Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-01-14
PICKED GORDON MEN
OFF FOR MOUNT AINS
TO GET DESER7ERS
Expedition Commanded by
Col, Glade Leaves for Un-
ion County Early Saturday,
Deputy Dixon Dying

A military detachment Of thirty
two picked men from the regular in
fantry regiments at Camp Gordon,
under command of Colonel Herman
Glade, of the Forty-fifth infantry
left Atlanta early Saturday morn
ing to assist in rounding up the
band of deserters who shot and posi-
bly, fatally wounded Deputy United
States Marshal Ben F. Dixon in the
mountains of north Georgia on
Thursday afternoon.
The expedition was dispatched at
the request of Major Joel B. Mallett,
selective service law officer for Geor-
gia, who, at the instance of Governor
Dorsey, held a conference with the
military authorities at the camp late
Thursday afternoon. The governor
had received a communication from
the authorities Of Union county ask
ing for military assistance in cap
turing the band. A posse of deputy
United States marshals and county
officers, with volunteer citizens, IN
also securing the mountains in the
vicinity of Blairsville, Ga, in search
of the outlaws.
Deputy Dixon was moved Friday
night from the farm house where
he had been taken after the shoot
~
Commissioner w. f.. Gambler. at
BlairsvilIe. Mr.. Gambler, communi-
eating with Deputy Marshl Robert
Ramspeck on Saturday morning
stated that the wounded man was
not expected to live through the
day, having been shot through the
abdomen. A surgeon secured from
a nearby town across the North
Carolina line, discovered that the in
testines had been perforated and an
10 &c
sinking rapidly on Saturday morn
ing.
it is believed that the band is MAX
ing it's way toward the Tennessee
line and the soldiers will detrain at
Culberson, n. c., moving through the
mountains to cut off the fugitives
and bring them between the two
searching parties. The deputies from
the marshal's office in this city reach
ed Blairsville on Friday, but the au-
that a larger force was necessary.
sent another appeal for aid to the
governor, and Major Mallett's con-
ference with Major General Cameron
at Camp Gordon re es1. Cd
The band of fugitives includes
George Crawley, a deserted from
Camp Gordon, for whom a warrant
has been issued since last July. to-
gether with his three brothers, Frank,
Decatur anu l. CllA anu COIlSlll,
Blaine Stuart. according to the au-
thorities. 1t is claimed that Frank
and Decatur Crawley are violators
of the selective service law. The
possee and military detachment will
also endeavor to round up more than
| 100 alleged deSerters, who are
thought to be in hiding in the noun
tain regions of north Georgia and
southern Tennessee.
The shooting of Deputy Marshal
| ~. I, tn,.
noon when he. with Sheriff w. c.
Towery, Of Union county came up
with the CraWleys in an inaccessible
spot in the mountains south OF
Blairsville. Severay shots were fired
and Dixon fell, shot through the
body. The Crawleys made their es-
cape into the mountains and Sheriff
! ToWery. after leaving the wounded
officer at the home of a mountaineer
| to receive such medical attention as
could be secured in that out-of-the-
way place, returned to Blairsville
and wired for assistance.
United States Commissioner w. E.
Gambler sent two appeals for help
on Friday, the military detachment
beings dispatched as the result of
deputies had been sent on Thursday
night from the office of the marshal
United States Attorney General
! Gregory has posted a reward of $lOO
! Tor the arrest Oh lne person WHO SHOl
Deputy Dixon.
The section in which the desert
ers are believed to be hiding is one
Of the most inaccessible spots
! Imaginable. 1t is twenty-five miles
| from the nearest railroad and in
the heart of country furnishing
ideal hiding places for desperate
| characters. Complaints have been
made during the past few months
from residents of that territory. de-
claring that deserters from the
army were gathering in small bands
in the mountains. making moon
shine" whisky and plundering iso-
lated farmhouses and stores at
crossroads to obtain provisions and
other supplies. There are several
Of these bands, it is stated. all more
or less we'll supplied with arms and
ammunition.
The authorities at Blairsville
have no doubt but that when the
possee and military detachment en-
counter the deserters, pitched bat
tie will result. 1t is planned not
only to capture the Crawley band.
nut also to round up the other
parties of deserters and slackers
laid to be scattered all through that
section of the state and on the Dor
der of Tennessee.