The morning news., 1897-08-31
MURDERED BY MooNSHINERS.
SIX DEPUTY MARSHALS THE VIC
TINS OF OUTLAWS.

Two Are Killed, Two Desperately
Wounded and Left For Dead, ana
Two Rave Disappeared-The Lead
cr Was Citizen of Prominence
Who Sacrificed His Life For Law
and Order-The Scene of the Crime
One of the Darkest Spots in the
Arkansas Hills.
Little Rock, Ark, Aug. SO.-Six men
were probably massacred in the wilds of
the mountains of Pope county yesterday
Two were killed outright, two were fatally
wounded and left for dead, and two have
mysteriously disappeared and are either
dead or being held up by bandits.
The killed are; Capt. B. T. Taylor of
Searcy county, deputy United States mar
shall, and Joe Dodson of Stone county, dep
uty marshal. The fatally wounded are
brothers named Renfrow of Searcy coun-
ty. The names of the missing men are not
known. but they are supposed to be dep
uty sheriffs from an adjoining county. The
victims were all deputy United States
marshals and deputy sheriffs
and the men who did
the work are moonshiners of the boldest
and most desperate class. The scene of the
crime was a gulch or ravine in the noun
tains of Pope county at an isolated spot 30
miles from RussellVille, the nearest tele-
graph office, and ten miles from Witt
Springs. The region is wild and isolated.
Ia has for years been the favorite rendez-
vous of the counterfeiters and moonshiners
and is district in which no law abiding
citizen can live. The officers for a long
time have been trying to break up the
lawlessness in that vicinity and many bat
ties between them and the desperadoes
have occurred.
Capt. 3. F. Taylor, is a man of much
prominence, he determined to help the Of
ficers in putting down crime. He secured
a commission a deputy United States
marshal and led the posse. A few days ago
a successful raid was made in the same
locality, in which a dozen moonshiners
were captured and brought to Little Rock.
one Of them told the Officers that at least
the same neighbOrhoOd.
Taylor with his posse, located large
mOonshine outfit Saturday night, and de-
cided to make the raid Sunday. Proceed
ing slightly in advance of his men, TayA
lor was within thirty feet of the distillery
when ne was fired upon from ambush and
badly injured. Rifles began to crack in
all directions, and a volley was fired into
the officers. The Renfrow brothers fell
mortally wounded, and lay by the roadside
unul later in the day when a traveller
named Pack came by. All traces Of the
bandits had disappeared as weh as two Of
the deputy sherffs. The latter have not
since been heard from.
Pack hurried to Russelville with the
news, and the coroner, together with
sherih's posse, Immediately started for
the scene. No news has been received
since they departed. Pack thinks the
Renfrow brothers will be dead before the
party reaches them. 1t was not known by
whom the crime was committed, but the
officers believe the gang is composed of
desperadoes led by Horace Bruce and John
Church, two of the most dangerous per-
sons in that locality.
The United States authorities were to-
day asked to offer a reward for the arrest
of the gang, to which the state will con-
tribute. and a determined effort will be
made to capture them. II is very probable
the effort will lead to further bloodshed
Capt. Taylor was an eX-captain in the
federal army. He had served two terms
in the state legislature and was noted for
his bravery.
Marshal Cooper this afternoon received
the following telegram from the Attorney
General:
Washington.-EXpenses Of posse, SUBJ
ject to executive approval not to exceed
$1,000 authorized. Five hundred dollars
reward authorized for capture and deliv-
cry to marshal, of all persons implicated
in the murder. McKenna."