The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-02-23
THE POES,
THE OWL HOLLOW MUIR
Arrest Of the Murdorers, and
their Arrival in Win
chester.
Great Excitement.
Judge Williams TeIegraphs
for Troops.
The Prisoners Carried to
Nashville.
Brief Replies to Comments
Of the Press.
How they Were Captured.


element in our midst when it wa
known that two men had been arrested
at Gruetli, in Grundy county, supposed
to be the murderers Of young Mr., Ba
ker, in Owl Hollow Of this county
Their very names were sufficient t.
cause excitement, because one was al
cold offender" The prisoners (Johl
and fish Poe,) represented themselves
under false names, as from Kentucky
The Swiss, at their colony, suspected
them, They were arrested. OurShcr
if and the clerk of the store robbed
went up to Gruetli, and the clerk iden
titled the goods found in possession o.
the Pocs. The prisoners arrived here
under guard, last Wednesday afternoon
and taken to the Courthouse. They
employed counsel, their trial was sci
for Friday morning at 8 o'clock, and
they were carried tojail, where they were
guarded by the Sheriff and his posse.
The excitement was intense, to such Il
degree in the estimation Of Hon. j. j.
Williams, Circuit Court Judge, that
on Thursday evening he sent the fol
lowing dispatch to Nashville:
WINCnEsTER, Feb. II, 1921 p, NJ
Gov. Hawkins, Nashville: Two men by
the name of Poe have been arrested for
the murder of Baker. The investga-
ton is set for Tomorrow morning Fri
day. If the charge is proven, which
seems probable, they will be lynched
The Sheriff is absent summonng wit
nesses. Send him at least forty men to-
night. The excitement is high, and it
is doubtful if he can get sufficient
posse. No danger is apprehended be
fore the examination, but after.
j. }. WILLIAMS.
Upon receipt of the dispatch, Gov.
Hawkins held u conference with the
Captains of the Rock City Guards and
Porter Rifles, and it was agreed that
twenty men from each company leave
for Winchester, whereupon the Gov
eraor issued the following order to Capt
Reycr, of the Porter Rifles, and SINH.
lar one to Capt Eastman, of the Rock
City Guards:
Executive OFFICE, NASHVILLE, Feb
II, lSsl.-Capt. George Reyer, Porter
Rifles, Nashville, Tenn.-Dcar Sir :
Please take twenty men and the neces,
sary officers Of your company, well
armed, to Winchester, Franklin coun-
ty, Tenn, by train tomorrow morning,
and report for duty to the Sheriff Of
said county Immediately upon your ar
rival, subject to his orders.
Please see 50 many OF the employers
of your men and officers as you may
deem necessary, and in my name ask
leave of absence for the duty indicated
Respectfully yours,
ALVIN HAWKINS, Governor.
AT nine o'clock Friday morning til,
prisoners we're brought to the Court
house for trial, but the trial did not com
mencc till nearly twelve. \ few min
utes after twelve special train brought
the military to the edge of town, where
they formed and marched to the Pub
lie Square. OF course their appearance
created no little Indignation among oul
people, but they dill not threaten them.
They only wanted to know by what au-
thority they were here, telling them that
VIC had no use for them-that we were
law-abiding citizens, and could attend
to our own affairs, &c. Our Sheriff
soon made his appearance, when the
military were moved into the Court
house and Il guard placed at each door
with instructions, we suppose, to per
nit no one to enter the hall, which in
dignity exaspcrated several of our citi
zens, and rightly, too. The trial con,
tipucd until about five o'clock, when
Court adjourned over till Saturday
morning, and the prisoners were re-
turned to Jail. There were not exceed
ing 500 persons on the Square during
the day, and those from the country re
turned to their homes ere night had sci
in.
Saturday morning there were very
few country people in town. The pris
oners were brought to the Courthouse
and the military having announced tina
they wished to return to Nashville, thu
counsel for the prisoners requested tina
the military be retained. A paper wa
then produced ISSUED by Judge VIII
liams) directed to the Sheriff or Jaile
of Davidson county, asking that thu
prisoners be committed to their custody
and the counsel announced that the,
would wave further examination. Tit
Justices who heard the case signed {
mittimu., directed to the Sheriff Of
Jailer of Davidson county, asking tina
the prisoners be received. The prison