Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-05-26


room and Hatton was shot through the
head, glance shot, which was quite
serious. The murderers fled at once
!, The third man was arrested in the vi.
cinity, but made his escape.
Sheriff Davis was carried back to
Greenville, where he died Sunday
morning. Mr.. Hatton was crazed by
the wound received in his head, but il
reported to be in fair way of recovering
This people of Wayne county were
thoroughly aroused, as Davis and Hat
ton are both among the most popular
citizens of the county, and five hundred
men commenced searching the woods,
and reward Of $1,000, in addition to
the $1,000 offered by New Madrid
county, was offered for the capture OF
the murderers.
Capt. w. #. Leeper. an old and sub
stantial citizen of Wayne county, was
called on late Friday night to engage
in the search for the desperadoes. He
consulted with three other gentlmen,
Messrs. Ambrose Beatty, Cal. Thomas
and Taylor Fulton. Mr.. Leeper said
he was almost certain that the men
would try to cross Black river, about
place known as "Campbell's Switch
night at the above place, where there
is ferry across the river. Saturday
morning, just as daylight approached
and the faithful guards were permitted
to distinguish an object at some dis
lance, the hunted game, Myers and
Hamilton. made their approach walk
ing up the railroad. At first Leeper
and party mistook them for party of
their own men who had been watch
ing at a station down the river two
miles below their stand. AS the party
approached and when within five feet
of Lesper and posse he recognized them
as the famous New Madrid desperadoes
and Immediately prepared to give them
a warm reception. Cooking his gun,
Leeper hailed them with, "Hold on
there" when they at once wheeled and
presented their shot-guns. Simultane-
ously Leeper and party fired upon
them. Both men fell in their tracks,
James Hamilton being killed outright,
receiving not less than ten bucksi1ot in
the back of his head. while Jesse My
ers, his companion, was only temPorar-
lily stunned by an ugly shot in the
forehead. The pursuing party had
gotten the drop on them so completely
that they were unable to get q shot,
though both men fell with double-bar-
rel shot-guns cooked in their hands.
The posse then obtained a hand-car
and transported the dead and wound
ed prisoners to Mill Springs. The
third and last of the gang, Frank
Brown, was still at large, but Satur-
day morning word was brought to Mill
Springs that he was seen swimming
the river a few miles east of town, and
,IxNys <Hf uf1 tod tn,
suit. Taking up the trail they tracked
Brown a distance of ten or twelve
miles, and about dusk in the evening
crossed over into Reynolds county. J.
N. Morrison, Prosecuting Attorney of
Wayne county, in company with the
others, spied man in the timber
ahead, and pushing on until within
speaking distance drew bead on one
who proved to be none other than
Brown and ordered hands up. Though
heavily armed Brown saw he was
caught and surrendered without re-
sistance. He was lroned and taken to
Mill Springs where he was kept until
the morning passenger train passed,
when he was taken to Poplar Bluff.
Browns statements are conflicting,
and he evidently thinks that the great
er stories he will tell the better his
chances. His wounds are not danger
Gus. Sunday morning he was sitting
up conversing freely.
At six o'clock Sunday morning N.Y.
ers and Brown were heavily ironed,
and, under guard of the New Madrid
party and w. L. Lesper and J. N. Nor
rison, were taken from Poplar Bluff
on the cast-bound freight for Sikeston,
from where they were taken to New
Madrid by wagon.
LATER.-The prisoners were taken
to New Madrid and lodged in Jail; but
the Sheriff secretly took them out to
the river and crossed in askif to Hick-
man. KY, where they took a steamboat
for st. Louis. Monday night theSher-
if landed his prisoners safely in the st.
Louis jail. If they had remained in
New Madrid they would have been
lynched ere this. Three hundred citi- |
zens were on the alert for the job which |
was to have been done Sunday night.
Husband. Beaters.
ayes warm weather is prolific oil