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Clarksville, came into town. It was very dark. I had ten men, & took him entirely by surprise, that no resistance was offered to his arrest, though some half dozen of the gang were sitting around at the time. Duty was placed in jail which I guarded strongly. The next morning I arrested Whitsill, & immediately started my whole party with the prisoners for Mt Pleasant, the Clarksville jail being insecure. As I was advised that an attempt would be made to rescue the prisoners, I took command, but after riding twenty miles towards Mt Pleasant, returned with a portion of the party.

I had hoped to be able to forward today full charges against the prisoners, but I was yesterday obliged to ride to this place, & therefore was unable to get up the case. I will however give you an idea of these men's character. John Duty, known as "Pomp" Duty, has for five years been known as a "desperado", his deeds of violence would make a list including almost every crime in known in law. He has uniformly bid defiance to all law, though he once allowed himself to be tried for a murder, of which he was acquitted by false evidence, & a packed Jury. Moses G. Whitsill is a quieter and perhaps less dangerous than Duty. He is the proprietor of the saloon where the "gang" assemble. I am told that he is a fugitive from Arkansas, where he is under indictment for murder. He is known as one of the gang which assisted Guest in his escape from jail.

The above arrests have had the effect to quiet the