The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-25
A THRILLING CAPTURE.
How Marshal Ira Campbell Caught
Mccoy, the Notorious Desperate.

Mccoy, the Notorious Desperate.
From the Atlanta (Ga.) Constitution.
The death of Deputy Marshal Ira Camp
bell, which occurrtd in Royston, Wednes-
day, recalls one Of the most exciting and
sensational captures known in the reVe-
nue. annals of the northern district.
The capture was made in 1SS6-just
eight years ago, when Marshal Campbell,
in hand-to-hand encounter with Mccoy,
the desperate of Lookout mountain, fin-
ally succeeded in slapping the handouts
on the criminal and delivering him over
TO the law.
For number of years Mccoy had been
a terror to the regions about Lookout.
His feats of reckless daring and notorious
temerity caused the people up there TO
look upon him with fear and trembling;
but the climax of his criminal record was
the murder Of Deputy Marshal W. ID.
Kellet.
Mccoy had treasured his hatred
against Kellet for a number of years. He
had sworn revenge against the marshal
for making raid upon a still with which
he was connected, and he bided his time
in quiet determination In December,
1885, Marshal Kellet left Atlanta for
Lookout to arrest a moonshiner named
Young, little dreaming the fearful fate
awaiting him. While making his way to
the house of Young at a precipitous turn
in the road Mccoy stepped out and offered
TO assist in making the arrest. Keller
thought that something was up and rode
on, refusing his aid.
Upon his return down the mountain
with the prisoner in charge, the marshal
stopped at stream TO water his horse.
AS he was leaning over 10 unhitch the
bride rein, two rife shots rang out from
the cliff overhead, and at the same time
he fell from his horse fatally shot.
Young, the moonshiner was suspected
and arrested for the murder He stoutly
declared his innocence, however.s and
said that he recognized the face ofiuMc-
Coy just as the gun flashed
Search then was made in every direc-
ton for Mccoy, but he had fled, and moth
ing was heard Of him until February,
when word reached Capt. helms, wholat
that time was United States marshal,
that he had been seen in Cherokee county.
Capt. helms at once organized a posse
OF his best men, and, commanding IL in
person, he started out for Cherokee. The
place was reached at night and the posse
divided, Capt helms heading one squad
and Capt Chapman, Marshals Colquitt,
Campbell and Scott composing the other.
Capt. Nelm's squad went over TO the
house where McCoy's brother lived, while
the other crowd started for the house of
old man Simmons, where Mccoy was sup
posed to be in hiding. In some way the
men got scattered Marshal Campbell
had gone 20 the rear of the house. He
heard a noise at his back and turned
around quickly, cooking his gun at the
same time. Before he could realize II, a
pistol was showed into his face and he
recognized his opponent as Mccoy With
the fearlessness which always character
lied his actions, Marshal Campbell dashed
the pistol to the ground and grappled. In
some way the pistol went of. shattering
Campbell's hand But he held on TO
Mccoy, and for some minutes there was
waged a furious and desperate fight.
Campbell had succeeded in getting Nc
Coy on his back and was choking his
tongne out when the rest of the Deputies
ran up 10 the rescue.
In telling of the event yesterday after
noon, Capt. W. II. Chapman said:
THAT was the only time that I ever
saw Campbell mad. Naturally he was
always cool, deliberate and self-collected--
especially in dangerous places. But It
seemed as II a demon was in him that
night. He would have choked the dos
perado TO death, think, II we had not
came up 50 soon. Campbell was one Of
the best and bravest officers In the SER
vice and his death is a sad, sad thing"