The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-11-07
JUDGE FERRIS HAUL.
A "Reminiscences of the Lawlessnes
of 1866.


At the close of the war, in 1865,
things in this locality were in n
learfully unsettled condition. Muir
ders and robberies were of daily
and nightly occurrence. The pa
pers were filed with the CHASTITY de-
tails of the most horrible crimes.
The Government had dlsbanded its
armies of soldiers and laborers, amt
many of them were riding rough
shod" over peaceable citizens every
where. A gentleman, well acquainI'
ed with the facts, tells the follow
ing story of an adventure of Judge
John G. Ferriss, which has never
before been published.
Two Federal soldiers, claiming
to belong to the regular army, Dec.
20, 1865, passed out the Nolensville
pike from Nashville, robbing every
citizen they met between this place
and Nolensville. They even had
the mpudence to go into that town
though their misdeeds had already
proceeded them. No one attempt
ed to arrest them. IL was a respon
sibilty which none we're willing to
take upon themselves. They de
parted the place, therefore, unmo
Tested. This freedom had embold
ened them to continue their rob-
berries at the muZzle of the revolver.
Judge FerrIss, who rode so small
mule that his feet almost touched
the ground, had seen them on the
road, but, having sold his army re-
volver, the day previous, for SIG in
graenbacks, of which he was sorely
in need, he was unarmed. Riding
around them, he went into Nolens
vile and attempted to get up n
crowd TO arrest the robbers, but no
one would either furnish a weapon
or make up one of a posse. Fer
riss at last with the exhibition OF
much Impotence, said he was un
willing to see wayfaring people rob
ted, and rode out of town TO the
where he. Tad sold the rev0ly-
81. All were Of the opinion that hit
4 ashness would result in his fuDer
al, and they awaited anxiously the
result. When Ferriss had obtained
the revolver, which had been fresh
ly loaded, ne got on his mule anu
rode through a woodland near the
toll-gate toward which the outlaws
had last been seen approaching
As he suddenly emerged into the
road be saw one OF the high waymen |
holding his revolver on a citizen
named Marian Sanford, while the |
other OUTLAW was in the house rob
ding Pogue, the gate keeper. The
robber was so closely guarding San
ford that he had not Observed Fes
rIss' approach, when the latter lev
eled his pistol at his body and, in
AN emphatic tone, told the rascal ~ |
put down his weapon, which he did.
1ferriss then made him give up hi
evolver TO Sanford, who held him
under guard until Ferriss went into
The house after the other fellow,
The second robber was counting
nut poor Pogue's money-$l4.25-
when Ferris appeared in the room
The rCbber took Ferriss to be his
eomrade, and tod him to go back
TO the mules they had been riding,
when, ali of sudden, he recognized
his mistake and started To draw his
revolver, whereupon Ferriss calmly
"Move hand or muscle
and l will bury a bullet IN your
heart" The robber quailed. He
was disarmed and led out to the
road. Ferriss and Sanford forced
them to take position between them
On foot and trotted the pair into
They were taken be
fore Justice Parke Street and were
brought to Nashville by Constable
w. A. Mathes, the Government |
paying $50 for the recovery of the |
mules and $75 for the arrest Of the
rot bers, who were sent by courts
to the penitentiary. aId
whom, it was said, we're among the |
subsequently pardoned ont
by Gov. Brownlow.- Nash. Amer