The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-03-16
A pANDiT BAND.
Thieves and Murderers-Five Arrested and
Three Hanged 20 q Troe.

A BANDIT BAND.
Thieves and Murderers-Five Arrested an
Three Hanged 70 u Tree.
NASHVILLE, March 14.-For some tim
previous to the 2Sd Of last December rob
berries in Union City, Tenn, became so fire
quent and robbers so bold that citizen
sent to Nashville to have a detective sen
to them to try and ferret out the gang an,
SEQ II stop could not be put to such Law
less work. A sharp detective was sent
and, after weeks work, part OF the gan
was landed in jail, while others skippet
out. The robbers, however, seemed to ge
bolder, and robberies were committed al
most every night. Farmers, who lived ;
distance from Union City OF mile o
two, were selected as special victims
Thomas II. Montgomery lived about twC
and one-half miles from Union City, OF
road leading from Union City to Jordan
station, KY; he was farmer, and 1it
trading at Union City. His family con
sisted Of wife and two children. One
child was an infant, the other about thrct
or four years Of age. His wife was very
delicate, and was In almost the last stages
OF consumption.
AFTER TWO PREVIOUS ArTEMPTs
a third attempt was made December % te
rob his house. Mr.. Montgomery slept il
a bed near one OF the back windows; he
was awakened bya crash. The burglars
had broken q pane Of glass in the window
near the head OF his bed. A negro stood
at the window with. a small piece oi
lighted candle in his hand, and
was trying to look into the room.
Montgomery, without moving his body,
reached under his pillow, got his pistol ana
taking aim fired. Thellight went out and
the negro disappeared. He then rot out
Of bed aud walked to the front door,
opened it and had put one foot on the
front step aud the other foot on lower
step when he was fred upon by some one
standing at the corner OF the house. The
shot struck him on the side Of tho face,
temple and head and he fell back in the
hall dead.
Mrs. Montgomery heard the fall, and,
sick as she was, ran out in the hall
TO FIND HER HUSBAND DEAD
aud tho stockings on her feet wet with his
life blood. Running back into the room
she put on her Shoes threw come light
garment over her night dress and ran to
her mothers houBe, q distance OF half a
mile, leaving her children screaming at
home. On her arrival at her mothers
she could hardly toll them that her hus.
band was murdered, and then she lost her
senses and was taken to her bed and never
left it.
Neighbors came and on examination
showed that the shot that killed Mont
gomery were Nos. s aud 4. The burglars
had ransacked the house after Mrs. Mont
gomery had left, and opened trunks and
drawers in bureaus, but nothing was miss
ing except Montgomery's pocket book.
Near Wade's mill is a path that leads to
King Henderson's house, and in one place
is lumber pile with projecting boards on
each side OF the path. irhesG boards are
so close together that 1t was difficult for
person to get through. 1t was found that
ABLoonY HAND
hadbeen placed ona plank on zach side.
On one side was the Print, three fingers
and thumb, and on tho other the print
ot o thumb, There were drops Of blood
on the ground near by, and several on
plank that lay in the direction OF King
Henderson's house.
A party OF citizens arrested King Hen.
derson, and found that he had double
barreled shotgun, and that he used No. q
and No. shot, and that his left-hand bar
rel had been recently discharged. A col
ored operative was sent from Nash
vile to work in the case, and he
acting under instructions from Mr..
Kline, chief operative, worked on Almis
Young, and found enough to show. clearly
that he was one of the gang, 1t was also
developed that this same gang, on the
night Of the murder, robbed house
before they went to NIontgomeIy's, and
robbed another house Immediately
alter. Both these houses were near
Wade's mill. This operator wss recalled,
and another sent and still another, who
was instructed to work tho gang, which hc
did by gaining tho confidence Of Freeman
and Latham. From them he learned tina.
there was an organized gan: who always
worked together. The operative was
sworn into the gang and Free.
man and Latham both told tho full
particulars OF murder. They also told
him that Freeman was the robber that
was fred at and described how his hand
was badly cut by the breaking OF glass in
the window. 1t was his blood that was
on the window.sill and shrubs by the
house and on the lumber pile at the mill
and near King Henderson's house. Almis
Young
FIRED THE FATAL SHOT
at Montgomery, and used King Hem
dcrson's gun.
several places, one OF which was q freight
car loaded with flour, and Tues
day night was selected. Five thieves
broke into the car, and the opera.
tor VAS not far OF watching them,
after notifying the proper parties. The
thieves had got ou. five barrels when the
officers appeared and captured the men,
and put them under arrest. The City
Marshal and several officers guarded them.
Itturned out to be three Of the murderers
and two others who had hitherto
borne fair regulations. The napes are
Almis Young, Frank Freeman, Charles
Latham, Dick Caldwell and Rufus Smoth-
ers. Almis Young was the head sawyer
at Wade's mill, and suspected from tho
tirst OF being one OF the murdercrs, Frank
Freeman and Charles Latham werc known
TO be sharp, cool daring ihieves, never at
work and always known to have money.
Dick Caldwell and Rufus SmotheEs were
not suspected.
Not Tong after tho arrest, and while in
charge Of City Marshal McClanahRm, o
mob Of over loo men iorclbly took them
from the Marshal and took all iiye 10 tree
at the Fair Grounds and hanged the FIRST
three anil returned the other two to tho
custody OF tho Marshal. Before being
hanged Frank Freeman mado full con-
ieasion, oorroborating bis admissions to