Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1902-02-15
LATEST RETURNS FROM BATTLE
BETWEEN KENTUCKY POSSE
AND MouNTAINEERS.
LIST MAY BE STILL LARGER Il

Unoonfirmed Rpmor That Several q
Turner's Gang Perished in the
Flames When the Resort Was SET
on Fire Over Sixty Men Participant.
ed in the Conflict, the sheriff's
Posse Numbering at Least Forty.
Middlesboro, KY, Feb. 14.-Accord-
ing to the latest reports from the
scene of Wednesdays tight at Lee
Turner's quarter house" between a
sheriff's posse and mountaineers,
eight men were killed and one was
mortally wounded in the conflict. The
dead are: Charles Cecil, deputy sher-
if, and the following mountaineers:
Charles Dye, negro; March Wilson,
Perry Watson, Frank Johnson, Tur-
ner's bartender; Mark WEIGH, Turner's
chief lieutenant; Jim Prado and a
man named Hopper. John Doyle OF
the sheriff's posse was mortally
wounded. 1t is also claimed that an
unknown moonshiner persisted 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 rumor Over so men were en-
gagged in the conflict. The posse, it
is claimed, numbered 49, and it was
opposed by % mountaineers. Lee
Turner, who Isl now at the Mingo
mines, denies that he took part in the
fight.
Although the scene of the fight be-
tween the sheriff's posse and Lee
Turner's men is only four miles from
this city it is still impossible to ascer-
tain the exact casualties on the Tur-
ner side. On learning that the officers
were coming to his blind tiger Tur-
ner called in his mountaineer follow
ers, who kept up hot fire till their
building was burned. 1t is not yet
known definitely how many were in
the log barracks when the posse
made the attack or how many were
killed, wounded or persisted in the
flames. Those who escaped into the
Cumberland mountains are still de-
faint and the victims were cremated.
There are reports of wounded Turner
men being
Cared for in the Mountains.
AS many murders for years have been
house. surrounded by a barricade 80
feet high, there are many expressions
of satisfaction over its destruction.
"A month ago some mules owned by
Turner were levied upon because of a
debt due Giles Co1son. A week ago
Turner, with bodyguard, went to
Virginia where the mules had been
taken and regained them. While es-
Gaping, Boone McCreary, one of Tur-
ner's aides, was mortally wounded.
Wednesday afternoon Deputy Sheriff
Thompson of Bell county swore in a
posse of 50 citizens of Middlesboro to
arrest Turner and the men implicated
in the Virginia raid. Turner heard of
this and gathered the mountaineers
into his fortress for the fight.
When the posse arrived "a demand
for surrender was refused and firing
almost at once began. Cecil was shot
down. Cecil's body lay in front of
Turner's gate Doyle tried to get it,
but was shot down. .-.....,.. T.. .-.-
Enraged at this the posse set the sa-
loon and fortress on fire. AS the
buildings burned a steady stream of
bullets was poured into them. The
blame for the killing of Cecil and
Doyle is being laid onto WEIGH and
other Turner men who are dead.
Trouble is expected. however, before
any arrests are made on the charge of
numbering Cecil or Doyle. ..a--*
There were no new developments
up to noon. Everything is quiet on
the surface Lee Turner telephoned
to his wife, who lives in Midd1esboro,
that he is ali right. Charles Cecil, the.
slain deputy, will be buried at Bar
hOTrViIIe ~. 49,. w. t..'s,F