USA > Tennessee > Sevier County > The White-caps : a history of the organization in Sevier County > Part 9
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A reconciliation was soon affected between the young wife and her parents and she and her husband returned to the parental home, where they were received and treated in the most hospitable manner.
Mrs. Tipton was a devoted Christian, having been raised by the most devout Christian parents, and made her husband a loving, helpful wife. As a result of their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Tipton have five bright- eyed and healthful boys, who live with their mother near Sevierville.
While Catlett Tipton was a boy and a young man of good appearance and polite address, as well as above
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the average in intelligence, yet he was always inclined to be a little wild and run with wild boys. He liked the new and the adventurous, and this, combined with wicked associates, proved his ruin. When the nefarious practice of white-capping broke out in Sevier county, Tipton early espoused the cause of the new order, and by reason of his intelligence and his superior executive ability, he at once became a leader and directed much of the effective work of the organization.
After Sevierville and immediate vicinity became the field and center of active operations of the White-caps, Tipton became the captain of the band, and thus, as it is understood, was the chief officer. Now that the organization has gone to pieces, and its leaders scat- tered-many of them having left the country, while others are in the clutches of the law, people generally feel that they can speak out freely and express their sentiments with impunity ; hence it is not so difficult to obtain information regarding White-caps as it form- erly was. For this reason nearly every man who belonged to the White-cap organization in Sevier county is now known. Many people talk it out freely. Even some of the persons who joined the order but who joined no raids and are guilty of no outrages, now acknowledge it. Hence our information that Catlett Tipton was a member and a leader of the White- caps in Sevier county is absolutely reliable.
He perhaps swore more men into the order than any other one man. While at this date he has made no published confession of his connection with white- capping, yet he has told to a number of reliable per- sons much of his white-cap history. He has told of a number of raids that he was on, and who was whipped
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and who did the whipping. He has told of quite a number of prominent citizens who belonged to the order and who were sworn in by himself as the author- ized official of the band.
Many of these citizens were for a long time accused of belonging to the White-caps, but as often denied by their friends, and, until of late, the truth was never known. But since Tipton has made voluntary state- ments about these matters and given details of times and places and circumstances, all of which comport with reason and former suspicions, there can be but little doubt that he has told the truth about these matters.
The names of these parties could be given, but on account of their prominence and the request of Tipton that their names should not be divulged, it is deemed proper not to bring them before the public.
As before stated, Tipton named specifically several raids that he had made, as a White-cap, the names of those with him, as well as the names of the individuals who were whipped. Some of these were in the town of Sevierville and some in the immediate vicinity around it, while others were in more remote parts of the county.
Tipton and Pleas Wynn have been indicted and con- victed of the murder of the Whaleys and sentenced to hang, on the 4th day of January, 1899, at Sevierville. Like many other cases of this kind, it is not absolutely known that they are the parties who committed this crime, but it is safe to say that a large majority of the people, who know the facts and heard the testimony, believe that they are guilty.
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There is no doubt that Tipton's association with the White-cap organization and the bad men who belonged to it, brought him to the sad and almost hopeless con- dition in which he now finds himself.
The worst men of the country joined his band, with whom he held midnight caucuses and planned raids against supposed violators of their moral creed. Among these were Pleas Wynn and Bob Catlett. It is gener- ally known that Bob Catlett joined the White-caps about two years prior to the Whaley murder; and while Tipton had known something of Catlett all his life, . yet their association was never very intimate, until the latter joined Tipton's band of outlaws. Because of Bob Catlett's standing financially -being a man of large estate in that county-the captain of the White- caps undoubtedly felt that he was a great acquisition to the organization.
If Tipton and Wynn are hung, it will be on the theory that they were hired by Bob Catlett to go to the Whaley house and kill both William Whaley and his wife on the night of the 28th of December, 1896.
Bob Catlett himself, after several intimate conversa- tions with Pleas Wynn on the morning of that day, left with four horses for Asheville, N. C., or other points south ..
Wynn and Tipton admit that they left home that night about dark, and were out till about two o'clock by themselves, at which hour they returned home and retired. But they insist that they were fishing up and down the river from Sevierville, and therefore did not go to Whaley's nor commit the murder. Whether guilty or not, a chain of circumstances has been so
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closely woven about them that two juries and the cir- cuit judge who tried them, and the Supreme Court, which affirmed the verdicts of two juries, have all been satisfied of their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt and sentenced them to die, and this is the end of the law.
It was his association and talk with Bob Catlett immediately before the Whaleys were killed, coupled with the fact that bad feeling existed between Catlett and the Whaleys, and the further fact that the latter had, only a few weeks before they were killed, gone before the grand jury at Sevierville and given informa- tion on which an indictment was found against Bob Catlett and Bob Wade for alleged white capping, or charges of that nature, that caused the arrest and pros- ecution of Wynn and Tipton.
Everybody greatly sympathizes with Tipton's wife and little children, who, being left in straitened circum- stances, will have a struggle not only against poverty through life, but against the humiliation and disgrace that always follow the conviction for such a crime and an execution upon the gallows.
But be it said that no blame is laid at the door of the good wife. She, perhaps, has given him better counsel and certainly has not encouraged him in a course of wrong doing. She still clings to him with the love that inspired her to forsake parents and home. with all its endearments, and cast her all upon his manly arm in his young manhood. She is none the less respected by good people because she does thus show her devotion to her husband in his last extremity. This shows the true woman and loving wife, whether he is innocent or guilty of the great crime for which he has been sentenced to die.
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His old and respected mother, who still survives, and who has given her son better advice, as well as his two sisters, come in for a full share of sympathy from all good people.
Let us hope that the little children whom Catlett Tipton leaves behind him to bear his name, will not follow in the foot-prints of their father, which, sooner or later, will inevitably lead to irretrievable ruin.
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CHAPTER XXVI.
W. R. CATLETT.
William Robert Catlett, the subject of this sketch, was born on a farm near Sevierville, and is now about 45 years of age.
He is commonly known as Bob Catlett, and is the oldest son of James P. Catlett, who died at his home near Sevierville about six years ago. His mother died many years ago, when Bob was a small boy, leaving him and one brother, James M. Catlett, to survive her. His mother was a McMahan, coming as she did from one of the oldest and most respectable families in Sevier county. The McMahans were pioneers in that section, and now a very numerous branch of the pop- ulation of that county. After the death of his first wife James P. Catlett married Nancy E. Mullendore, a sister of Captain W. W. Mullendore, a distinguished member of the bar at Sevierville. She still survives, and lives on the old Catlett homestead, near Sevierville, with her two daughters, her only living children. Both the mother and step-mother of Bob Catlett were noted for intelligence, piety and Christian character. This is as much as to say that Bob's early home train- ing was not neglected. His education is limited. He only attended the common schools of the county. His father was in good circumstances financially, and could have given his son a complete education, but the latter was not very much inclined to books, and the father did not press the matter beyond an ordinary, business course.
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Bob was fond of stock from his early childhood. He thought much more of a good horse than a book. The father, seeing the bent of his boy's mind, at an early age gave him superior advantages in that direc- tion. He gave Bob money and allowed him to buy and sell and swap as he chose, and in this way he soon became a first-class stock trader as well as a farmer.
Few men are better judges of a good horse than Bob Catlett, and perhaps none of his age have had as many law suits over their buying and selling and swapping as he. It seemed that when he sold or swapped off a horse, that something always got the matter with it the next day or in a short time. Then the fellow came back on him, and a law suit followed. He always considered himself unlucky in this partic- ular. He has been a successful farmer as well as trader, and is the owner of one of the best farms in Sevier county, containing something like six hundred acres. His farm is well stocked and everything around his home has the appearance of prosperity.
But from his boyhood Bob was inclined to be wild and sometimes reckless. He took delight in perpe- trating a joke or playing a trick on his associates, and this often went beyond the limit of innocent fun. In this way he got the name among many people of being mean.
Unfortunately he acquired the habit of strong drink in his boyhood. At times he drank to excess, and when intoxicated he was disagreeable, overbearing and even reckless. In recent years he has not drank so much as formerly, and especially for the last two or three years.
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On the 22d day of March, 1876, he was married to Miss Mary A. Wade, the daughter of Hon. J. J. Wade, a substantial farmer and one of the best men of Sevier county. Miss Wade was in every way worthy of the man she married, and has made him a devoted wife. They have a large family of children, consisting of two boys and nine girls.
His oldest daughter is intelligent and refined and has a good education. She is one of the foremost teachers in the county, having taught one year in Murphy College.
This family is a very interesting one, and there is only one thing, apparently, that prevents them from being a happy family-and that is the cloud that hangs over them on account of the husband and father being implicated in the murder of the Whaleys. Of course they are in no sense responsible, even if it should turn out that he is guilty, but they are innocent sufferers, all the same.
Catlett has, no doubt, made many mistakes in his life : but the biggest one was when he joined the notorious White-cap gang, an institution that has brought sorrow and ruin to many a happy home in Sevier county.
He did not become an early disciple of the new order, but he was actively connected with it for only . about two years prior to the Whaley murder. During this time Sevierville and vicinity were the places of active operations, and especially were all their meetings held there by those high in authority in the organiza- tion. These meetings were sometimes held in rooms and houses in Sevierville, and sometimes at the houses
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of White-caps who lived near. Many of them were held at Tipton's own house, about three miles from the town.
After his connection with the order Bob Catlett was much seen about Sevierville, both day and night time, although he lived about seven miles from the town. It is not guess work that he was a White-cap, but this is known beyond the peradventure of a doubt.
Catlett Tipton himself, the chief of the White-caps, has said so, time and again, and has even implicated him in the Whaley murder by offering him (Tipton) a hundred dollars to put Whaley and his wife out of the way. While this comes from the chief of the White- caps, and from a man condemned to die for this awful crime, yet it is reasonable and comports with all the other facts and circumstances going to show Bob Cat- lett's guilt. It was on this theory that the State rested its prosecution against Wynn and Tipton, and two courts and two juries have said that they believed it was correct beyond a reasonable doubt.
During the summer and fall prior to the killing of the Whaleys, the latter then living on Catlett's land, had some trouble with him over some rent corn and over some talk that Catlett had heard Whaley's wife had about him (Catlett) being a White-cap, &c. The Whaley family left the Catlett farm and moved to Captain Wynn's farm, some two miles below Sevier- ville. About this time Whaley and wife were taken before the grand jury and on their testimony an indict- ment was found against Bob Catlett and Bob Wade, charging them with rocking and shooting into Walter Maples' house. This incensed Catlett all the more,
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and furnished the alleged motive for inciting and pro- curing the killing of both Whaley and wife.
Catlett has never had his trial, but recently secured a change of venue from Sevier to Hamblen county, where he will be tried for his alleged complicity in this crime. He is now in jail at Morristown, having been, at the last term of the Circuit Court at Sevierville, denied bail by Judge Nelson by reason of the fact that the cases against Wynn and Tipton had been recently affirmed by the Supreme Court, and other evidence accumulating against him that pointed unerringly to his guilt.
There is no concealing the fact that public sentiment in Sevier county is overwhelmingly against Catlett, and whether or not he is ever convicted of this charge, the almost unanimous sentiment of the people of that county will still be that he and he alone inspired the bloody deed.
This is the first crime of any magnitude that Catlett has ever been indicted for, so far as we know, but he has been much censured by the public because of his contributory, if not criminal, negligence leading up to the death of two or three worthy young men in Sevier county.
About ten years ago a young man named Maples, . who lived on Catlett's farm, became intoxicated and provoked a quarrel with James Clemison, another ten- ant of Catlett's. This was on Sunday, and Catlett . being with them, it is said that he rather encouraged a fight than interceded for peace. Night came on without any personal altercation between the parties, but some time after dark Maples and Catlett went to
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the house of Clemison and Maples demanded entrance while Catlett stood by encouraging him. On being refused entrance, Maples broke the door down and started to enter the house, whereupon Clemison picked up an axe with which he had provided himself and struck Maples a terrific blow, literally splitting his head, turning his brains out on the floor and killing him instantly.
This occurred on Catlett's farm, near his dwelling house and in his very presence where he could and should have prevented it. Clemison was not prose- cuted, being held justifiable in defending his home against an intruder under such circumstances.
Maples was a quiet young man, when sober, and would never have committed the rash act that brought about his untimely end had it not been for the fact that he was drinking and urged by one who, if not altogether responsible for the murder, was nevertheless much to be censured for standing by and seeing it done when he could easily have prevented it.
At another time, Catlett had been to a protracted meeting back in the knob country a few miles from his home, aud was returning in company with a young man named Ballard. When only a short distance from the church, Catlett proposed a horse race with Ballard, which challenge was accepted and the race entered into, but they had not proceeded far when Ballard's horse fell with and broke his (Ballard's) neck, killing him instantly.
Ballard was a mere boy while Catlett was a man of mature years, and should have prevented rather than contributed to the death of the unfortunate young man.
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These are two deaths that the people have always blamed Catlett with, although he did not directly commit them.
While drunk on one occasion, several years ago, Catlett provoked a quarrel with John Burns, a harm- less and inoffensive citizen, then drew his pistol and shot Burns in the shoulder, inflicting a very serious but not.fatal wound.
In this case Catlett's father and other friends inter- posed, and for a money consideration (Burns being a very poor man), adjusted the matter and Catlett was not prosecuted.
These are a few of the ear marks in Catlett's history which clearly indicate his character.
Few men in Sevier county have had superior oppor- tunities than Bob Catlett to make money and become prosperous and useful citizens. As before stated, his father gave him good opportunities, and his uncle, William Catlett, who died a few years ago, leaving an estate worth about $75,000, gave Bob considerable sums of money during his life, and in his will left him a good portion of the estate.
Bob's full name is William Robert, having been named for his uncle, who always though a great deal of his nephew and gave him much good counsel, but which, to a large extent, was unheeded.
For a man who has been well raised, always in good circumstances and surrounded by good people, to be languishing in jail for a crime the parallel of which has never been known in Sevier county, is so unusual that it almost challenges belief. Yet, it is too true, and what the ultimate outcome will be is awaited with more than ordinary interest.
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" Will Catlett's money save him?" is a question often asked, prompted no doubt by the prevalent opinion that money plays an important part in the trials of men charged with crime.
However true this may be, it is to be hoped that justice will in the end prevail, and that money, potent as it is, will not be permitted to stand in the way of the conviction and punishment of the parties who so brutally murdered poor William and Laura Whaley on that fatal night in December, 1896. If Bob Catlett either committed or inspired others to commit this crime, he should be hung, though he were worth a million. But if he is innocent, then not a hair of his head should be touched. He should in this event be returned to the bosom of his family to comfort them and live the quiet, peaceful citizen that the law requires of every man.
CHAPTER XXVII.
M. F. MAPLES.
Millard Filmore Maples was born in Sevier county about six miles east of Sevierville in the month of August, 1856. He is forty-two years old and in the prime of life and vigor of manhood- He is a son of G. R. Maples, Sr., a farmer and an old ex-federal soldier.
He was born and raised on the farm and trained by his father to that occupation, but farming did not suit his taste very much, and after he had grown up and married, he soon drifted from the farm into other business channels.
Mr. Maples has only a common school education, but being bright and intelligent he thoroughly mas- tered the common school course and acquired what might be called a good business education.
In the summer of 1894 he made his first race for sheriff of Sevier county. Maples being naturally of a social disposition and a good mixer, his work for the previous fifteen years had afforded him an excellent opportunity to become well acquainted with the people in all parts of the county.
His opponents in this race were G. L. Delozier, who was then sheriff, and Captain E. M. Wynn, who was an ex-sheriff, having served two terms in that capacity. Both of these men were of splendid character and very popular with the people, besides being thoroughly acquainted throughout the county. Three stronger men are seldom pitted against each other,
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This race occurred at a time when the White-caps were holding high carnival in Sevier county and made - themselves felt in elections. Maples took a bold stand against this organization and its practices and asked of them no assistance. This, of course, drove the White- caps from him, but brought to his support most of the anti-White-cap leaders. It was also understood that Maples would appoint one democrat as a deputy, and this brought to him the full democratic vote.
While Captain Wynn was not believed to be a White-cap, but on the contrary a quiet and law abiding citizen, yet for some reason the White-cap element as a rule was supposed to be for him, as well as many others who were known not to belong to that order.
Delozier's supporters were men who stood between the two great extremes and consisted of a large num- ber of conservative men of all classes in the county.
Maples was elected by a plurality of 147 votes, and inducted into this office the following September. His first term as sheriff was not marked by any special incidents, except so far as the war he and his deputies waged against the White-caps.
It was he and his deputies who arrested thirteen at one time, charged with white-capping, and brought them into Sevierville for trial. This was immediately after the battle near Henderson's Springs between the White-caps and Blue Bills, in which three men were killed and one or two others wounded.
Maples has always waged an unrelenting war on the White-caps and was hated by them second to none except Tom Davis, his faithful deputy and anti-White- cap leader.
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He was a candidate again and re-elected in 1896, thereby receiving the endorsement of the people of the county for an honest and faithful administration of his first term.
His opponents in his second race were C. C. Yett and R. H. Shields, the former being a son-in-law of Captain Wynn and a deputy under him when he was sheriff, and the latter being a warm supporter of G. L. Delozier. It is therefore seen that the field was divided much in the same manner as in the former race, and the same issues in a measure entered into it. This time Maples was elected by a plurality of 162 votes.
Soon after his second election the Whaley murder occurred. This afforded sheriff Maples and his depu- ties additional reasons for pursuing the White-caps with more zeal than ever, which they did. This mur- der aroused so much public sentiment against white- capping that sheriff Maples thought that now was the time to strike the death blow. And to that end he and his deputies went to work as never before to drive this hated organization from the county. So he and his deputies became vigilants and detectives to hunt down White-cap criminals wherever they might lurk, and especially were they determined to hunt down the Whaley murderers and bring them to justice. What success they have had remains for the public to judge.
By the time sheriff Maples' term of office expired, white-capping in Sevier county was almost a thing of the past, and many of those found guilty of this offense had been tried and convicted.
Sheriff Maples took a leading part in the prosecution of Pleas Wynn and Catlett Tipton, and on this account
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incurred the enmity not only of the defendants but of some of their friends and relatives also.
This led to an unfortunate difficulty between sheriff Maples and William Wynn, a brother of Pleas, during the March term of circuit court, 1898, in Sevierville, in which Maples shot Wynn, who died in a few hours.
Pleas Wynn and Catlett Tipton were being tried for the Whaley murder at this time and William Wynn not liking the interest Maples was taking in the trial both as a witness and an officer, and being somewhat intoxicated, accosted Maples on the street and began cursing and abusing him. Whereupon Maples drew his pistol and shot him, but not until Wynn had threatened to kill him and made an attempt to draw a weapon, as Maples claims.
Maples now stands indicted for the killing of Wynn, and insists that he was justifiable in doing it under the circumstances.
The case will probably be tried at the next term of the circuit court, at Sevierville, when the public will get the merits of the case as presented by the testi- mony.
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