Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1902-02-14

Engagement Occurred at Lee Turner's
Quarter House Saloon, Where, With
Friends, He Had Barricaded Himself
and Resisted Arrest.
Louisville, Ky, Feb. ia special
| to The Times from MiddlesbOrO, KY,
says:
According to the latest reports from
the scene Of yesterdays fight at Lee
| Turner's Quarter House." in Bell
county. 31a miles from this city, be-
tween. officers and citizens of Middles-
boro and mOuntaineer friends of Tur-
ner 8 men were killed in the conflict
/ The dead are:
Charles Cecil, deputy sheriff, and
the following mountaineers:
Charles Dye, negro.
Marsh Wilson.
! Perry Watson.
| Frank Johnson, Turner's bartender.
Mike Welsh, Turner's chief lieuten-
ant
Jim Pradoa.
A man named Hopper.
John Doyle, Of the officers posse.
1t is also claimed that an unknown
moonshiner perished in the flames
when Turner's saloon was burned, and
several other persons are reported to
have been burned to death, although
there is no confirmation of this ru-
NOR.
The battle, which was one of the
most desperate affairs of it's kind in
the history of mountain warfare. oc-
CURED between 4 and o'clock yes
terday afternoon.
Last month Turner had some mules
and other goods levied on in payment
for debt, and few nights ago, it is
alleged, he with others went to Vir-
ginia, where the property had been
taken, secured what was formerly his
and returned to the Quarter House" ="
Yesterday Deputy Sheriff William
Thompson summoned a posse of 10 or
IS men for the purpose Of arresting
Turner at his Quarter House" saloon
The Louisville and Nashville refused
to convey the officers to the saloon
and they walked through the noun,
tains.
Turner had heard that an attempt
would be made to arrest him, and he
| and his men, Is in number, gave the
| officers warm reception.
The saloon is we'll suited for an at.
tack like this. It is built of huge logs
and is surrounded by 30-foot fence,
in which loop holes are cut, so that
the inmates can shoot at outsiders.
Turner's surrender was demanded.
His reply was a round of shot Char.
ley c, Cecil, of Middlesboro, was rid.
ing in plain view Of the Turner gang.
Some one raised window of the
log dive and shot Cecil, who fell dead.
Instantly the man at the window
fell back pierced by a half dozen bul.
let's.
Then the firing began in earnest,
the officers scattering and hiding be,
! hind trees and rocks and pouring a
| CALLING fire into the mountain fortress.
In the fight John Doyle, a former
railroad man, was badly wounded, per.
| haps fatally and Simon Bean, another
| O<N0l Gill OeNuC1, " oo 0l1OI III IIlS uduu.
The town men gathered closer
around Turner's place, undaunted at
| the shots which whizzed around them.
| AS soon as Cecil was killed his com.
panions determined to burn Turner's
| rendezvous, and in the midst of the
battle fellow applied torch to an
| exposed side Of the building
A few minutes later the building
was in flames Several of the noun.
tafneers came to the window and were
! Immediately snot down.
The posse surrounded the barricade,
! determined to let none escape. Lee
| Turner and several of his friends,
however, in some manner escaped and
are now at Mingo mines, 8 miles from
Middlesboro.
Lee Turner denies that he took part
In the fight. 1t is stated that he has
called so Of his friends together to
avenge the death of his companions
and to resist any attempt which may
be made By the officers to arrest him
OF any members of the mountaineers
party who took part in the fight.
|