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HUGH MERIDETH CASHES IN
THE PINEVILLE SUN
Friday September 26,1913
Was shot and killed Last Saturday mourning while
resisting arrest in Leslie County. His body brought to
Pineville Sunday and delivered to the jailer of Bell
County. Merideth was under life sentence for murder and
had escaped from Bell
County Jail. Word reached this city last Saturday
afternoon that Hugh Merideth, who broke jail in
Pineville in January of this year, had been killed in
Leslie County at the home of his brother-in-law, George
Wilson, while resisting arrest. On Sunday about noon a
wagon, pulled by one horse, in which was a home-made
box, on which was seated four men heavily armed, drove
into town and stopped at the jail. The word soon passed,
that the body of Hugh Merideth had been
brought here and delivered to jailer Wilson. A large
crowd soon gathered, and the
particulars of Merideth's death were soon made known. On
Sunday, September 17,1911,Hugh Merideth shot and killed
Andy Saylor at the home of his (Merideth's) Mother on
Red Bird. He was arrested and brought to Pineville the
following day and lodged in jail. Merideth was tried at
the February term,1912,of the Circuit Court and was
convicted of voluntary manslaughter. His attorneys
appealed his case, and this verdict was set aside by the
Court of Appeals. He was released on bond of
$5,000,which was signed by Rufus Wilson, I.L. Hopkins
and Henry Broughton. His case was set for trial at the
October term of the Court, and a few days before the day
of his trial he skipped the Country, leaving his bond-
men in the lurch. His bondsmen at once instituted search
for the fugitive, and a reward of $500 was offered for
his capture. He was finally arrested several months
later in a mining camp in Virginia, where he was going
under the name of Slusher. He was returned to Pineville
and again lodged in jail. At his trial at the January
term of Court, Merideth was again convicted of murder,
the jury giving him a life sentence in the Penitentiary,
confined in the jail with Merideth were Fayette Jones
and Giberk both of whom had been convicted of murder,
and the trio were awaiting the sentence of the Court
before being taken to the Penitentiary at Frankfurt. On
Sunday morning, January 19,when the turnkey at the jail
went to look over his prisoners he found that sometime
during the night five of his charges had disappeared,
among the number being Merideth, Jones and Giberk. The
prisoners had sawed their way to liberty, and had made
good their escape. Jailor Rufus Wilson was at
Middlesboro at the time attending Court. He came home on
the first train, and the effort to capture the fugitives
had begun. A reward was offered and from time to time,
reports as to the whereabouts of the escaped prisoners
would come, but investigations would prove their
falsity. About two weeks ago Mr. Wilson received a
letter from Deputy Sheriff Robert Helton, of Leslie
County saying that he had Meredith located in that
County and asked that a warrant be sent him for his
arrest. This was done. That Helton had his man located
the events of Saturday mourning played. Mr. Helton
received the warrant on last Wednesday, and on Friday
night, accompanied by Daniel Helton, Samps Brock and
Grant Sizemore he went to the home of George Wilson, a
brother-in-law of Meredith, who lives on Beech Fork.
They arrived at Wilson's just before daylight on
Saturday morning. Hardly an hour had elapsed before the
saw Meredith in the
house. Brock and Daniel Helton were on one side of the
house and Robert Helton and Sizemore on the other.
Robert Helton called for Meredith to come out and
surrender. Meredith and his sister Mrs. Wilson, started
out the side door, near where Brock and Dan Helton were
standing. Meredith had his arm around his sister's neck,
seeing Brock, Meredith pulled his pistol and fired, but
missed, and ran back through the house and out another
door...As he attempted to get over a fence he again
attempted to shoot, but the posse was to quick for him.
Several shots rang out, and Meredith fell. Samps Brock
ran to him and grabbed his pistol, but this was
unnecessary, he was dead. Only one shot took effect, it
striking Meredith in the left cheek, ranging backward
breaking his neck. The posse in the meantime had
procured a suit of clothes, and other article's of
dress, and prepared the corpse for burial. They brought
the remains to the home of Deputy Sheriff Robert Helton
on Middle Fork, reaching there about two o'clock Sunday
mourning. After a short rest and breakfast they started
to Pineville, reaching here as stated. Meredith's
remains were taken to the undertaking establishment of
Brownlee & Sons and placed in a casket. His relatives on
Red Bird had been notified, and they came in late in the
evening, and left a few hours later with the remains,
taking them to the home of his Mother. The interment
took place Monday afternoon in the family burying
ground. Deputy Sheriff Helton and his associates
remained in Pineville until Monday afternoon, when they
left for home. They were paid the reward offered for
Meredith's capture by Jailer Wilson. Meredith was
himself responsible for his tragic end. It is the
general opinion that had he acted the man and appeared
for trial instead of jumping bond, he would probably
have been acquitted of the murder of Saylor. The course
he followed robbed him of his friends, and made him an
outcast with a price on his head. Of the five men who
broke jail with Meredith, two are yet at large, Fayette
Jones and Giberk. |
Transcribed by: Floyd Vaughn
Submitted by: Floyd Vaughn
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