD6lF papers
to Sheriff Clinkscales, and being DESTROYS of
securing the large reward offered for the
hunted man. were gracious enough with one
or two others to accompany the sheriff to
the field but were careful, if they knew his
real character, to say as little about him as
necessary. As a consequence, Mr.. CliDkscales
went on his errand, little dreaming what
sort of a nan he was to deal with. When
the party arrived in the neighborhood, the
detectives stopped under cover till the
sheriff went boldly and unsuspectingly to
the house. He informs US that he asked Mr..
| Whitsett If the accused was in his house.
He repeated and pressed the question when
Mr.. WhitSett answered Automatically, but
warned him not TO try to serve any writ
upon the accused, as it would be folly toex-
pect him 70
SURRENDER PEACEABLY.
Sheriff CMnkscales asked to see Miller. Mr..
Whitsett told him it would be useless to
ask such conference, as the man never
would surrender. He was satisfied of that.
After some further words, both gentlemen
being well acquainted, Mr.. Clinkscales re-
turned to the detectives. These PiDkeTton
men were ready for arson. They had de-
termined on going out, 1t seems, II tney
could not get the accused out of the house to
| fire IL and burn the whole family out!
1t strikes US that this is a bold an
dertaking for men who profess
| to act under law and for the ends of justice.
But there is no doubt upon the point. They
intended 10 fire Mr.. Whitsett's house and
burn out his family, in order to capture a
prisoner and get a reward. OF course they
meant to pay tor the house. Still that rem
ders the act no less srsonous. If these
| Pinkerton volunteer officers of thelaw pur-
pose to practice the hand grenade and the
torch, it is about time that Missouri
homes were fortified against their ap-
pesraDce in the state with rope guards.
| Nevertheless. while the conference be-
| tween Sheriff Ciinkscales and the detec-
tives was taking place, messenger I'VE be-
| lieve Mr.. Whtseit), came from Miller in
| the house, to the sheriff, asking a confer
eDce. Mr. Ciinkscales desired 70 know the
prisoners object and whether he should
expect to be assaulted by the accused. He
was answered that be only wanted to talk
to him; to come thu unArm eeo,o,t In
and in performance OF kindly
act, expecting the conference to end in the
surrender of Miller, the sheriff went back to
Mr.. Whitsett's house unarmed. The mo-
ment he stepped into the presence of Mil
Ter, however, he was grasped by the throat
| and cooked navy revolver placed at his
| head by tbe accused, and ne was told that
if he gave any alarm, or II he called or made
any sign to the others, or attempted to
move, or failed TO assist his own escape by
shielding him from the shots or assaults Of
the detectives,
HE WOULD BLOW HIS BRAINS OUT.
Sheriff Clinkscales now saw his man for the
first time; that ne was one of the boldest
and most desperate sort of fellows, who
meant to do just what be said, and be felt
that he had himself, instead of capturing
| the robber, had been handsomely taken In,
Really his life depended on the immediate
death or escape OF Miller. The latter
the accused was not long in accomplish
| ing. Keeping the sheriff TO windward
OF him, that is, between himself and the
| concealed detectives. he hastily mounted a
horse, and, bidding the detectives sn auda-
cious good by. gentlemen" dashed south
| on the road to Waverly. Toe detectives, of
course, fired upon him, but he laughed at
their impotence, and doubtless soon found
himself as free as the air. 1t is needless
to point out wherein this job was painfully
bungled. The detectives must either have
meant to deceive the sheriff as to the real
character of the man, and thus increase their
chances OF his capture by having one or the
other OF them killed, or they were
fooling with man who, fortified or In the
open air, was more than a match for pla-
toon of such innocent creatures. Missouri
lontlaws are not TO be trifled with. 1t is fol-
ltunate for Sheriff CinkscsieS that he was
net killed in the venture. He could scarcely
again be similarly situated without being
shot either by the pursued or the pursuers.
It is due to Mr.. Sharpe Wits to say that
he was unaware of the feet that his guest
was charged with crime against the law. As
family connection the accused had right
to claim his hospitality. and. OF course, re-
grets the incident. He thinks his timely
} interference saved Mr.. Clinkscales's life, as
: Miller supposed him detective.