Thriller Thursday - Murdered by Fugitives from Justice, 1882

The following article appeared in the May 16, 1882 edition of the Chester Times in Chester, Pennsylvania:

Transcription:

Murdered by Fugitives from Justice.

MEMPHIS, May 15.--Captain Jerry Hutchinson, of the River Mail Service, was killed near Trinity, Louisiana, May 7, while attempting to arrest Appleton and James Atkinson.  The Atkinsons were fugitives from justice, having been convicted and sentenced to be hanged for the murder of Mrs. Atkinson, wife of the one and mother of the other, in Pumiscot, Missouri, some time last summer.  

Captain Hutchinson, accompanied by Mr. Will T. Hudson, hearing that the Atkinsons were in the vicinity of Trinity, Louisiana, passed down a few days ago for the purpose of making the arrest, but the criminals were on the alert, and when the officers approached, the younger Atkinson shot and mortally wounded Hutchinson, who in turn shot and killed the elder Atkinson.  

The younger Atkinson made good his escape.  The sheriff of Trinity with a posse of men is scouring the woods in search of the escaped murderer, and a reward of $500 has been offered for his arrest besides the reward offered by the Governor of Missouri for his first crime.