USA > Tennessee > Sevier County > The White-caps : a history of the organization in Sevier County > Part 5
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heard Robison move, and, quick as a flash, extin- guished the light, calling on Robison to strike a match. Robison replied :
"Strike a match yourself, you d-d intruder."
" You strike a match," replied the officer, "or I will put a hole in you."
Thus the words passed back and forth, each one calling on the other to make a light, the officer well knowing that Robison was a dangerous character, he having had trouble with him before. Robison finally struck a match; it was no sooner done than he was under arrest, hand-cuffed and on his way to the rail- road station. Everything went smooth on the return trip.
Deputy sheriff Davis reached home late Friday night, after the murder of the Whaley family, the murder having occurred the previous Monday night. He rose early Saturday morning and rode into Cat- lettsburg, where he found a crowd of excited people still discussing the Whaley murder. He did not tarry long, but after gathering what information he could, and assuring his friends that the perpetrators of that awful crime should be brought to justice, rode rapidly away. Arriving at the scene of the murder, he found Lizzie Chandler, sister of Laura Whaley, still weeping over the loss of a brother and sister. Her story was a touching one indeed, and she wound up by saying :
"If I ever lay eyes again on the little short man that did the shooting, I will know him."
The officer took her home with him for protection, as he feared she, too, would be killed by the White- caps,
TH
DEPUTY SHERIFF T. H. DAVIS. (Now Sheriff of Sevier County, Tenn.)
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Thus the work began which later on terminated in the arrest and conviction of two of the perpetrators of that dastardly crime. Deputy sheriff Davis lost no time, but believing in the old adage, "to strike while the iron is hot," began at once to devise some plan whereby Lizzie Chandler might see Pleas Wynn, who, by this time, was suspected by everybody.
Accordingly, he brought her to town, before daylight on the following Monday morning, and placed her in an upstairs room at the Mitchell hotel, where she could see everyone assembled on the public square. She waited many long hours before he appeared on the scene, but late in the morning, near eleven o'clock, Pleas Wynn came walking along. Her eyes were fixed upon him for a moment, then she drew back from the window with a shudder, exclaiming :
"There goes the very man that killed sister and Bill Whaley."
Deputy sheriff Davis walked down from the upstairs room of the hotel and arrested Pleas Wynn within a few steps of where he had been identified. This caused great commotion, as the town was filled with excited people, it being county court day, and only a week from the date of the murder.
Catlett Tipton's arrest followed a few minutes later, and likewise Bob Catlett and Bob Wade, for deputy sheriff Davis had already wired the sheriff of Ashe- ville, N. C., to arrest Bob Catlett at once.
In the meantime, Pleas Wynn and Catlett Tipton had their trial before a Justice and were released. Thus the White-caps scored another victory, and sneered at the efforts being made by deputy sheriff
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Davis, but this did not effect Davis in the least. He only replied, "He laughs best who laughs last," and started immediately for Asheville, N. C., taking with him deputy sheriff J. E. Keener, a warm friend and fearless officer.
On arriving at Asheville, they found Catlett under arrest, who said to the officers :
"I never got into any trouble yet but what I got out."
Deputy sheriff Davis replied, " Sometimes in a man's life the time comes when a man's money can't save him. That time may have come to you, Bob," at the same time producing from his pocket a pair of hand- cuffs.
Catlett drew back, saying, " You don't mean to put them on me, do you ? "
"Yes, sir," came the reply. "You will wear them back to Tennessee, or you or I, one or the other, will die in North Carolina."
His friends interceded for him, but to no avail, and Catlett wore the " bracelets " back to Tennessee. Bob Catlett and Bob Wade were then tried before a Justice of the Peace, and Catlett was released, while Wade was held for court in a bond of one thousand dollars. Now came the critical point in deputy sheriff Davis' life. The three murderers had been released and were free men again. They well knew that Davis held in his possession damaging evidence, and was yet hot on their trail.
Time sped on, excitement ran high, and threats were freely made. The people lived in suspense, not knowing what a day might bring forth. Some said
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that - deputy sheriff Davis would not live a month ; others, that he would not live to see the convening of another court. In the meantime, he and Sheriff Maples offered fifty dollars each as a reward for the arrest and conviction of the Whaley murderers. The county court had already offered a reward of five hundred dollars.
Immediately after this, Davis received a notice to resign his position as deputy sheriff or he would be killed by the White-caps. He did not heed this warn- ing, but took the next train for Nashville, where he succeeded in persuading Governor Taylor to offer a reward of five hundred dollars for the Whaley mur- derers. On the return trip, he stopped over a few days in Knoxville and employed two detectives, C. A. Reeder and C. W. McCall, to help work up the case. A consultation was held and a plan of work agreed upon. Many witnesses had fled the county for fear they might meet the same fate as the Whaleys. Most of them had located in Knoxville. Reeder and McCall were to work this end of the line, while Davis returned to Sevier county to renew his efforts at the other end. He made frequent trips, however, between Knoxville and Sevierville to consult with Reeder and McCall. .
On one of these trips he came near losing his life, when, as it is believed, a deep-laid scheme was planned to assassinate him, at a point about half way between Sevierville and. Knoxville. Returning to Sevierville by boat, the "Lucile Borden " and " Telephone " ran for some little distance side by side. While the two ' steamers were in this position a burly negro, after making inquiry for Tom Davis, stepped from one boat to the other and immediately raised a row with the
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cook, evidently watching his opportunity to get in his bloody work. He kept his eye on the front end of the boat, but the officer came around the back way and had hold of him before he knew it. He gave Davis a tremendous shove against the banister which came near throwing him overboard, at the same time attempting to draw his pistol. Davis was equal to the occasion, and held his man with his left hand while he drew his own revolver with his right. He thrust it in the negro's face, demanding him to throw up his hands. His hands went up and were held up until Captain Newman had disarmed him. He had a fine pistol, a forty-four Smith & Wesson, but failed to get in his work because the hammer had caught in the lining of his pocket, thereby preventing him from drawing it. And thus the would-be assassin was brought.into the town of Sevierville, a prisoner, by the man whom he had attempted to assassinate. The same night that the negro was being tried another plot was being arranged.
This time they were to waylay the road at the Houk bluff, a mile and a half below Sevierville, and wait until Davis came along on his way home. The plan was carried out and the death-trap set, but their game failed to walk into it. Deputy sheriff Davis had heard of the plot and remained in Sevierville that night.
By and by, court came on and deputy sheriff Davis was still on hand, at his post and ready for duty. He had left no stone unturned, and the evidence, when placed before the grand jury, was sufficient to warrant the finding of true bills against Pleas Wynn, Catlett Tipton, Bob Catlett and Bob Wade.
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Davis at once arrested Pleas Wynn and Catlett Tipton and placed them behind closed bars. He then went out in town to find Bob Catlett, but he, upon learning of the fate of Wynn and Tipton, had left town in hot haste.
Not to be foiled in his undertaking, deputy sheriff Davis at once started for the Catlett home, six miles away, taking with him deputy sheriff B. A. Rolen. It was late in the evening and darkness came on before they reached the home of Catlett. On their arrival, they found the Catlett house enclosed by a high wire fence, and two bull-dogs keeping guard on the inside. This was the most formidable foe that either officer had ever met, so they decided to call from the fence. The dogs answered, but no response from Bob. They at once dismounted, and with a pistol in each hand, stepped on the inside. The dogs came dashing down to the gate like two roaring lions, making a circle in a vain effort to get behind the officers. Foiled in this, however, they finally gave up the chase and disap- peared. Mrs. Catlett then appeared upon the scene, very much excited, and begged for peace. The offi- cers assured her that there would be no trouble if Bob would come out and surrender. She closed the door in their faces, saying " Bob will never come out."
The door was thrown wide open and the officers stepped inside. Bob well knew what this meant, and from an upstairs room answered that he would come down and surrender. He did so and was soon on his way to Sevierville.
In the meantime, Sevierville had gone wild with excitement. Perhaps there has never been a time in
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the history of Sevierville when excitement ran so high as it did that night and the following day.
William Wynn, brother of Pleas Wynn, had assaulted and cruelly beaten J. D. Davis, an old and respected citizen and father of deputy sheriff Tom Davis. The news spread like wild fire, and while the White-caps were fast assembling on the square, the friends of Tom Davis and his father were rushing to and fro, gathering arms from every quarter, determined to fight it out. It was soon learned that a determined effort was being made by. the White-caps to rescue Bob Catlett, who was then on his way to Sevierville in custody of Davis and Rolen. Sheriff Maples sum- moned all the men he could find, and keeping some to guard the jail, dispatched the remaining ones to meet the officers with Catlett. This posse met them just below Catlettsburg and told them what was going on in Sevierville.
There was a determined look on Tom Davis' face as he heard the news and dashed across the river to Catlettsburg for reinforcements. He soon returned with a few brave and fearless men, and gave orders that, "if attacked, every man dies on the spot."
He took the front and led the way to Sevierville, and Catlett was soon placed in a cell with his two accomplices, Wynn and Tipton. Although a criminal all his life, this was the first time Bob Catlett had ever been placed behind closed bars.
Next day the town was filled with excited people. The White-caps were enraged almost beyond control. Three of their leaders-J. C. Tipton their captain, Bob Catlett the wealthiest man of their order, and
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Pleas Wynn, a man capable of committing any crime, were all now languishing behind closed bars.
As their iron-clad oath bound them to rescue a brother at all hazards, a regular pitched battle was expected at any moment. Each side waited for the other to bring on the attack. Fortunately for both, neither side was willing to assume such a great respon- sibility.
When court convened, deputy sheriff Davis was present, with his shot gun, apparently as much deter- mined as ever. The prisoners were given a hearing before Judge Hicks and granted bail, and thus were once more released on the public. . This trial was con- cluded late Saturday evening of the March term of court, 1897.
Monday morning following, deputy sheriff Davis boarded the train at Strawberry Plains for Nashville, where he succeeded in having a bill passed by the legis- lature detaching the Circuit Court of Sevier county from the Second Judicial Circuit and attaching it to the Criminal District of Knox county, presided over by Judge T. A. R. Nelson, thereby preventing Judge Hicks from holding another court in Sevierville. Davis' friends rallied to his support in Nashville. The bill was drawn by Gen. G. W. Pickle, introduced by Hon. Horace A. Mann, and fought to a finish by Hon. John C. Houk. It was a hot contest, and during its progress, the opposition, headed by Hon. Cal. Keeney, made the fight that it was a personal matter between Davis and Judge Hicks, and, besides, it was forcing Judge Nelson upon an unwilling people.
This was not true, however, and Davis so convinced the honorable members of the legislature by returning
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to Sevierville on the next train, which place he reached on Monday morning, County court day, in April, 1897. He at once called a mass meeting in the court house, at one o'clock, and opened the proceed- ings with a statement of the object and purpose of the meeting and what was transpiring at Nashville. Reso- lutions were adopted endorsing the passage of the bill, and passed without a dissenting voice.
Time was short. The legislature was drawing to a close. Davis mounted his favorite saddle horse and rode to Knoxville, a distance of twenty-seven miles, arriving in time to catch a train for Nashville that same evening. Tuesday morning when the legislature met, Davis was back at his post with the resolutions.
· The bill passed and became a law, and Judge Nelson now holds court in Sevierville. This was the third trip that deputy sheriff Tom Davis made to Nash- ville in the interest and welfare of his native county, at his own expense.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE MURDER OF BRUCE LEWELLEN.
Three miles east of Sevierville, on the Flat Creek road, is situated Milican Grove church, and alınost within the shadow of this beautiful little country church occurred one of the most blood-curdling mur- ders in the history of White-cap depredations.
The church sets close by the roadside on the north, overshadowed by a neat little grove of oak and hickory trees. On the south side of the road is a thick under . growth of oak and pine, and through the center of this clump of brush and thick undergrowth is a path running directly to the south.
It was along this dreary pathway, on a starless night, in the month of April, 1892, that Bruce Lewellen was plodding his way alone to meet some of his fellow White-caps, little dreaming that he was then making his last foot-prints upon earth and along this familiar pathway which he had so often trodden before. But alas, poor Bruce, he was doomed to meet death that night, for at that very moment two murderers lay in wait, concealed in the bushes close by the roadside, thirsting for the life-blood of their fellow man. They were mem- bers of the notorious band of White-caps who had been detailed to commit the bloody crime, and like demons they waited patiently to hear the familiar foot- steps of the young man whose confidence they had betrayed.
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Suddenly, and without a moment's warning, a loud report was heard, and Bruce Lewellen fell to the ground a lifeless corpse. His head was filled with buckshot, evidently from a shot gun fired at close 1 range.
David Mitchell, an old man living near by, heard the shot that forever sealed the fate of Bruce Lewellen, but thought nothing of it at the time, as it was a common occurrence in that neighborhood.
Early the next morning two small boys stumbled upon his dead body as they chanced to pass that way going to mill. The alarm was given, and the neigh- bors gathered in, and he was laid to rest the following day in the Alderbranch cemetery. At the funeral it was whispered around that he had been killed by the White-caps, but everybody seemed to be afraid to talk on the subject.
The circumstances leading up to this tragedy are as follows : Bruce Lewellen was a White-cap. The White-caps had given his mother notice that they were going to whip her. Young Lewellen rebelled against them and vowed they should never whip his mother. It so happened that about this time officers and citizens had set traps for the White-caps at Douglass' Ferry and other points. They began to grow uneasy. Their plans were being foiled and their forces began to weaken. That some one was making known their plans was an evident fact, beyond any question. Who had more cause for turning informer than Bruce Lewellen? After a consultation among themselves, it was decided that he was the "traitor " who was furnishing the officers with this information
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and thus betraying them into the hands of their enemies.
According to their oath, it was binding upon the organization to put to death any one revealing the proceedings of their order; hence the decision that Lewellen was guilty of this offence and that immediate steps should be taken to seal his lips forever by send- ing him to eternity.
Their plans were made and Lewellen was summoned to meet them at a point where they had often met before, and only a short distance from where he met death on that fatal night. He was asked as to what particular path he would come, there being many by-paths through the densely wooded forest which he could travel that night. Soon after dark, he stepped out at the front door of his humble home and disap- peared in the inky darkness, never to return. Thus ending the life of a young man who might have led a better life and made a useful citizen had he not fallen into the hands of older men who were, by far, more experienced in the commission of crime.
Bruce Lewellen died for a crime which he had not committed. The information supposed to have been furnished by him was given out by a prominent man of their order whom they had never suspected and one in whom they have the utmost confidence even to this day.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE MURDER OF ELI WILLIAMSON.
At the foot of Webb's mountain, fourteen miles from Sevierville, on the Emert's Cove road, stands an old delapidated log house. On a hot day in July, in the year 1892, William Sneed and Houston Romines were seen walking side by side down the road in the direction of this house. They were talking in a low tone and Sneed was carrying an old-fashioned, long- barrel rifle. On reaching the fence, they halted for a moment, Romines drew a long-bladed knife and walked to the back door while Sneed went in at the front.
Eli Williamson was not a coward, and was not afraid to fight with equal chances. He was unarmed and saw at a glance that he would be overpowered. He rushed to the back end of the house, threw up his hands and begged for his life. Sneed lowered his gun, took deadly aim and fired. Williamson fell to the floor, writhing in pain and expired a few hours later. This was the first murder committed in Sevier county traceable directly to the White-caps.
A few nights previous to this, the White-caps had gone to the home of Julia Ramsey, intending to give her a whipping, but Eli Williamson and Henry Proffit were there that night and opened fire on them. When they attempted to batter down the door, a regular pitched battle followed which resulted in the defeat of the White-caps.
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Lewallen Sneed, brother of William Sneed, was shot in the leg in this affray, enraging the Sneeds against the Williamsons, and while his brother was still suffer- ing from the wound received that night, William Sneed avenged him by taking the life of Eli Wil- liamson.
Excitement ran high for a time. The citizens offered a reward of fifty dollars for Sneed, but he succeeded in making his way through the Smoky mountains into North Carolina and is still at large.
This put an end to White-capping in Emert's Cove. The citizens banded together under the leadership of John S. Springs and vowed they would hang the first man caught in disguise.
Jolin S. Springs, who led the opposition in Emert's Cove, was a man of great courage, backed up with an iron will and invincible determination. The White- caps had done no injury to any of his relatives or close friends, yet he did not hesitate to speak out against them. He talked to their faces, saying that "Any man, or set of men, who would go at the dead hours of midnight under the cover of darkness, with masks on their faces, and overpower and drag a poor defenseless woman from her home and lash her back, was a base coward and not worthy of citizenship. Perhaps it would not be out of place to mention in this connec- tion that John S. Springs was foreman of the grand jury when true bills were returned against the mur- derers of the Whaley family, and is now a deputy sheriff under sheriff Tom Davis.
White-capping in Sevier county first began in Emert's Cove, but ceased as abruptly as it began.
CHAPTER XV.
BATTLE NEAR HENDERSON'S SPRINGS.
On a cold November night in the year 1894 the people in the neighborhood of Henderson's Springs were startled by the firing, in rapid succession, of perhaps one hundred shots. They were heard for several miles around and ceased as abruptly as they began. For a moment an oppressive stillness reigned, then the clatter of horses' hoofs and the splashing of water could be heard in every direction. Marauding bands of White-caps were heading for home with the speed of fleet horses, regardless of fences, roads or fords. The nearest routes were taken and the river was crossed that night at points where it had never been crossed before.
A detachment each of White-caps and a sheriff's posse had met on the battle-field and the White-caps were routed.
All within hearing distance knew a battle had been fought, but what was the result? No one knew.
Imagine the aching hearts of mother and daughter waiting in suspense for the return of husband, father or brother, or for news from the battlefield.
The particulars were not known until the following day when it was learned that Elijah Helton, of the sheriff's posse, and Laban Latham and Isaac Keeble, of the White-cap band, were killed, and M. V. Lewellen, of the sheriff's posse, was wounded.
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The causes leading up to this tragedy are as follows : Many outrages had been committed in the neighbor- hood. Among those who had been whipped were Benjamin Farr and Ruth Massey.
Benjamin Farr was an old and inoffensive negro and far above the average of his race in point of intelligence. When the Houk and Gibson congres- sional contest was at fever heat, "Uncle Ben," as he was familiarly known, took the stump for Houk. He was surprised one night to awake and find his bedside surrounded by a number of masked men. He was taken out and after a cruel beating they placed him on a stump, saying :
" Now, d- n you, make a speech for Gibson."
Uncle Ben took in the situation. He was not like a man who could not make a speech. He proceeded with his argument to the satisfaction of all present.
Ruth Massey, wife of James Massey and sister-in-law of Dr. Z. D. Massey, was a beautiful young woman, but, like other unfortunate young women, had strayed from the path of virtue.
The White-caps battered down the door of the Massey home and both husband and wife were taken in their night apparel into the open air. Two men stood with cocked revolvers pointed in the husband's face, two others held Ruth's arms locked around a tree, while two others, one on each side of the unfor- tunate woman, proceeded to lash her with buggy whips. They turned her night clothes over her head, commenced at her feet and took lash about, until they had whipped her from foot to head. The poor woman, in the clutches of the heartless band of hellish demons, said :
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" Let me down till I die."
They let her go and she fell to the ground in a swoon. Thinking she was dead they carried her into the house, and laying her on the bed, stayed with her until she regained consciousness.
This was one of the most cruel whippings that had ever occurred in Sevier county, and the people, enraged almost beyond control, longed for an oppor- tunity to avenge the cruel deed.
It came at last. William Brown, a member of the band admitted to their councils, who had been present on some of their whipping expeditions, in an unguarded moment, took into his confidence Benjamin Farr and imparted to him all the secrets and signs of < the organization. He also told of their future plans and of a plot to whip James Massey and blow up Pink Rauhuff's house with dynamite or burn him out with coal oil.
Uncle Ben had no love for the midnight raiders and was not long in communicating this important information to the enemies of the outlaws.
Relying on this information, early in the morning of this eventful day in November, Elijah Helton came to Sevierville and informed sheriff Maples of the pro- posed raid of the White-caps and asked his assistance in intercepting then.
Chancery court was then in session and the sheriff had his hands full, but he deputized Mr. Helton and M. F. Nichols and instructed them to summon all the good citizens in the neighborhood and, if possible, to defeat this devilish plot. The citizens met at Hender-
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