The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-05-12
WILLIS j. MILNER.

Most people living in the south whol
have reached middle age know some
thing OF the notorious band of Quit
laws, headed by John A. Murrell, that
existed in the southern states duringl
the thirties and forties of the last CEN
t,Iry, but very few know that a SIM
liar band, hough less extensive, existed
in the decade preceding the war be-
tween the states, operating in West
Florida and the territory contiguous
thereto.
They had a captain and other Off
GERS and were bound together by oaths
to defend and protect the members of
the fraternity, rendering them aid AMI
assistance when in need and affording
them rescue when in prison or under
arrest and generally promoting their
operations.
One of their chief operations was to
entice negro slaves away from their
masters, carrying them away and SELL
ing them. To accomplish this local
member would secretly get into COM
munication with some of the slaves
near him, and, having selected his vic
tim, would promise to carry him to
free state and thus secure for him
his freedom. The negro was told that
they would have to carry him away and
sell him for cash in order to get funds
to carry him to free state. Having
thus obtained the negro's cooperation
the latter was conducted to the next
member who in turn conducted him
to the next, and so on, until a safety
zone was reached. The first man was
thus enabled to return promptly to his
accustomed haunts without exciting
suspicion.
In this manner the camps OF the
railroad contractors building railroads
in Escambia county, Florida and south
ern Alabama were preyed upon and a
number of negroes carried away.
The Pensacola Jail was VIGOROUSLY
insecure as a place of confinement for
members of the gang, who usually
made their escape promptly. At one
time six Of them, including their cap
tain, Charlie Grower, were imprisoned
there. One evening, just about sunset
their Tailor came in with their supper.
accidentally leaving the door through
which he entered unlocked The pris-
oners rushed past him, upsetting him,
and made their escape, disappearing in
the approaching darkness. None OF
them were captured at that time.
One of the most notorious of the
| gang was the son of a man of respect
able standing, living near Douglas
Ferry on Choctawhatchee river. The
| son was a bloody minded desperate,
| having committed a number OF crimes
and defied arrest, always carrying a
double-barrel shotgun. On one occas-
ion he entered an oyster saloon at
| Woolsey and ordered some oysters,
| leaning his gun against the wall with
| in reach. The waiter OF whom the
oysters were ordered, not moving to
suit the desperate, he shot the waiter
killing him, and then deliberately
walked away, no one present daring to
modest him. One little fact he over
looked. though as it afterwards proved
it brought about his undoing. The lit
tie city of Woolsey wyas on Uncle
Sans premises. There was at that
time a young man by the name OF d.
w. Austin serving as deputy United
States marshal in that district. A war
rant for the arrest of the criminal was
placed in Austin's hands with instruc-
tions to find him and bring him into
| court Austin followed his game for
months. and finally. perhaps year or
more later. found him blowing in a
field in either Texas or Arkansas. Then
and there, unaided. Austin walked up
to him and arrested and handcuffed