The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-02-19
The Confession of McCutcheon, Lead
er of the Gang,

The noted leader Of the white caps,
Jamos McCutcheon, was discovered in
Arkansas by his paetner In a patent
medicine firm. AT the instance of the
partner he was arrested and carried
back to Atlanta, where he was lodged
in jail to await trial for his awful
crime.
Driven by the most relentless re-
morse and reGGFet- Tor the crime In
which he had participated, Nc
Cuctheon had become reckless and in
different as to his future, and the con-
fession he has made was entirely vol
untary and of his own accord.
He first told of his escape to Arkan-
sas after the commission OF the crime
and how he had passed the time in
that State In constant dread of being
recaptured and brought to his native
State to answer for the foul deed. He
said that the idea of being hunted and
reminded of what ne had done filed
his conscience with the deepest re.
morse and that life in his condition
was miserable. So powerful had been
his fears and dread Of being captured,
he had become almost Indifferent, and
made little effort to conceal his identi-
ty.
He told of Ills connection with tho
Murray County whitecappers and how
they whipped men for Informing, and
said that he was present when they at
tempted to hang Henry Worley on the
7th OF April. He said that he was con-
nectod with four raids Of the ku-klux
and told the details of those raids in a
most interesting manner. When he
reached tho WOrley murder point OF
his story McCutcheon said:
They (the ku-klux) camo to my
house and told mo to moot the boys at
Jim McEntirc's. 1 went and there was
nine of us there-Harris Bramlett,
James McEntlre, Frank Gilbert, John
Henry Gober, Sance Morrison, Tobe
Smith, George Hartsol, James Par
sons and myself.
We all started off towards Henry
Worley's house and had gone about
three miles whom it began to rain.
We stopped to wait until it held up
and Sance Morrison left us then. All
of us won't on to Worley's house and
stayed around it all night, expecting
to shoot him when he came out tho
next morning. We scattered on every
side OF the house, 40 that we would be
suro to see him, but whom he came out
we were afraid to shoot him there and
let him go on to his field.
"Some OF the mon were sent down
the road leading from his house to
the field, but they would not shoot
him. We all then went out in the
woods 81 short distance from whero
Worley was at work and talked about
how we would kill him.
Finally it was decided to detail
three mon to go over where Worley
was and bring him out in tho woods
whore tho othcr men wore. Frank
Gilbert, Tobe Smith and mysolf were
detailed to go and bring him outside
where the others were waiting. Wo
were afraid of Worley and thought he
was armed and decided to go over and
find out before VIC tried to bring him
outside. Tobe Smith, Frank Gilbert
and myself went over where Worley
was and talked to him about differont
things.
After awhile we left him and went
back to where tho crowd was. Then
TObe Smith, Frank Gilbert and myself
went back over in the field the second
time and whom we got noar where
Worley was plowing [ levelcd my gun
at him and told him to throw up his
hands. He made'a movement and Tobe
Smith shot him with pistol. AS he
fell back | shot him with my double
barreled shotgun aud Gilbert shot him
at the same time.
VIC DOW Dl8O VIC udu killed. nlGQ ana
wo ran out OF the field into tho woods
and then went up on Fort mountain
and stayed until late in tho evening.
We all separated then and won't
home"
The prisoner told his story In an
earnest manner and it, conclusion he
appeared to be greatly relieved. He
was told that by making q confession he
placed himself in great danger of los
ing his life after the manner In which
the whitecappers attempted to take
Henry Worley's by hanging, but it is
said that he declared that he was de-
termined to mako clean breast of the
whole affair.
1t was learned that In McCutcheon'e
/ confession he implicated number OF
| wellknown citizens of Murray and other
north Georgia counties as being mem
| bers OF the whiteceppers' organization
and taking part in tho raids in which
he was along, but their names could
not be learned.