The Russellville Democrat., 1876-09-07
A HORRIBLE CRIME.
An TnnodGht Mans Head Cut
 Off and Stuck upon n R;lil.
Parties made tO Bow to the
 Head pcrclied On the Fence.
All the Work of the Cobbitcs.

From the tsearcy) White County Record.l
 It seems to us a dream, fer we can't imagine for the first time that
 we are living in the land of leathen-
 ism, but looking at tke facts connect
 ed with the following terrible affair it makes our blood run cold, and our thoughts arc SC scattered that it is
 with the greatest difficulty that we are enabled to chronicle the circum- stances of one of the most horrible murders that was ever committed within the borders of our State.
 On last Tuesday, several persons passing the Spence Booth place, now owned by Mr. J, w. Patterson,
 about miles south of town, and liy- ed upon by l.. B. Dover, one of the
 parties connected with the affair were invited i'll to see Christ, (the Cobbites were having preaching at the place and claimed that Christ was in their midst, and on entering, or starting to enter, they were told
 ssnot to come in, for that was holy
 ground" The news was brought to town of the above facts, and Mir. c. l1s sAitti lts JisthC CO1IlU~ ded they would go out and see for for themselves what all this really
 meant. On arriving at the place, they, too, were invited i'll to see Christ, and after urgent solicitation
 on the part of the Cobbites, were per- suaded to draw up nearer the house, and when only in reach of the pail ings they caught hold of Mir. Hum- phreys and kicked the fe;ce down, dragged him into the yard and in spite of his endeavors te free himself was beaten into a helpless state, and then whilst two or three of the wom- other held his head, and whilst thus
 overpowered, his head was cut from
 his body with an old axe, handed to
 one of the men by woman for that
 purpose. MT. Blake broke loose from those who held him, and was
 told that "Christ" told them (the
 Oobbites) to turn him loose!o He
 was not long in publishing the news
 to the town authorities and as soon
 as possible there were a posse sum moned, who were soon on their way
 to this imcomparable and almost un-
 heard of deed. The posse on arriv- ing on the ground saw tine most
 heartrending sights that their eyes ever witnessed. The Cobbites show ed fight, taking up the head of Hum-
 phrey and shaking it at the posse,
 telling them if they dared modest
 them that they too, shouldnnmistak- ably fare the same fate, and like wild demons rushed upon the posse, and
 the one holding the head in his hand again perched it upon the paling, crying out at the top of his voice,
 "that Christ was with them, to go on and take the arms from the officers crowd and let them, too. suffer the same penalty" On they came like men minus soul or feeling until
 they came right up to the posse and
 without faltering steps continued to come, demanding all the time the arms of the posse. The officers
 force repeatedly ordered them to
 halt, telling them surely they would
 kill them if they didn't surrender,
 but new commands were given them
 by Dover, similar to this: "Go on and take their arms from them and
 let them share the same fate, God is
 with us, let them shoot! God won't let them harm us !' And on they come until two of their number fell dead, being shot by the officers posse. Then they seemed to become reconciled, for they saw that the posse had come to stop the unlawful proceedings and intended to do it at all hazards. They surrendered and
 were brought to town, and on the road kept up their shouting. These parties claim that Judgment day will be here the fret of Sept, and they had assembled to be ready for the same. They had thrown out their beds, clothing, &c., and appar- antiy given up all earthly things.
 The following i. the verdict of the jury: They found Lemuel B. Dover, James NJ. Dover, Thomas Gainey, John Nelson and Elizabeth Nelson, gully as principals. Clementine Do- yer, John Dover and Lee Dover as accessories. Lemuel B. Dover, and his son-in-law Thomas Gaincy, were | killed, refusing to surrender. Mrs. l Mamie Clancy and her two children, Miss Eliza Gainey and little rcd haired girl, supposed to be daught- l CT of old Mir. Dover, were discharg- | ed. there being no testimony against them