Murray County, Ga
White Cap Articles
These articles all pertain to the indictment of members of the Whitecappers and Kuklux band of Murray County.
FIVE PROMINENT CITIZENS INDICTED FOR MURDER AND CONSPIRACY
Source: Columbus Daily Enquirer-Sun 1895 Jan 11
ATLANTA GA., JAN 10-- Five of the best known citizens of Murray Co. have been indicted by the United States grand jury here for murder and conspiracy. The men indicted are John Edmondson, Tom Wright, an ex-United States deputy marshal; W. A. Hannah, George Terry, and Merrill Wood. These parties are all believed to be members of the kuklux band. Judge John Edmondson owns 3,000 acres of fine land in Murray County, and is one of the leading citizens of his section of the State. He gave $5000 bond, and went back home. Edmondson is said to be the leader of the band. He and Hannah came to Atlanta and gave themselves up. Deputy marshals are hunting for the others.
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Source: The Columbus Enquirer-Sun 1913 Jan 19
WHITE CAPPERS BUSY IN MURRAY COUNTY
DALTON, Ga., Jan. 18--The epidemic of white capping in this section recently, broke out afresh in Tilton, Murray county, this week, according to reports researching here today. John Shannon was taken from his home by a masked band and administered one hundred lashes. The bandits, it is said, went to other homes, and warned the inmates that they would be given similar treatment unless they should mend their ways.
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Source: The Macon Telegraph 1894 Apr 21
MURDERED BY WHITECAPS
HENRY WORLEY OF MURRAY COUNTY KILLED WHILE PLOWING
Atlanta, Ga., Apr. 20--Henry Worley, a prominent Murray county farmer, was shot and killed in his field yesterday by whitecaps. He was plowing. No one saw the murder, but there is no doubt they are members of the Murray county whitecap gang. Worley was formerly a member of the band, most of whose leading members are moonshiners. They suspected him of treachery, and last week took him out at night and strung him up. One of the gang slipped back, gave him a knife, and Worley cut himself down. He was fired on as he ran away. He declared that he was coming to Atlanta to give Governor Northen the names of 100 members of the gang. Before Worley could carry out his threat, he was murdered. There are 70 member in this league, divided in clans and sub-clans. Their principle object is to protect their illicit stills, which abound in the mountains. Several other outrages have been reported. Six deputy marshals left here tonight to arrest the ring leaders of the gang. The band will certainly be broken up.
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Source: The Weekly Telegraph 1895 Apr 4
THE WORLEY WHITECAPPERS
ANOTHER ARRAIGNMENT OF THE MURRAY COUNTY PRISONERS BEFORE JUDGE NEWSON
WITNESSES WERE ABSENT
Some cases were postponed on that account-A second trial caused by a technicality in the writing of the indictment.
Atlanta, Apr 1--[Special]--The noted Worley whitecapping case was called for trial again in the United States court before Judge William T. Newman today. The four men arraigned were McCutchin, McIntyre, Gober, and Gilbert, the indictment charging them with the murder of Henry Worley. When the case was opened, Attorney W. C. Glenn, for the defense, entered a demurrer to the indictment on the ground that it did not set out the allegations as required by the statute. There were seven counts in the indictment, and after an exhaustive argument the demurrer was sustained on six of the seven counts. District Attorney Joiner then announced that a new indictment would be presented by 11 o'clock tomorrow morning, and the defendants will be arraigned upon it at that time. McCutchin was the first man placed on trial, the cases being reversed and McIntyre having been granted a postponement on account of the sickness of an important alibi witness. A hundred witnesses and over are in attendance on the trial, most of them from the fastnesses of Murray and Gilmer counties. The failure of the indictment today was the second time the trial of the men held for the murder of Henry Worley has failed through the defects in the indictment. They were released six weeks ago on a similar technicality, but a few days later they were rearrested upon new warrants. Henry Worley, the man for whose murder the prisoners were held, was a well-to-do farmer of Gilmer county. It was claimed that he gave information to the revenue officers about the moonshiners, and his death was the vengeance of the whitecappers. An attempt was first made to hang him, but by a miracle almost he escaped. Afterward he was shot down in his cotton field in broad daylight while ploughing.
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Source: The Weekly Telegraph 1895 Jan 14
CHARGED WITH WHITECAPPING
SENSATIONAL ACCUSATION AGAINST JUDGE EDMONDSON OF MURRAY COUNTY
Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 10--[Special]--Judge John Edmondson of Murray county, 70 years of age, and one of the most influential men in that section of the state, has been indicted by the United States grand jury for implication in the murder of Henry Worley of Murray county, who was killed by whitecaps last April. Five others besides Judge Edmondson are under indictment for the crime, but his prominence makes the indictment in his case highly sensational. Judge Edmondson, who is a wealthy planter, was brought to Atlanta today and placed under a bond of $5,000. It is claimed by Judge Edmondson's son, who accompanied him to Atlanta today, that the indictment is a result of persecution. Henry Worley, who himself was a prosperous farmer, was shot down in his field in broad daylight by three men. He had reported the stills of William Duncan, Thomas McIntyre, Bradley Thornton, George Terry and Charlie Hyde.
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Source: The Weekly Telegraph 1891 May 13
A FARMER SHOT AT HIS DOOR IN MURRAY COUNTY
Atlanta, May 6--[Special]--Hosea Jones, a farmer living in Murray county near Holly Creek Mills, was killed by kuklux last Monday night. They called him to the door and shot him. He leaves a wife and several children. He was a good member of the Baptist church and a son of Larkin Jones.
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