The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-26
THE nUssELL.CoUNTY SENSATION.
Two Men Taken Out OF the Lebanon jail
and Carried OGby Disguised MoD-"hat
Recame of Them!

Last Thursday night between 10 ana IL
O'Clock about fifteen men in disguise sur
rounded the Jail at Lebanon, Russell coun-
ty. and took therefrom o. +. Ferrall ana
Evan Griffith, charged with obtaining un-
der false pretences about $4,000 worth OF
cattle.
The Bristol Nc,cS OF Tuesday, in its ac-
count Of the affair, says:
There are three gates by which the jail
ward can be entered. Two guards were
stationed at each of these. One was sta
Toned at the jail entrance. Six or seven
others broke down the Jail doors with
rocks. and Immediately bound Ferrall and
Gr0lth and took them away-at our latest
adyices no one knew whittier, nor what
DISPOSITION was made of them. The entire
Marty were BACKED so as to prevent recog-
milton. The jailer, Mr.. Iiashbrook, thinks
he recognized one Of them only.
II is believed that this is not rescue. but
epecics OF lynching on the part OF the
outraged vendors Of cattle TO these men,
some OF whom are nearly ruined by them.
Others. such rs Hon. William j. Dickenson,
member Of the present House OF Delegates,
and CAPTAIN Robert Dickinson are men OF
decided means, and are in no way shaken
by the loss.
The history OF The matter is this: Last
fall Griffith and Ferrill bought from va
rious citizens Of Russell about $4,000
worth of cattle. and though they had been
for three years in the business in a smaller
way. and had met their engagements, there
was an indispOsition to sell them to the eX-
tent then desired without any security.
But thev offered higher prices than anyone
oIse and alleged they owned and had paid
for a considerable portion of their cattle
so that any possible loss by fluctuations
wonld be i'm this way secure, and they
could i'm anv event pay their bills. THIS
statement has turned out to be utterly
untrue and is the basis Of the action against
them for felony. They sold most OF me
cattle in the Valley OF Virginia, Grlfllth
taL,inq the nOneU and the remainder OF the
cattle TO Baltimore, rs their story goes
on Grilith's return he stopped in Har-
risonburg, as he declares, on the oth ol
November, the day after the election. where
both political parties were pmading the
streets, and he says both PROFESSIONS
knocked him down, ran over him, and he
was robbed Of all the cattle-money. The
result is they came home and declared they
could not pay, and were arrested.
Itwas alleged by them that fair trla
could not be had in Russell, and change
of venue was obtained to Washington
county, and yesterday was fixed for theil
trial at Abingdon. About ten days age
Ferrall plead he had news his wife was
about to die, and the county judge allowed
him to visit her under guard. 1t trans
pired his wife was perfectly well, bu'
while there he offered the guard $500 cast
and a valuable claybank-colored mare tC
allow him TO escape.
Ferrall is about fifty-fiye yeas OF age
and Griffith thirty-five or forty. Bott
have families. What these outraged peo
ple propose to do with them we may learr
before going to press. They are satisfied
these men have their money, and they d(
not mean they shall enjoy it.
Since the above was written we Learn
that Ferral and Griffith were taken to th'
woods. and after the exhibition OF rope
and threats of hanging they were made Il
disgorge $4,000, after which they wer
turned alooSe. We don't vouch for III
truth of the statement, but merely give
as report.
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