Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-06-04

that he finally decided to take action
Going to Raleigh, he laid the whole
matter before Governor Glenn. AS 6
result 1t was decided by the governor
to issue a bench warrant for Sorrells
and his wife, who were still in Flor
ida, but who were expected to return
home soon. The warrant was ISSUED
and placed in the hands Of the sherifl
OF Mitchell county to be executed. The
sheriff turned the warrant over to his
deputy, Stokes Buchanan, a young
man Of high responsibility, who resid-
ed not far from the home Of the Sor-
rells and who knew both Sorrells and
his wife well.
Officers After Them.
The sheriff had learned that Sor-
rels and his wife We're expected back
from Florida within a few days, and
he instructed his deputy to deputize
as many men as he might need to ar
rest Sorrells and his wife as soon as
they returned. Arriving at Marion on
Sunday morning, Sorrells hired q
hack for the trip across the noun
tains from Marion to Spruce Pine
Knowing that he was to pass the
home of Senator Jace Burleson, and
fearing trouble from that source, he
requested that he be furnished a We
hicle with curtains. Such hack was
provided, and Sorrells and wife start
ed for their home. Deputy Sherifi
Buchanan had reason to believe that
the man and woman he wanted would
arrive that day. He deputized an In
trepid young man named Boone to as
sist him, and the two left Spruce Pine
in the direction Of Marion, expecting
to meet Sorrells and his iwfe on the
public highway between there and
Marion.
Sorrells and his wife had made the
trip most of the way from. Marion
unmolested. When nearing the Burle-
son home, Sorrells requested the driv-
er to pull down the curtains to the
hack so that, in the event Burleson
observed the vehicle, he would not
know who occupied 1t. The trip by
the Burleson home was made in safe
ty. Sorrells carried his pistol in his
lap, prepared to shoot at moments
notice. He had occasion to fear that
he would be molested by officers, II
not by Burleson, for some acquaint-
ance at Marion, N. c., where he had
left the train, told him Of the bench
warrant that had been issued for him,
and Of what he might expect on his
return home. The fact that he had
passed the Burleson home without be-
ing disturbed, led him to feel that he
would reach home in safety, but in this
he was disappointed, for half way be-
tween the Burleson home and the rail-
way depot at Spruce Pine he met
Deputy Sheriff Stokes Buchanan and
the young man Boone, who had been
deputized to assist Buchanan in the
event they located Sorrells and his
wife. Seeing that the vehicle contain
ed the parties he wanted Deputy Sher-
III Buchanan approached from the
front, saying to Sorrells: you are
under arrest" Sorrells' revolver still
lay in his lap.
The Double, Tragedy.
Seeing that Buchanan did not pre-
sent a pistol, Sorrells raised his quick
ly and fired upon the officer. Two
shots were fired in succession and
each one passed through Buchanan's
body. Either shot by itself would
have proved fatal. Buchanan fell
dead under the hoofs of the horses
that were attached to the vehicle
Sorrells and his wife then jumped
from the hack and were In the act OF
starting for the mountains. But Sor-
rells had not more than set his feet
upon the ground until he was confront
ed by courageous young Boone, who
stood ready to act his part in the
tragedy. Realizing that 1t was a life
and death encounter Boone, whose
companion lay dead beside him, i'm
mediately turned his revolver upon
Sorrells, catching him before he had
time to steady himself after leaping
from the hack. Boone shot Sorells
through the body from right to left In
the region Of the heart and sent q
second bullet into the mans abdomen
Sorrel' fell to the ground in dying
and soon expired. Seeing
that he had been successful in getting
Sorrells out Of the way, Boone turned
his attention to Mrs. Sorrells, who
was then several yards away from the
scene and going in run. At the point
of a revolver he caused her to sur
render and brought her back to the
scene Of the double tragedy.
Trembling with fear, the woman
begged the officer to be merciful to
her. praying that he might spare her
life.
AS soon as the woman became some
what pacified, Boone took her to Ba-
kersville, where she was lodged in jail
in accordance with the bench warrant
which had been issued for herself and
husband. Later she was given a pre-
liminary hearing, and when asked fol
a statement Of affairs that had led up
to the Altapass tragedy, Is said to
have confessed that but for her per-
fdy in aiding her husband to carry out
a diabolical scheme to rob men, the
public highway would not have been
saturated with blood on the fatal day
of the return Of herself and husband
from Florida. Mrs. Sorrells admitted
according to news of the preliminary
hearing brought here from Bakersville
that she and her husband had entered
into that scheme Of robbing men some
time ago, and that Burleson was not
the only man who had been robbed
Of his money in a similar manner.
1t is not known how much money
Sorrells and his wife may have re-
ceived in this way, but the explana-
ton Of their lavish manner Of living
and the abundance Of ready cash mon
ey which they seemed to have at al
times is now explained.
A Bold Scheme.
I,