Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-08-26
SHOT
FROM AMBUSH.
HighWaymsn In West Virginia Commit Mur.
nder and Escape With Bag Of COin-Dar-
Oing Attempt:b kHOId::::up Pay Wagon @
Ok.COntainlng $4,000 frustrated.

Saturday of last week was payday in
the Pocshontas-Flat Top coalfields Just
across the line in West Virginia. and
no less than two daring attempts by
bold highwaymen to obtain a large por-
tion of the money that was to be paid
the miners and other laborers of that
section have been reported. One of
these hold-ups was successful, but the
other resulted disastrously for those
engaged in the undertaking.
A hold-up which secured to the two
highwaymen engaged the sum of 81, 900
at the cost of one mans life, occurred
within one hundred yards of the depot
at Rock, in Mercer county, some ten
miles west of Bramwell and within
sight of a number of the citizens of
the town who were powerless to inter
fere. While Messrs. James Mecredy,
S. 7. Franklin and w. H. Oakley, the
latter carrying grip containing 81, 900,
were walking along the railroad track
at Rock on their way to the camps of
the Franklin Construction Company for
the purpose of paying off the employees
of that concern, a rifle shot rang out
from the nearby hillside, and young
Oakley sank to the earth with bullet
in his brain. At that moment the two
assassins emerged from their place of
concealment, and covering Mecredy and
Franklin with their guns, started to ad-
vance toward the hfeless body of the
fallen man. Mecredy, who was unarm-
ed, sought safety in flight, but Fraklin,
having pistol, opened fire on the high
waymen and retreated only after his re-
volver was empty. The robbers then
took up the grip containing the money
and fed into the mountain, and although
closely pursued by q large posse Of Of
GERS and citizens, they are still at large.
So DELIBERATE and cold-blooded were the
murderers in their work that many who
heard the shot and saw Oakley fall hes
itated to go to his assistance lest they
should share a similur fate. The re-
mains of young Oakley were taken TO
his old home at Walters, Henry county,
Va, for burial, and sharp lookout for
his murderers, who are known to be
Italians, is being kept throughout the
entire section of country in which the
murder and robbery occurred.
On the same day of the above tragedy
and robbery an attempt was made by
ten Italians to hold up and rob the pay
wagon of the Pocahontas Consolidated
between the Shamokin and Norfolk
operations near Maybeury, in Mcdowell
county. That the highwaymen were q
nervy bunch is evidenced by the fact
that the two operations are only about
three hundred yards apart, and the dis
tance between the two places thickly
settled by employees of the company.
The robbers secreted themselves in the
coke ovens, which line the roadside at
that point and awaited the coming of
the wagon, which was in charge of Pay
roll Clerk j. b. Crawford, his assistant,
Joe Cofer, and the negro driver, and
having aboard the snug sum of $15, 900.
When the wagon was opposite the coke
ovens the robbers opened fire, and as
the driver tumbled unharmed from his
seat into the wagon, he struck his al
ready frightened horses a stinging blow
with whip that sent them plunging
madly along the rocky road. Realizing
they had been foiled and that pursuit Of
the treasure-wagon was out of the
question, the highwaymen sought safety
by plunging into the mountains. Within
a few minutes every operation in the
field had been notified by telephone of
the attempted hold-up, and officers and
employees of the various companies
were sent out to intercept the men. In
the afternoon of Saturday four of
them were captured near Pageton, on
Tug River, and after being identified,
were lodged in Jail at Welch. On Tues
day two others were located in q shanty
at the Black Wolf operation on Tug
River, and in the battle which followed
one of the robbers was killed and the
other captured. Armed men are still
securing the mountains throughout the
field and every effort possible is being
put forth to round up the entire gang.