The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1895-02-22
A TALE OF THE MOONSHINERS.
DRAMATIC CONFESSION Oh
CRIME.


Approved the Lynching-The Lead
er Of the ku klux Captured i'm Ar
kansas
Atlanta Evening Journal
The light OF justice is beginning TO
fall brightly upon the facts in the
Worley outrage, one of the most das-
tardly crimes ever committed on the
soil of Georgia, and today the an
nouucement Is made that Judge Nc
Cutchin, suspected as the leader of the
ku-klux that shot Worley in the cot
ton field in Murray Cou ty, has been
captured; that he is on his way to the
scene of his alleged crime from Ar
kansas, where, for many days, he has
been fugitive from pursuers.
In addition to.this, and another light
upon the dark deed was the dramatic
confession of Anse Black in open court
before Judge Newton this morning.
There was silence as profound as
death when Black entered his plea of
guilty and when he told the story, al
most surprising belief, of how Worley
had been taken by sixty mounted men
in disguise through Bloodtown into
Bloodtown gorge, and hanged in the
darkness OF the night to persimmon
tree.
bers of the bar listened to the narra-
Tive of the crime, and from the first
word spoken to the last the men held
their breath, for from out the dark re-
cess OF the mountains has come q tale
which almost surpasSes credulity.
Never In any court room has there
been more dramatic scene, and every
one was effected when Black told how
Worley's own mother, standing be-
tween her son and her grand daughter,
sided with the whitecappers and gave
her consent to her sons death.
The man McCutchin is supposed to
be the ring leader of those who shot
and killed Worley, while Anse Black
is one Of the men connected with the
hanging of Worley few days before
the shooting.
Henry Worley lived IN Murray
County, the home of many moonshin in
er3. He was suspected of being a sys-
tematic spy for the revenue men. His
reputation in this respect became
noised abroad and every moonshiner
in the mountains knew OF Henry Wor-
ley and hated him, because they be-
lieved the government had no right to
tax the product of their industry, and
hated him because he took them to
and chiidren's mouths.
There was a suggestion of conspir-
acy. The idea grew. 1t took root in
many still on many a hillside. FL
nally it crystalized into a determine
tion to rid themselves of their enemy
by putting him beyond the power of
ever opening his mouth. 1t was dc
cidcd to hang him. Sixty men carried
the conspiracy into executive, but
WOrlcy escaped miraculously.
The moOnshiners were relentless, in
satiate. They determined now to
abandon cover of darkness. to shoot
him whore they found him, in open
day, in the country where.
The sentence of death had been pro-
nounced and Worley would have to
suffer the penalty for his trcachery.
a few days after this Worley was
found dead by the side of mule
which he had been blowing.
But the story is here as told by Anse
| Black, an eye witness to the hanging.
District Attorney James received in
formation that Black was willing to
| confess. Black came to Atlanta and
notified Mr.. James that he was willing
So ,cTt>." 6 Pi1.i Of guilty.
Judge Newman received the plea in
open court, and asked the man to stand
up before him.
What have you to say before sem
tence is pronounced upon you ~ asked
the court.
When Black arose. to the imagina-
tive every mountain fastness arose
with him, for he is a type of the noun
tainS. Tall, angular, high check
bones, more like an Indian than a Cau-
caslan, with endurance, but not quick
ness written in every lineament, the
minds eye followed him through the
winding paths of the Blue Ridge, saw
him peer through the foliage for rev.
cnuc men, saw the red radiation of the
fire under the still upon his sharp and
oronZcd features. Uncouth. strong,
shrewd looking, eagle-eyed. Anse
Black looked like some great rock tow
ering from the brow of his own blue
hills.
He had rough but effective way of
telling the story, and voice of sur
prislng sweetness withal.
want to say Il few words about
my connection with this thing" said
the man OF the mountains, as he look
ed about him and sighed deeply in the
acccntiOf the Cracker before you SEN
tcncc me. am guilty. was pres
ent with the crowd that hanged Henry
Noflty, anu | say Wnat | DO SO that
the court may be as light us it can up
on me.
Z" 1t WAS in the latter part of last
spring that sixty men of Murray Coun-
ty got together and made up their
minds to hang Henry Worley for re-
porting. Each man was on horseback
and had black masks on their faces. |:
was kinder dark night. Every body
was armed one way or another. Some
had guns, some had pistols, some had
rifles. The men thought there might
be trouble in getting Worley, and men
were taken along to hold the horses in
the case OF shooting, so they wouldn't
be frightened at the fusilade
The men rode up to WOrley's
house and halting the horses neal 81.
most OF them, except those that held
the horses, went 30 Worlcy's house.
Several men took cotton balls saturat-
ed with kerosene, which burned
brightly us they approached the house.
The leader Of the Gro I'd knocked at
the door and asked for Worley. Wor.
lcy's mother came to the door and
asked what we wanted with Henry.
We told her that we were going to
hang him for reporting.
Worlcy's little daughter came to