The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-05-06
4 Band Of Horse Thieves About to
Be Unearthed-Two Men Ar
rested for Mule Stealing
Some Lively Develop

with the country but with the prem
ises even of the farmers in that
neighborhood. These repeated
thetts at last aroused a feeling of
indignation which was about to cul-
inmate in a vigilance committee
when another robbery added fuel
to the flames and led to some sur
prising developments which, it is
thought, will be followed by others
even more startling. On the night
of the goth inst. two mules were
stolen from the stable of Mr.. David
Neal, eight miles south of Pulaski,
on the ElktOn pike. The door of
the stable had no lock but vas fas-
tened with a chain which was easily
removed and the thieves had no
difficulty in effecting an entrance
The animals were tracked down the
pike, through Elkton and to the
bridge across the river, where all
trace Of them was lost. The owner,
Mr.. Neal, being discouraged, thought
he would seek the aid of his friend,
Mr.. Z. Isaac Brownlow, VINO was
thought to be quite an expert IN re
covering stolen horses. With this
object in view he called on that gen
man and offered to give him $25 for
either, or $50 for both of the mules
if he succeeded in recovering them.
Brownlow accepted the proposition
and left home Thursday in search
of the animals. On that day one of
the mules was found by a gentleman
named Stewart and an investigation
led to the discovery that both ami
mails had been carried into the bar
rens three miles south east of Elk
ton and hitched out in the bushes
with plow-lines. The one found by
Mr.. Stewart had worked himself
loose by gnawing the halter
Brownlow turned up Friday with the
other mule, which he delivered to
Mr.. Neal, but declined to receive
more than So for his services, which
sum was paid to him. While these
events were transporting, a man nam
ed Cash Fowler openly declared
that BrownlOw. assisted by Ben Ed
dlns, a person also we'll known in
the neighborhood, had stolen the
mules. He asserted that they had
talked to him about the matter, as
well as of other undertakings of
similar character in which they had
been engaged, he having professed
willingness to join them in their
depredations. To prove the truth
of these statements, and to expose
the criminals, which he claimed he
had all along intended to do, FOw
Ter induced several gentlemen to Sc
crete themselves in hearing distance
while he engaged Brownlow and
Eddins in conversation. The two
men, it is said fell into the trap and
discussed the details of the theft
freely; Brownlow admitting that he
took the mules out of the stable
while Eddins kept watch. When
they had sufficiently committed
them selves both were arrested and
carried to Elkton, where great ex-
element prevailed when the facts
were ascertalIed.
Both men had a preliminary trial
Saturday before bench of justices
composed of Esquires Carey Gil
bert, j. G. Vance, w. j. McNeely,
and A. w. Moore, the man Fowler
appearing as prosecuting witness.
The state was represented by John
r. Jones, of Pulaski, and H. H.
Hardin, of Wayne county; and the
defendants by A. j. Aoernathy and
Fount Smithson, of this place. The
facts elected bv the testimony were
substantially these given in this ar
ticle, and after a full hearing both
of the defendants were bound over
to the circuit court in the sum OF
$1,000 each. Eddins deposited $500
in money with the sheriff and gave
his brother and uncle, Hugh Ed
dins, as sureties for the remainder;
but Brownlow, being unable to
make a bond, was brought to Pu
laski and placed in Jail. 1t is ru-
mored that Eddins has disappeared
and will probably allow his bond to
be forfeited. Over five hundred
persons attended the trial and the
feeling was very strong against the
prisoners, but fortunately there
were no violent demonstrations
Many people believe that Fowler
was as deeply implicated in the
whole business as Brownlow and
Eddins, and that he blabbed on
them merely to escape punishment
him self 1t is also stated that all
three of the men belong to a regu
larly organized band of horse
thieves now operating in this ana
adjoining counties, while another
rumor goes so far as to say that
several prominent citizens, whose
responsibility heretofore has placed
them beyond suspicion, are also
members of the same organization,
and that their guilt will be fully
established by an investigation now
being secretly conducted. We
hardly think, however, there is any
ground for this last report.
1t has been our aim in writing
this article to confine ourselves
closely to the facts as elected by
the testimony and to avoid an ex-
preston of opinion either pro or
con on our own part. So far as
we can learn, and our information
is derived from an unprejudice6
source, the evidence, as well as the
circumstances surrounding this ugly
business, is decidedly unfavorable
to the defendants, yet it is possible
they may be innocent of the crimes
imputed to them, and un:il their
guilt is finally determined in the
courts they are at least entitled to
the benefit of q doubt.
Wool C0rdI7Ig.