Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-11-23

ume, caught the DuS1WnackerS red
handed in their murderous attack.
They had taken the farmer out.
put a rope around his neck aud pulled
him up high and dry, and were de-
nberately waiting to see him make
his last kick. when our cavalry came
down on them like a bolt from a clear
sky.
Some eight Or ten Of them were
killed on the spot; some got away in
the bushes or on their horses. and ten
or dozen were captured. among
them Capt. Jones and his Ieuteant of
the band.
When the charge OF our cavalry
was made, someone cut down the sus-
pended citizen. His neck was not
broken and life was not extinct in his
body. He was finally restored. and in
few days he was able to appear on
the witness stand against his muir
derers-
The military authorities decided
that drastic measures were necessary
to break up this bushwhacSer kind OF
warfare. and decided TO make an ex-
ample Of the two officers who were
leaders of the band. A military court
martial was organized. II did not take
long 20 I'LL the jury in such cases.
"The two prisoners were brought
before the court and the prosecutor
briefly stated the case.
NO hypothetical questions were
asked The man who had been
hanged swore positively that the pris-
-. ~ v,..N
the rope around his neck and helped
pull him up. The prosecution soon
rested and the defense had not much
to say in rebuttal.
Without leaving their seats the jury
promptly returned a verdict OF guilty
OF murder in the first degree and rec
commended that the prisoners be
hanged by the neck until dead. dead,
dead.
In few days n gallows was erect
ed on the commons near the city and
hcly hanged in the presence Of prob
ably 10000 citizens and soldiers.
Everybody was invited; no ticket Of
admission was necessary.
THAT was the only 'necktie party
OF the kind the writer ever sought to
witness, and yet there was some
thing in the conduct and death OF the
captain, or leader. OF the outlaw band
that to a degree commanded our ad-
miration, for any soldier admires brav-
cry, even in his foe. This man during
his trial and at his execution showed
no signs Of fear.
Il stood within 20 feet OF him when
he stood on the death trap. and he
walked as deliberately and firmly up
20 the scanold as If he was going up
to make a speech 70 his friends.
When the execuuoner asked him IL
he had anything TO say before the
blackcap was pulled over his eyes. he
promptly replied: No. sab He
then took guild Of tobacco out OF his
mouth. threw IL away. took a pick out
of his vest pocket. picked his teeth.
pushed his broad-brimmed hat back
on his head and said to the execu-
toner: I'm ready. sah.'
His companion was just the oppo-
site. He had 20 be helped on to the
scaffold, held up while the rope was
being adjusted. and begged piteously
for his life until the drop fell. Both
men dropped about FIVE feet. and Il
looked as II they rebounded about the
same distance
"A shrek OF horror went up from
the assembled crowd. and dozens OF
women tainted. The captains neck
was broken and he died without a
struggle, while the other man died in
horrible struggles.
The hanging OF these bushwhack-
ers had a good effect and that kind
OF guerrilla warfare was never so
popular in the southwest after that.
and / believe the confederate authori-
ties afterward declared that the band
OF robbers thus broken up was never
regularly in the confederate service.
Shortly after the incident record
ed above a confederate spy was cap
tured inside our lines az Little Rock.
He had plans of our line of defenses.
reports Of our forces. etc. He was
condemned as a spy. and was publicly
hanged on the commons of the city.
! think this occurred on the cold New
Years day. 1864.
The writer served on military
courtmartial some six or eight weeks
while in Arkansas, but was not on the
juries that sent these three men to the
gallows. Forty-odd years Of peace
has smoothed most OF the wrinkles out
of 'grim-visaged war but it can never
enace the memory of those strenuous
days from the minds Of the old sol
der"