The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-26
WAR IN PANTHER BRANCH
BATTLE BETWEEN A CRIMINAL
AND A POSSE OF MEN.
Nearly Fifty Shots Were Fired but
Nobody Was Hurt and the
Man Escaped.


There are wars and rumOrS of wars
in Crete and Turkey and Cuba and
South Africa, but these countries by no
means mOHopolize this pastime of kings
and ambitious revolutiOnists. They have
been having u little skirmsh down in
Panther Branch township just to see how
the thing feels.
The combatants were Il posse or men
and a white man bearing the distinguish
ed cognomen of Benjamin Franklin Fish,
who was charged with living in fornca-
ton and adultery with woman named
Sarah Hamilton. Naturally Fish, who
is said to be n very desperate sort of fell
low, objected to this proceeding He
therefore resisted the officers. But they
persisted in their efforts to establish
closer relations with him. Then Fish
shot and Arnold Parrish, the officer who
was leading the posse, returned the fire.
Fish replied i'll kind, when -irnolds assoc
GATES joined in and Il merry rattle of guns
and pistols there was in that neighbor-
hood until upwards of fifty volleys had
been fired, and Fish took to his heels and
disappeared in the swamps of Black
Greek, where he is now said to be living
This all occurred last week and the
first news Of it was brought here by Ar
mold Parrish himself Arnold is a man of
about fifty Years If age. His face is COW
cred with beard and his black, bead-ike
eyes-one Of them cocked-give him u
very fierce appearance.
Though of medium size and not so
young as he once was. he is said to fear
nothing that walks. He came here to
give Sheriff Jones an account of his battle
with Fish. and to get further instructions
how to get his man.
The Sheriff suggested that in view of
the fact that the man was now fugi
tive from justice and had sworn he would
never be taken alive, he be allowed to
leave the country if he would do So as
that would be even better than having
him arrested and convicted.
Not much" said Arnold. I'm an
officer of the law He's defied me and the
law. I'll not stand that, I'll take him
dead or alive. He can't skeer me with
none of his brag. If can find him | can
take him. and I'll have him in that Jail
before he knows it,"
And he went forthwith before another
magistrate and swOre out another war
rant against Fish for resisting an officer.
explaining as he did so. that this would
give him Il double chance to catch his
man. and that he would never be happg
till he got him.
Parrish, in telling the story of the bat
tempt to arrest Fish said that he had the
warrant for several days and Fish knew
it and had sworn that he would never be
taken. Il then went to his house about
3 o'clock ut night and hid. Fish soon
came. | heard him go in and lock the
door There were three other men with
NEED. Sexton, Gid Howard and j. b.
Spiyey. We went up to the house and
called his sister Jane, TO know if Fish
was in the house. Jane replied that he
was not. and that if we did not go away
she would shoot rs. About this time Fish
ran out the back door with his gun.
called to him to halt. He replied by turn
ing and shooting at me. Then | shot at
him with my pistol five times
I'VE then got more guns and two more
men-William Terrell and man named
Perry-and as soon as it was light follow
ed F'ish'S track. 1t was not a difficult
matter to do, and we had not gone more
than half mile when we saw him on
branch in an old field sitting down with
fire on one side and a jug of whiskey
on the other. He saw us some distance
away and told us not to come nearer or
he would shoot. | replied that he had
better put down his gun, as we were de-
term:ned TO arrest him. He then fired
at me and ran. We pursued him, shoot
ing at almost every step. l do not know
whether we hit him or not To my GER
tain knowledge we fired between thirty
and forty times at him
Il understand that he is now in hiding
in the old fields of Black Creek, about "A
mile from his home and says he'll be kill
ed before he'll be taken. l understand
there are some other very grave charges
against him and he fears that if he once
gets in court it will all be brought out on
the trial.
Fish is said to have once been worth
good property, but he has squandered it
all on the Hamilton woman She has
recently moved to Harnett county. She
is a widow.