Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1921-12-19
OFFICERS THINK They
have The men WHO
TRIED TO KILL WELLS

warrants ready for both Piercy
and Keith and they were arrested
Saturday night and brought here
Immediately. Both were wei
dressed and Piercy had severa
diamonds in u handsome scar
] pin.
After the confession of keitl
had been transcribed from short
hand notes. Detective NJ. ]. Don
ohue. OF Louisville. read the con
fession to Picrcy and he laughed
declaring it was a lie. adding
when | get out OF this am go
ing to get someboGy.
Lexington officers say than
Piercy i one OF the most dan
gerouS and desperate men ever
known there. He i ont on s.
600 bond in connection with the
distillerv robbery charges. and
must appear in Federal court at
Lexington Tuesday afternoon al
Z o'clock. unless other arrange
ments are made The Lexington
officers have urged that his bon,
i'm connection with the Madison
county cases be made higi
enough to hold him.
The warrants sworn oUt her
against the three men char%,
them with 'arrc>tin" and abduct
ing Well, without warrant g
law and also with attempting Il
kill him. The limit penalty To-
the first charge IS 20 years in thu
penitentiary and ON the latte
charge five wears.
Keith wa~ recognized by Wells
a the chunky" man who sought
to diS,uadc his companions from
killing Wells when they got
across the Clay's Ferry bridge on
the fateful night. According to
the story Wells told at the time.
Keith got ont Of the car and walk
cd away while Percy and Wilson
walked on down the hill. and two
shots were fired at Wells
Officers say that Keith says he
begged Picrcy not to do it.
Keith said that since that night
ne had been unable To- sleep for
thinking OF the affair He de
cIarcd that since then he had
talked with Picrcy and the latter
told HIM that in a few days the:
would be able 10 divide some
money for that Job" according
to Mr.. Thompson.
Il told him I didn't want any
Of his money" Keith is quoted aS
saving.
Mr.. Wells las about recovered
from his close call from death.
and save for bandagc over his
nose where he was struck by the
butt of the pistol. bears no visible
scar. The l4lllet wound through
his neck has completely healed.
The attack upon him stirred
the entire community at the time.
He was at-the home OF his cous-
in. Walter Wells. at College Hill.
about Y miles east OF Richmond.
when hi" car drove up and he
was called out One OF the men
whom he has identified as Piercy.
told him that Mrs. Simmie Nc
Crearv had started to his home
in a taXicab and that the auto
mobile had been overturned in the
road and she was seriously injur-
ed. She had been taken TO the
hospital in Richmond. they said.
and had asked that he come to
her bedside. They then asked
him to get a bucket of water for
their automobile. According to
Wells. a he was pour ny the wa
ter into the radiator. PiercV
struck him across the bridge OF
the nose with the butt end of his
pistol. knocking him to the
ground. Piercy then struck Wells
twice on the top OF his head with
the gun. Piercy and their third
man. who Mickey" Keith in his
confession said was Monk Will
son. threw Wells into the back
, OF the car. Wells sat on tine
seat with his head in his hands
his elbows resting on his knees
He was bleeding profuselv from
the nose and the blood fell on the
blanket which was lying in the
bottom of the car.
Wells said that driving through
Richmond he was seated betweer
! Piercy and Monk Wilson. each of
, them had gun at his side and
threatened to kill him If he CRIED
, ont. The Madison farmer stat
ed that he was abused all tn,
time BY the two men and thai