The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1905-04-19
THERE WERE THIRTEEN.
NUMBER In THE MOB THAT MURDER
Ed THE TATE COUNTY SHERIFF.
Vas Led BY a Member Of the Board
Of Supervisors Who COnfesses.
All Now Caught and in Jail Except
Three.

btitSCs
Senatobia, Miss, April IL
Great excitement prevailed in
Senatobia tonight when it was
learned that the remnant Of the
posse ii search Of the remainder
of the mob had the wanted men
bayed ina canebreak near ATka-
butla creek, twenty-five miles
west of Senatobia.
William Still is in the cane
break, and is resisting arrest.
The two Spencer boys are bar
ricaded in a house near the brake,
heavily armed, and all that the
small posse can do is to guard
them until reinforcements arrive.
"A posse left Senatobia tonight
to assist in the capture Of the des-
perate men, and reports of blood
shed are expected. Only three
men are now out, Dave Smith be-
ing arrested this afternoon and
brought to the city tonight.
1t is firmly believed here that
Still and the Spencer boys will die.
before surrendering.
The men now in the custody of
the law are j. II. Thomson, lead
er of the mob; Tate Mcconnell,
Oscar Manning, Will Sinqueville,
Tom Vincent and Dave Smith, at
Senatobia. Sam Howell and Nor
man Clayton, at fernando, and
Henry Hunter and Alex Nelson,
at Batesyille.
Veil 2Irawn Aside.
me mystery that yelled the
most atrocious crime in the histo-
ry of Mississippi was drawn aside
today when j. Ell. Thomson, the
leader of the mob Of thirteen
masked men charged with the
murder of Sheriff Poag, confessed
to the officials the whole diaboIi-
cal story. I was the leader, =
i said the frightened man.
This statement made BY the
9ged survivor created great sur
prise in the community. He
tremblingly told the whole story
to the eager, expectant officials.
Thomson, when closely ques-
toned by Deputy Sheriff Lowry,
said: Gentlemen, / led the par
ty. wanted vengeance for my
sons death. In the confession
be said that Alex. Nelson fred the
shot that killed the Sheriff, and
chat Howell, while in the party,
did not shoot.
Il afterwards developed that
Thomson was acting In the role
Of the prisoner which they had
feigned to have with them. He
named the thirteen men in the
mob, all Of whom have been cap
tured except three. William
Still, who is said to be bayed
twenty-five miles northwest Of
this city in dense canebreak,
and the Spencer boys, who are
barricaded, It is understood, ii Al
house il Tunica county, are the
only members Of the mob uncap-
tured. It is said one of the Spen-
Ger boys was badly wounded at
the jail Wednesday
Thomson Confesses.
When Intercepted at the Jail
rsay night, Thomson was
nervous, and, believing the
shole affair had been exposed, he
broke down like d frightened child
and said They have got us.
boys; some Of the party has blab-
bed out everything 3 Then hel
confessed.
j. Il. Tholnas0n, q member Of
the Board Of County Supervisors,
an influential citizen and man
respected ID the community, bad
led dozen men into one Of the
most heinous 0f crimes. lie had
been trusted and had violated The
faith that had been placed 10 him
He bad repeatedly assured Sheriff
B0ag that Whit was safe In the
Senatobia Jail and vas then -
stTumental ia the death ct the
guardian of tlie prisoner HE
wanted James Whit, the slayer
of his son. and be wanted revenge. |
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