The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-13
Tho ShoriT Leads Them F!

NoUSr STERLING, Nv, May 2a-For
ten i4ys past John Barnett and ten com
pAul.ns, known a. the Barnett gang,
CHARGED with the murder OF Vaughn
Hilton, have been confined IN Mont-
gomery county jail. Rumors reached
judge lIaLeIrlgg that a mob from Man
etec county we're coming 70 take the
prisoners aud hang them. Tie ordered
an extra guard on duty. Marshal Punch
aud Deputy Sheriff McCormlck were
Ne { Areplng guard in the hallway OF the
Iati. Richard Farmer, james Thomas
and Jesse Hamiin, armed with shot guns
Spencer rides aud pistois, were stationed
ia a front room up stars At u o clock
in the morning "A mob OF a hundred ca
tered The city anu rode rapidly 10 the
IalI, where they were rctntoicei bi 4
suali party On foot.
Richard Farmer. from his window
above, commanded a halt, aad asked
what they wanted. We wall, biOod
aud VIC are gvIuS TO have II, was th'
answer, AID 10 the further curunaai oi
Farmer 10 halt, there rang out IN tn
night ain Close W They won
shoot anu at the same moment ne q
til mob entered to- gateway lh
guard Il ed = rou j oi b~usk>h,j, Wine
rau,cti me leader "a gave forth demon
like yclio. Tie mob commenced firing
Three guard, from she upper wlndo>
meanwhile returned the fire a, rallaN ~
puss> bic for three or tour minutes IN.
the invaders retl Gated The tc.i> ut Ii
court house aud uglnc house Iaug out
and the Cerro Gordo guards aud ma
citizens soon came To the resGue.
The wounded man was carried Iuto the
lail and there recognized A. A. I'm =.
the high ~s,ieriff of ManeIee cnun
Near by, wounlcd IN the leg. Was ton go.
Thomas Clark, u wealthy farmer Ma
hun lay ms horse dead Killed by D tul
let rom the Spencer rifle which it.
WOUNDED ila rider. Shortly atterw 1 !.
two OF three stray >didicd horses, Wiz
no riders, were found. CLARK clauftai
that he was only passing aud VA, atel-
dentally hit, and that he wa, not II m"a-
Der OF the mob. Sheriff Ringo. wucH
asked BY Marsllai Punch what he mean
by leading d mob, replied John III
rett and has gang have been ~bushwhach-
Ing people ior three years past, and tL,
good neopIe of my count are getting
tired OF il. This gang has previously
beer charged with the murder OF jan
Messer, the shooting oi Gil Mes>er, The
stablng of Vaughn Hilton two years ago
and were acquitted by the courts Tine.
months ago they were charged with hnn1
Old mau Hilton 5 house. poisoning h :
cattle, stabbing and killing his horses
and shooting old man Hilton, and our
courts were powerles~ to convict. lhelc-
fore after advising with the best men IN
my county, l came here To h ~ Barnett
and others A bunch Of rope, with
two hangman's knots care uljy mad ,
were found near X n o's BODY. Rit.o
is desperately wounded. five balls having
penetrated his right leg ten inches above
the knee, necesaltatlng ampu att IL,
which will probably result fatally.
Although the ceiling of the room
above is riddIed with bullet holes, ncre
of the guards were wounded. H. ger
eral sentiment Of the public here Is that
1t was very unfortunate that the mob did
not succeed IN hanging the Barnett 90 !,
as they are considered desperadocs Il
the most dangerous type. itlngo, / e
wounded leader of the mob, has thl,e
cousins and Que brother law IN the out
law gang whom he was attempting to
hang, and which Will doubtless cost him
his life. He has since 1866 been an Of
hcer IN his county, and has always en-
Joyed an excellent reputation in his COM
munity as a fine officer and law abiding
citizen.