The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-08-31
TALT HALL TO HANG.
The Record Of One of Kentucky's
Notorious Deperados.
a HERO OF NINETY-NINE MURDERS.

The Town Surrounded by a Gordon
of Pickets and the Jail Protected
by One Hundred Armed Men to
Prevent a Rescue by His Kentucky
Confederates.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Aug. 81.-If
Talton Hall does not die at ropes end
next Friday he will certainly be shot
dead. The sheriff, having heard that
Halls friends in Kentucky will make
an effort to rescue him, ha s ordered his
guards to shoot him down if an attack
on the Jail is made. One hundred men,
armed with Winchesters, are on guard
at Wise Court House, Va, fifty having
gone There yesterday, A strong picket
line extends around the village, and ex-
citement is at fever heat.
Talton, or ''Talt" Hall, who is to be
hanged at Wise Court House, Va, on
Friday for murder, has led long and
picturesque life of crime. He was ar
rested in December, 1891, in Memphis,
Tenn, on requisition from Virginia.
He was wanted also in Kentucky and
West Virginia, and was known to the
authorities of the southern mountains as
a vendetta leader of the worst type.
The sheriff said that his death record
was nineteen, but Hall claimed TO have
killed ninety-nine people during his life
time. .-5."
He began his career Of crime at a very
early age. When he was 13 years Of
age his brothers, John s. and Marshall,
were killed by George Hank. They
were Confederate soldiers, and Hank
commanded bushwhacking company
of rebels known as the Tenth Kentucky
Mounted infantry. Talt's brothers were
returning to the army from n furlough,
when Hank took them prisoners for pur-
poses of robbery and revenge and then
killed them. Talt swore revenge, and
started off by killing his brothers as
sassins.
A Price on His Head.
He was in all the battles of the How
ards, Turner'S and Eversoles, and had
several vendettas of his own. Once
Milt Turner attempted his capture for
big reward with a large posse. Hall
and half dozen friends received the
posse royalty, and the dead We're num-
bered by the dozen. One of Halls feuds
was waged with w. J. NJ. Hall, a cousin,
and wealthy citizen of Catlettsburg,
Ky. The fighting lasted for six months
and several men We're killed before
either showed the white feather. That
was during fecent years, and, Ken
tucky becoming too warm for him. Talt
disappeared, turning up shortly after
wards at Memphis
Here he led quiet life, being EN-
ployed part of the time as street car
driver, and again as section foreman on
the Memphis and Charleston railway.
In the summer of 1891 desire oyercame
him to visit his old haunts, when mar
shal undertook to arrest him for one of
his many murders. He shot the mar
shal on the spot, and taking flight re-
turned to ;Mttnphis, where he WAS sur
prised at breakfast on the morning Of
Dec. o, 1891, and was captured before
he could lay hands on his Winchester
or loaded revolvers that lay beside him.
Halls Appearance.
Although Hall was one of the most
desperate characters in all that region,
you would not think it from his appear
ance. He is perhaps not more than 20
years old, with dark complexion and u
keen black eye. Hall was convicted at
Wise Court House, Va, several months
ago, and was sentenced to be hanged.
Since then he has figured several times
IN the newspapers in connection with
reports of stays and executive Glenn
ency.
There have been maiay rumors of mt.
tempts at his rescue on the part CT des-
peradoes from Kentucky, commanded
by Halls brother, but this mob go far
has failed to materialize.