Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-23
P0SsE EXCEEDED AUTHORITY.
,ar,ycr Engaged to Punish Scott
Conut, Citizens Who Helped to
Kan Jim Wright and John Tenn
n1cton-pnrtc Went to Tennessee.

GATE CITY, VA, October 22.-tSpeclal.)
Tho friends of the dead outlaws Jim
wright and John Tcmpleton, have EN-.
Moved Attorney W. p. Clearwater, o,
+ ssrSvlle Tenn. to prosecute the Scot,
county citizens who put an end to the
careers OF the dcspcradoes. They assert
that t,ie citizens posse had no authority
10 moscst ale outlaws in Tennessee. and
ma tho act OF bringing the dead bodies
ln5 Virginia was a felony. a case Of
IS lnappiae, as their attorney express
M- Clearwater is a great criminal
IoRtrr bat evidently has heard only one
er - the case. William Darter, a dep
nj. sheriff in Hawkins county. was with
III s!;lzcns when the outlaws We're
p5.ed and formally summoned the men
"a Id p attenlp the arrest of the desperate
c-.muals officer John E. Moss. OF this
7ogt,s had with him at the time a
larh warrant, issued by the circuit
t.tEa Of hawkins county and placed in
his hands.
The attorney also overlool1s the fact
thst he men ordered the outlaws to halt
AM surrender but. instead received a
y...5y from Them, each wounClinS one OF
the citizens. The criminals fired the first
,a and attempted to run away.
After the outlaws had been killed the
hosi7s we're brought to Gate City.
es the most convenient place for pre-
oa-irr them for burial
aa8gncr fact that is clearly established
IS iHat at the time OF the killing the out
laws were avowedly on their way to
Srait county 10 murder some of the men
eE1 were In the posse. and Of this fac,
Thu men had been informed
DESCENDANTS OF BUSHWHACK-
ERS.
1t is 7 broad statement, but none the
less true, that the sympatnizers of the
outlaws constitute q very low class
escaped criminals, descendants of those
WHO we're robbers and "bushwha ckers"
curing The civil war. and others whose
natural bent is evil. The respectable eie-
ment Of the Republicans of Hawkins
county. disguised with the pusillanimity
Is which the Republican sheriff was
dealing with the outlaws, or the friend
sh.l he was manifesting for them last
MINER united with the Democrats. and
instead Of the usual 500 or 600 Republican
majority. elected sheriff by nearly a
thousand majority.
Jim Wright father Samuel Wright
and brother Lewis Wright were both
civil war and they. as well as several
Others Of their Infamous band, were
Killed. by a little squad of Confederate
soldiers, near where jim met his fate.
The uoops were sent there 10 protect the
citizens and rid the community Of the
dangerous gang.
JIM Wright then boy, spent much
ts-ae With the gang, and his career thence
forward was that OF the 'robner and the
SIS SSH.
lie LED his sons into crime, and three
ears ago one was killed while resisting
Arrest in Kentucky. NEright's living sons
a5 Templetons brothers are bad. and
s#rous trouble from them is anticipated.
Il.y have made numerous threats
against those who killed the outlaws.
IS said that they carry dangerous wea-
rgHs and have no respest for law. They
are already at deadly enmity with two
or three factions in Hawkins and Han
cock counties, some OF the members OF
these factions being desperate men.