People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1892 — FOUGHT WITH ROBBERS. [ARTICLE]

FOUGHT WITH ROBBERS.

A Sheriff Killed In a Conflict with Desperate Thieves—The Leader of the Gang Lynched. Rome, Ga., Nov. 28.—The little town of Plainville, Ga., 16 miles north of this city, was in a state of excitement Saturday over a serious shooting affray that took place there Friday night Sheriff McGinnis, of Gordon county, with a posse of men went to arrest Jester Scott and William Morrow, who were said to be implicated in a bold robbery at Little Bow several nights ago. It was learned that the two men were in a house together, and when the sheriff and his posse approached the house the men came out with revolvers and opened fire on the sheriff and his posse. Sheriff McGinnis was shot in the stomach and died in a short time. The men who accompanied Sheriff McGinnis returned the fire and a general fight ensued, in which Scott was captured and one of the sheriff’s deputies was shot. Scott was taken at once to Calhoun for safe keeping, as there was no place at Plainville where he could be safely kept When the' prisoner reached Calhoun a large number of people had congregated around the jail and it was feared that he would be lynched. He was placed in jail, however, without being molested. Information received from Calhoun Saturday stated that an immense crowd was around the jail, and was making threats of lynching Scott A special from Rome later says an armed mob had left that place, and, upon reaching Calhoun, had entered the jail and hanged Scott and released a number of prisoners. it is claimed that it was this gang who held r.p the East Tennessee express near here a year ago and robbed the messenger of S6O. Two months ago they held up a train at Piedmont Ala., 20 miles from here, and secured $750 from the Southern Express "Company and SSOO from the United States mails. Two weeks ago three of them attempted to hold up a train on the Western & Atlantic road at Adairsville, 20 miles from Rome. This attempt was foiled by the strategy of a brave flagman. The store and post office robbery at Little Row Tuesday night was the last and most daring venture of the gang.