The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-12-30


derson arose with six shooter in his hand
no fed precipitately, and it was neces-
sary for one of the men ON the outside TO
chase him over a hundred yards before
finally capturing him.
Shot Martins Head Off.
This was the last raid made that year
On the first day OF this year Gus ana
Ed Thomas attended u party at the heo
Sulphur Springs hotel kentucky lurn-
herman named Or. Martin stopped there
over night and was eyed with suspicion
by the Thomas boys, who picked quarrei
with him and shot him through the leg.
Fearful that ne would be killed, Dr. Mar
tin went out to the stable and hitched
up his horse, but had just crept into ms
buggy when one of the Thomas boys came
up with a shotgun and blew the whole
top of his head off They then led the horse
nearly a mile to the Mississippi line ana
hitchcd him. The body was then roobeo
and left being found by mail rider the
next morning. Soon afterwards Governor
Turney offered a reward OF 500 Tor the
arrest and conviction of the murderers-
This atrocious crime naturally attracted
considerable attention and George Davis
saw an opportunity of removing a man
whom he could no longer control, and at
the same time curry favor with the ON
Gals and. as he thought. succeed In de-
tracing attention from himself In connec-
ton with the killing of Deputy Marshal
Garner He therefore agreed with the sher-
IF of the county to betray Gus Thonas
and assist in his capture. Thomas sus-
pected Dlvis's intentions and they split
up and carried rifles for each other.
The revenue men were, in the meantime.
endeavoring TO get the stills belonging 10
the Thomas boys located. They employed
a guide to go in and find them. This guide
made trip I'm company with Deputy
Marshal Hawkins. who posed a lumber
L 4 harnnnah
meet them and arrested them. hawkins.
after strong begging, was released, but
they decided to try the guide on a
charge of stealing hogs. After len%hy
trial conducted in their own way before
the magistrate of the district, ne was
bound over to Jail and Gus Thomas con-
vcyeu aim to Jail at Savannah and he
was regularly committed ana held for
over two months, until revenue officers
succeeded in securing his release In order
that he might show them the way into
The country.
Capture of Davis.
in February this year aaother RAID was
made into the country led by General Dep
uty Collector Rutiedge, Deputy Collector
Trice and Commissioner Stump. The par
ty had a forty-nile ride through i snow
storm and reached Gus and I'D Thomas
house about } O'Clock in the morning, al
most frozen After surrounding the mousse
they demanded admission, which was ic-
fused When they forced the door open
they found that the two men had escaped
through "A trap door in the floor and fed.
firing back as they ran. The party that
morning, however. captured still belong
ing 10 the PoindeXter boys The hack IN
which the party travelled broke down about
ten miles from Selma and either the
Thomas boys or some of their friends set
lire to and burned 1t.
The section was not molested again unth
September Some weeks before the rau
Gus Thomas who knew or suspected Da-
vis's agreement TO betray him. wrote TO the
revenue officials that Davis, while posing
as a changed man, was making wildcat
whisky all the time and that he would lead
the sAy 10 Davis's 5tiilbCuse if they would
not arrest him The officers agreed TO let
up on Gus Thomas for that day. and by
agreement met nm. Thomas said TO the
officers. 81 hate like HI to do this. lie
has always been Il good friend. hut lie turn
81 traitor on me and I'll down blnl II
can" He then led the way to Daviss stiil
and pointed it out. lie left at once and
the officers, surrounding the house. made
LAWS g prisoner. Davis tried TO get the
officials To tell who had betrayed him ana
told them he suspected Gus Thomas
Revenged with Vengeance
Last noAth DAVIS was tried at jackson
and given a four years sentence for Illicit
disLilling There are no witnesses against
him in connection with the killing OF pepu-
tv Marshal Garner. rs jesse Thomas, the
10y who acted as messenger, was the only
witness not concerned who saw the shot
ana me Was accidentally killed while hunt
ing ia Arkansas, where he was visiting
brother of Davis.
On the trial mentioned the judge compeileu
one of the witnesses to tell who led the
party TO Davis's still. and when ne replied,
Gus Thomas" Davis nodded significantly
70 his friends.
Davis went TO the penitentiary, and as
direct result OF Thomass treachery Da-
vis's brothcr-iE-law, John Kennedy little
over week ago led the revenues 90 the
Thomas boys stills. Both were destroyed
and I'D Thomas was killed by the officers,
lust as he was attempting TO shoot them
instead Of dropping his gun as ordered
Gus Thomas would probably have met the
same fate had II not been that he heard the
shot while eating breakfast and took TO The
woods instead OF going 10 his stiil.
Gus Thomas visited quick vengeance
however. on John Kennedy. as the old man
was assassinated the next morning while
at his wood pile.
Reports from Memphis a night or two
ago were 10 l. e effect that all the female
members Of the Thomas family had passed
through on their way TO Fort Smith and
Gus Thomas had gone on before. This is
Incorrect. however. the party being Ed
Thomas's widow, who came from the Indian
TERRITORY, and two brothers of Ed Thomas.
Gus Thomas is still in the Red Sulphur
Springs district \ man who saw him since
tho Kennedy killing quotes him rs saying
that he expects TO live but short time
anyhow and he would remain at home and
kin as many OF his enemies as possible be-
fore he dies. The affair now amounts to