The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-14
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NINE SAID TO DIE DEAD.
whether Any Were Consumed In the
Flames Is Unknown.

Middlesboro, KY, Feb. 13.-Although
the scene of the fight yesterday be-
tween the sheriff's posse and Lee Tur
ner's men is less than four miles from
this city, it is still impossible to as
certain the exact casualties ON the
Turner side. IT. is known. that nine
men, all told, are dead, but itfis not
yet known definitely how many men
were in the log cabin when the officers
made the attack and burned 1t, and 1t
may be that several were killed or
wounded and were consumed in the
flames. Those who escaped into the
Cumberland mountains are still de-
fant
The dead are:
Deputy Sheriff Charles Cecil; Posse
man John Doyle, and the following
mountaineers;
Charles Dye, a negro; Marsh Wilson,
Perry Watson, Frank Johnson, barten-
der; Mile Welch, Jim Pardo and Joe
Hopper.
There are reports of wounded Tur-
ner men being taken care of In the
mountains. Numerous murders have
for years been reported as having been
committed i'm and about the noted log
house which was surrounded by a bar
ricade thirty feet high, and there are
general expressions of satisfaction over
its destruction.
A month ago some mules owned by
Turner were levied upon because of
debt due Giles COlson. A week ago
Turner. with a body-guard, went to
Virginia. where the mules had been
taken, and regained them. While es-
Gaping Moore McCrary one of Turner's
aids was mortally wounded Yester-
day afternoon Deputy Sheriff Thomp-
son, of Bell county, swore in a posse
Of fifty citizens of Mlddlesboro to ar
rest Turner and the men implicated in
the Virginia raid Turner heard of this
and gathered the mountaineers into
his fortress for his defense.
When the posse arrived, a demand
for surrender was refused and firing
began at once. Deputy Sheriff Cecil
was killed in front of Turner's gate.
John Doyle, a member of the posse,
endeavored to secure Cecil's body and
was shot dead
l1nraged by this the posse set fire to
the wooden fortress. The flames
spread rapidly and steady stream of
bullets was poured into the barrcade,
resulting In the known death of sew
on other men. Finally, a number of
Turner men fed to the mountains.
Trouble is expected, however, before
any arrests are made on the charge
of numbering Cecil and Doyle Lee
Turner, with his BROTHER. THE Cen
eral" and a large force are patrolling
the district around the ruins of the
quarterhouse to-day and will allow no
one from Middlesboro to pass to the
Mngo mines or elsewhere. Meantime,
the officers are reticent as to their
next move.
Lee Turner Gathering Men.
1t was reported here tonight that
Lee Turner proprietor qf the burned
Quarter House" who escaped from
the palisades with his brother. Cen
eral." during the battle yesterday aft
ernoon. had all day been securing the
mountains to gather round him enough
men to come against the Middlesboro
officers who burned his fort and killed
his staunchest supporters. The Mid
desboro men are greatly alarmed and
have mustered into service all who
after Turner yesterday has remained
together all day. Ten coal miners
from Excelsior went 20 the Mingo
mines, where Turner Is staying, last
night, and offered him their services.
Lee Turner's wife, who lives here,
said to-day that she had not heard
from her husband since the battle oc-
Cured, except once when Lee tele-
phoned her that he was safe. but she
IL Of the opinion that Turner VIII re-
main IN the mountains and rebuild his
place. She also said Turner Is man
who does not know what defeat N.
put standing army Of FIVE hundred
IauuufalUanTn lu bla fort