The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-12-14

reached the city yesterday morning
with John S. LYDIA, of Henderson coun-
| ty, who was accessory to the murder
| of :. NJ. King. 1t seems that LYDIA and
II man by the name OF Iatta had diff
ficulty with King because he refused
to lend them gallon pot in which to
carry liquor home. Both of them were
tried. Latta was sentenced 20 be
hanged and afterwards died in Jail
LYDIA was sentenced to a ten-years
term in the penitentiary. He served
about three years of his term, and es-
capped in September, 1898. The peni-
of one hundred dollars for his appre-
hension. After escaping he walked to
Durham, and then beat his way on the
train from there to Old Fort, and
walked to his home in Henderson coun-
| ty, where he has been ever since. lie
swore he would never be taken alive
and went about the house and in his
field with Marian repeating rifle on
his person. There were two or three
unsuccessful efforts to capture him
| His nearest neighborS, most of " hOm
were his relatives, were ready to assist
him at any time. He had been to .ishe-
vile once since his escape in 1898, but
| had never been to Hendersonville He
OWNS a good little mountain home and
| has a wife and seven children. His
aged mother lives with him. He is a
| tall, red-faced, burly-lookin& man. s
toll l.,
| 100 pounds.
He was brought to the penitentiary
| by Mir. &. W. Corpening, OF Burke
county, who, talking with a reporter
of this paper yesterday, said: Mr.. J.
| Alex. Perry, of Morganton, a former
| friend of mine, came to Asheville on
Thursday before the capture. pro-
cured bench warrant from Judge
Hoke, and secured as a posse myself,
| Jesse Morgan, former deputy sheriff
of Buncomhe. and Manly Creasman.
We left Ashevile Sunday morning for
Hendersonville. and secured the ser
vices there of Joseph Bryson and went
that night III the neighborhood of
LYDIA and the next morning before day
| light surrounded the house, part of
| the party on the north side and part
OH IUt south sue. Doom dIEET uaN-
| light LYDIA came out of the house, but
| it was not thought best to make the
| charge at that time. About o'clock
one of Lyda's brothers discovered our
presence. AS soon as we knew that
| our presence was known, we made a
rush for the house, Messrs Perry and
| Morgan running around to the north
| side. Perry stopped just a few sec
onds in front of a small window that
| was in the north side of the house.
LYDIA aimed at Perry, fired, and the
ball entered his left arm two and a
| half inches from the shoulder, crush
| ing the bone. | thought he was NOR
tally wounded and | stripped off his
coat and vest, ripped open his sleeves,
and saw that the wound was not nee
essarily mortal, and SO told him.
| beggedPerry to lie down, promising TO
| capture LYDIA. But he would not hear
| to it, and with pistol in hand told the
| twelve or fifteen neighbors who had
| gathered upon hearing the discharge
| Of the gun that he had come after
| John and was going TO have him. one
| of Lyda's brothers called out to him,
never surrender kill them every
| one first" AIr. Corpening threw a
| pistol in his face, and said, You
| had better be quiet or you will be
| killed yourself" In the meantime,
| Mr.. Morgan, on the south of the house,
| held up two other brothers who came
with guns in hand ready for the fray.
| Iyda's wife then came out with gun
and pointed it at me. | ordered her
| ito drop that gun" She said, as cool
as you ever saw in your life, you
| drop yours" | told her you come
| here" and she walked right up beside
me. | told her to go in the house and.
| tell John if he didn't surrender and
| come out with hands up, we would
| burn the house down. In a few min
| utes he came out of the house and sur
rendered himself, and stated that he
| expected to be killed, but had made
up his mind to fight it out After
wards he denied that he fired the shot
that wounded Perry. We allowed him
| to change his clothes and started to
Hendersonville with him, accompanied
| by his wife, sister, one brother and
| a niece. Mr.. Perry had to walk more
| than two miles before a horse could
be secured for him TO ride on. His
wounds were dressed at Henderson
vile, and he was sent to the Mission
mains under the charge of DIR. w. ID.
billiard. He was doing well yester
day at IL o'clock, and it is believed
| that he will recover.
brought LYDIA down from Asheville
| putting handouts on him and shack
| ling his feet, and had no trouble.
The most stubborn person of all the
| LYDIA party was his niece, who was the
| last 10 surrender She was the orit-
| test woman ever saw. If the men of
| the family had been as full of nerve
as this young woman, who was good
looking, it is doubtful if any of us had
come away alive.
There is great complaint of the
| sheriff of Henderson county because
he did not capture LYDIA long ago. The
sheriff, who is kin to LYDIA, would not
make an effort to arrest him, and per
mtted him to cultivate his soil unmo-
Tested. LYDIA and all his friends are