The morning news., 1897-07-17
THE sIMMsITEs IN ALABAMA.
They Have Broken Out Again and
Fresh Disturbances Are Expected.

The Simmsites have broken out again in
Alabama. A farmer of the name of Powe
was assassinated in Clarke county a day
or so ago by one of the outlaws. Two OF
| the SHINES were hanged a week or so ago
in Washington county, and another was
waylaid and shot by some indignant citi-
zens of Choctaw county about the first of
the month. Robert Simms attempted,
some eight years ago, to impose upon the
people of his section of the country his
| strange religion. The number will foot up
more than 100. All have died with their
| boots on.
When ''Teech" BedsoIe and three of the
Meachim boys were hanged four years ago
| by posse of Clarke county people it was
thought that the outlaws had been settled
for all time to come. These four had been
the leaders of the Simms crowd ever since
the death of Robert Simms, which event
TOOK place at the end of a rope on Christ
mas Eve, 1892. When they were caught
and executed they left word for their
companions in crime to behave themselves
and to return to their farms and families.
For long time after this the country
was in a state of peace and quietude, but
last year the rough element again went
on the Warpath and they are renegades
yet. When one of these offenders is caught
he might as well make his peace with
the Great Spirit. Not one of them has
ever been Dardoned.
Robert Simms, once a citizen of the
western part of Choctaw county. was the
father of all the trouble that has pestered
the good people of three or four of the
western counties of Alabama. for the last
ten years. Simms was a college graduate
and lover of classical lore. He owned
handsome farm and was regarded as
an enterprising and thrifty man. For a
lorg time he was a shouting Methodist
and did much prOselyting for that relig-
1ous body. Eventually he withdrew his
membership from that church and at
tempted to establish a. theorcracy Of his
own. He advocated free love and denied
the right of the government to call upon
him to perform even the simplest duties
of citizenship He made whisky and did
not attempt to conceal 1t from the fed
eral authorities. When tax assessors
and collectors went to see him they were
kicked off the premises, and on one occa-
sion when he was visited by a deputy
United States marshal, who came to make
inquiries about the amount of whisky he
was distilling, he beat the officer into
insensibility and threw him into a mud
hole. Simms defied all Wv He bought a
printing press in Mobile, and with the as
sistance of his two daughters began the
publication of a weekly newspaper that
was devoted to his new religion. One day
g posse of citizens arrested him and ne
was taken to Bladen Springs, there to
await the arrival of a steamboat bound
for Mobile, where he was to answer the
charge of making and selling whisky with
out having paid for the privilege. That
was seven years ago this month While
at Bladen Simms was rescued by some
of his neighbors, and in the fight three
of the most prominent citizens of the
place were killed.
H. =
1t. All those who had been his associates
in crime Joined him. Provisions sufficient
to run them for weeks were stolen from a
neighboring merchant and stored in the
cellar An old cannon that had been aban-
doned by Shermans army was found and
this, loaded with slugs and scrap-iron, was
placed in the doorway. They were ready
then for a long siege Two hundred of
Choctaws best citizens bombarded the
house from a distance for some days be-
fore Simms and his crowd would surren-
der 1t was on Christmas Eve. The male
offenders were tied together and the wo-
men were given so many hours to move
from the county. They obeyed the edict
The mob started for Butler, the county
site, with their prisoners. When about
ten miles from the town a halt was made
and the rest was easy. There is big
oak tree standing on the side of the
road close to Oaktuppa Creek at the
present time. ftunOfedS OF persons nave
Travelled miles to see it. 1t Is known as
the "Choctaw Christmas tree" for Simms,
two of his brothers and six of his friends
were hanged there.
After this episode the frineds Of Simms
moved their camps over into Clarke coun-
ty, just across the Tombigbee river. Once
more they became outlaws. Citizens were
waylaid and many of them killed. Barns
and cotton gins were burned nightly,
horses were poisoned and ever act known
to outlaws was committed. "Teech" Bed
sole became the leader. He had been a
prosperous planter and was considered the
handsomest man In the county He was
suave of manner and had the appearance
OF perfect southern gentleman. But the
devil was in him.I was correspondent
of the New York Herald four years ago
and was sent to Alabama to write story
o fthese murderers. 1 was in CoffeeVille
the day that Bedsole was captured and
killed, and saw his body as il was being
carried to the home OF his father, a vener-
able and much-respected gentleman. Bed
sole and his companions had been camped
in 'Helis Hollow for weeks. "He.Ps Hol-
low is in the cane brakes and is a part
of Alabama almost impenetrable to man or
beast So the citizens simply guarded
the roads, knowing that some of the gang
would soon attempt to reach a settlement
IN quest OF provisions. Bedside was the
first to emerge. and the posse taking him
unawares, had no trouble in capturing him
and his companions.
Sentence was Immediately passed upon
them. Bedsole wanted no delay. Asked
as to whether he wished to die by the rope
or a cartridge, he instantly chose the lat
ter. As he said this he was seated on his
horse. He jumped down. and remarked
In quiet way: why go further? Here
Is a good place and this Is a good time"
The posse agreed with him, and in a few
pierced the air. The four outlaws were
killed. The others who had been left I'm
the swamp heard the news and fed the
country. Everything was quiet up to last
summer, when politics seems 10 have
aroused them, since which time the three
counties Washington, Choctaw and
Clarke-have been In a state OF excite
ment over the crimes Of the gang.