Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-14
8<
MEMPHIS.
A River Trader OverhauIed and.
RObbed-ExeIfInE Jail Delivery
Nine Prisoners Escape.

A River Trader OverhauIed and
RObbed-ExeIfInE Jail Delivery
Nine Prisoners Escape.
MEMPHIS, Jan. 13.-The Appeal will
publish tomorrow letter from Mr. Jas.
L. Myers, who has a trading boat at the
foot Of Walnut bend, on the Arkansas side
Of the river. Mr.. Myers says that his boat
was robbed by thirty negroes, led by four
white men, all drunk and well armed. He
was floating in the river when the mob at
tackled him from the shore. Finally, some
Of the attacking party came out and took
his boat 70 the Arkansas shore and the
whole party helped themselves 70 his goods.
After taking what they wanted, they let
him so.
A Bold Dash for Liberty.
Something like a general delivery occur
ed at the cityjail to-day between y and
o'clock. Jackson, the jailor, had gone to
escort some prisoners to the Criminal Court
room. During his absence, one Ed. Nc
Coy, who was imprisoned for house break
ING, and two negroes appeared at the in
side iron door carrying sick negro. Gall
ing to the turnkey Bettes, they informed
him that the negro was dying. Mccoy
took the key and unlocked the inner door
leading TO the iron ante-roOm, into
which be and the two negroes, assisted
by John McCarty, the Louisville railroad
shop burner, carried the sick negro. Mccoy
then turned about TO lock the inner door,
but left the key in the lock. Turnkey
Bettes opened the outer door SO that the
negro could be carried to a ROOM near the
jailOr's office. Mccoy slIil held on to the
key in the lock Of the inner door, and as the
sick negro was being carried ont, suddenly
opened the inner door, while fIOm below a
white hOTse-thief, JACK Clifford, 4 burglar,
and Henry Bender, a murderer, rushed
forth with six-shOOters in their hands.
They passed through all the gates and,
gaining the outer hall, caught Turn
key Bettcs and demanded his
pistol. He attempted 10 draw it, but was
quickly knocked down by one Of the GRIM
nails and disarmed. ShOaf, the assistant
turnkey, reached the scene and drew bis
pistol, but was also knocked down and
disarmed. At this junoture, a general rush
was made by the prisoners for the hall.
Those who got through and away were j.
5. White, JnO. Clifford, Henry Bender,
Jno. McCarty, Ed. Mccoy, Hans Marquem
and j. }. Day, all white, and Ben Ellis aud
Louis Jefferson, cOlOTed-nine in all. A
number Of others would have escaped, but
the outer door was quickly shut by pris-
Oner named Taylor.
As soon as free, all the prisoners made off
I'm the direction Of Wolf river bridge. The
Sheriff went IN pursuit as soon as q posse
could be gathered. It is thought he will
have 10 tight if he comes up with the pris-
OneTs, as they are armed. White is a no
t0riOus horse thief and under sentence for |
fifteen years. JnO. McCarty, an incen-
diary, is under sentence for two years.
Henry Bender is under sentence for ten /
years for killing boy last summer. Ed.
Mccoy was imprisoned to await trial for
burglary. John Clifford was under SEN
Ience for ten years, for robbery. J. ]. Day !
was IN for arson, and Hans Alarquem for |
robbery. Louisa Jefferson was under SEN |
-ence for fifteen years for robbery, an Ben. |
Z lis for horse stealing. So far as known, |
none have been recaptured.