Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-02-15
THRILLING
EXPERIENCE.
OflCerS Arrest Escaped and Dangerous
Convict.
ONE OFFICER AND CONVICT SHOT.
Both Men Dangerously Wounded and Are
Conveyed With Great Effort From
Place Of Shooting


On Wednesday of last week deputy U.
s. Marshals r. NJ. Baldwin and I. L..
Felts went to Buchanan county, some IS
or 20 miles northwest of Swords Creek
station on the Clinch Valley Division, for
the purpose of arresting William Lee, who
had been convicted about two years ago
in the criminal court Of Mcdowell county,
W. Va, of numbering man by the name
of Cline and sentenced to life term In
the penitentary. The murder was CON-
mitted fourteen years ago.
Lee since his escape from the jail at
Welch, TWO years ago, had been in Ken
lucky and several other States. Messrs.
Baldwin and Felts are the same officers
who hunted down the men that killed
Geo. W. Ratlff last Summer on Swords
Creek. While hunting the murderels OF
Ratlitf they were apprised of the fact that
Lee was in Buchanan county at the house OF
a sister. They took no steps then to arrest
him, but last week, acting upon the IN
formation received last Summer, they went
to the neighborhood where Lee was hid
ing and on Friday succeeded in locating
him at the house of his sister. The oftl'
GERS had concealed themselves Thursday
night on ridge near the house, where
thev remained all night watching. About
daylight Lee came from some place OF
hiding and entered the house. The ofh'
GERS without anything to eat or drink
kept themselves hid until about one
o'clock Friday afternoon. At that time
a boy rode up to within seventy-five
wards of the house and called to Lee.
He answered the call of the boy, went to
where he was, and while they were en-
gagged in conversation the officers left
their hiding place and went rapidly to
where Lee was standing to arrest him.
When they got pretty near him he dis
covered their presence, spraDg behind
the horse the boy was still sitting on,
drew his pistol and fired at Felts. The
ball from Lees pistol penetrated the body
of Felts in front, just under the heart, and
passed out near the backbone. At the
same moment Felts and Baldwin fired at
Lee with Winchesters. The ball from
Felts' gun passed through the horse and
went through the clothing Of Lee. Bald
WINS bullet Iassed through both of Lees
hips. Both men were desperately wound
ed, and immediately became perfectly
helpless.
No person was ever in more unpleas-
ant prelicament than was Baldwin. He
was in a wild country, with two wounded
and helpless men on his hands, and no
one to assist him in caring for them or
conveying them TO the railroad. He at
last got man with a horse and sled,
placed the two bleeding and suffering men
side by side OH the sled, and haulded them
one mile down the creek, the water fire.
uuently coming up and flowing around the
bodies OF the wounded men. He was oc
cupied five hours conveying the men that
one mile y He kept them all night at the
house of a man named Atwood, and on
Saturday morning had them carried on
stretchers eight miles to a tramway, used
as lumber road, that runs out from
Swords Creek into Buchanan county. They
were then conveyed thirteen miles on the
tramway to Swords Creek station, where
special tain sent by the Norfolk and
Western met them, and they were taken
Saturday afternoon to Bluefied. Mrs
Felts went with the special train to meet
her husband. He was taken to his home
at Roanoke on Monday, and now lies sthert
in critical condition, pneumonia having
set in,
Lee was taken from Bluefeld to Welcf
on Sunday night by Baldwin, and on Tues
day morning officers of Mcdowell county
started with him to the penitentlary a
Moundsville where he will serve out hi
life term.