Life and bloody career of the executed criminal, James Copeland, the great Southern land piratePitts, J. R. S. (James Robert Soda)
History
Life and bloody career of the executed criminal, James Copeland, the great Southern land pirate
Pitts, J. R. S. (James Robert Soda)
Copeland, James, 1823-1857; Criminals -- Gulf States -- Biography
The foregoing observations close the narrations of the trial with the
circumstances of connection belonging; and now for particulars, as
reasonably presumed, of another attempt on the life of the defendant
in 1862.
Throughout the proceedings of the trial Dr. Pitts has been properly
referred to as the “defendant.” Hereafter his own proper name will be
given.
ANOTHER DESIGN OF ASSASSINATION.
In the spring of 1862, when returning from a professional visit, he was
waylaid by two persons to him entire strangers. Just before the Doctor
reached a by-path he was accustomed to travel, because somewhat nearer,
he first suddenly discovered one of them near the main road, in a bunch
of bushes by a stump, some fifty or seventy-five yards distant. The
Doctor made a quick change of position; the rays of the sun fell on the
bright gun in possession, which reflected a dazzling brilliancy for
the moment. This extraordinary circumstance of itself was sufficient
to cause well-grounded apprehensions of danger; and, accordingly, the
Doctor kept a close watch for an excited moment. No sooner had he taken
the by-path above alluded to, than he saw one of the two rush out—fast
running through the thick woods in order to intercept him. The Doctor
instantly turning his course, he at once beheld another person running
in the same direction. There was but one available outlet for the
Doctor to make his escape, and this through a long narrow valley with
obstructing hills on each side. Both made a strenuous effort to get
ahead of him in the valley, but fortunately he was mounted on a fine
animal very fast on speed, which successfully enabled him to escape
unhurt.
As before stated, these two parties were entire strangers, and never
spoke a word during the whole transaction. On peaceable terms with
every one in the settlement around, so far as known, there could not
be a doubt on his mind as to this movement being another attempt on
his life from the clan for the sake of vengeance for the past, and to
prevent republication in the future. The same conclusions must be
arrived at by every impartial judge of the affair.
The following tragic accounts have recently been carefully collected
from authentic and reliable sources, which, here introduced, will form
something like an episode of after transactions of the parties whose
names are also found in Copeland’s confessions—transactions exactly of
a character to correspond with the dark and bloody operations as given
by Copeland himself.
SHOEMAKE AGAIN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account