The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-29
WAKuLLA,s BATTLE.
The Jenkins Boys made a Hard Fight,
and their Parents Consoled.


Tallahassee, Fla, June 28.-As later
reports come in from Wakulla county it
appears that Sheriff Smith and his posse
had quite a battle with the Jenkins
brothers and their wives. Both men
were very young, bold and daring, and
their buxom young wives were as brave
and fearless as they. Jesse and Joe
coolly informed the sheriff and his men
"that they would never be taken alive.
This we have sworn" Here both des-
peradoes raised their strong right arms
towards high heaven. and standing on
the front porch of their humble homes, in
the presence of their wives, and facing
the officer and his posse, sOlemnlY re-
newed their VOW never TO be arrested by
any sheriff, and there again pledged
eternal fidelity to each other. And then
the bloody work began. They never run
from the house as was first reported.
They reiterated in good order, deliber-
ately loading and firing upon their assail
ants until they reached a fence about
eighty yards from the house. Climbing over
the fence they made a stand and
fought, with their guns disabled, until
their ammunition was exhausted Then
they leisurely walked away in the direc-
ton of a swamp. They had not pro
ceeded far, however, when jim made a
spring forward, uttered a wild whoop
and fell TO the ground, MORALLY wounded
by ball from Sheriff Smiths Winches-
ter. Joe halted long enough to ascertain
the condition of his brother, walked into
the swamp and escaped. 1t was found
that Jim was literally peppered all over
with shot of various sizes, and the wonder
is that he could keep on his feet and
make the brave fight that he did. If the
Jenkins brothers had been armed with
IL, I
tion, 1t is thought the result of the fight
might have proven more disastrous to the
posse.
When the fight began the young wives
cOrnered one of the posse, and while one
belabored him with a cotton hoe the other
confronted him with a self-cocking revol-
yer, which she kept swapping at him,
with the muzZle almost against his breast.
He finally succeeded in disarming them,
but not until they had quite severely
bruised HIM about the head
The father and mother reside near by,
and they soon appeared on the scene, The
mother, looking at her dying son, said:
swell, they've killed another one of my
babiee, but, thank God, he got one of 'em,
tool" The father exclaimed: "Im glad
Jes died with his clothes on an a-fightin.'"
1t is said that the Jenkinses have had
an eventful career for the past six years
About 1887 they got into trouble in Ala
bama, had pitched battle with the Off
GERS, and escaped into Southern Georgia,
where they had q similar experience, and
fled to jackson county, Fla. In a few
months they were compelled to seek a new
home, and from time to time lived in
Franklin and Liberty counties, finally set
ting in Wal1ulia where they said they
intended to remain. Here they engaged
in the logging business, always carrying
their guns with them.
The brothers are wanted for various
crimes in various places; perhaps, the
most serious charge against them being
rape in jackson county. 1t is thought that
Joe must be wounded, and that he will be
captured soon