Lewis Bratch (L. B.) Hutcheson was born on June 14, 1884, to Daniel and Parley Loy Hutcheson McCoy. He married Della Maude Lyons,the daughter of Calvin and Elizabeth Lyons on August 6, 1888. L. B. and Della were only nineteen and fifteen respectfully when they became man and wife and they chose to make their home a few yards from the dam in Big Ridge State Park constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Roosevelt administration. In 1930, L. B. was elected sheriff of Union County and served until he was killed in a shooting at the Clinch River Bridge on Highway 33 on December 6, 1935.
As news of the killing spread, crowds gathered and stood in solemn groups on the streets and in front of business places. Subdued murmuring indicated that some grave occurance forbade the noise and laughter that usually accompanies life and work in a small town. Snatches of conversation could be heard and all were discussing the tragic shooting of Union County's Sheriff Hutcheson. Mute spectators gazed pityingly at the bullet riddled car in which the sheriff rode to his last call in the service of law and order. "The community was stunned," wrote one observer.
On the day of the funeral three thousand people gathered despite the drizzle in order to pay their respects to the slain sheriff. The body of L. B. Hutcheson was brought to his home in Maynardville from Knoxville by Hall and Donahue, funeral directors, at 9:00 a. m. At 11:00 it was carried to lie in state in the nearby auditorium of Horace Maynard High School where it was viewed until 1:00 p. m. that evening, the hour of the funeral. Rev. James Davis conducted the funeral service. A fifty-automobile cortege escorted the body to New Loyston Cemetery. A fabric tent, uncommon in that day at rural funerals, protected the grave where hundreds more gathered for a final tribute to Sheriff Hutcheson son. Beneath the canvass the gray casket, made especially to accommodate the body of a man over six feet tall, passed from view.
A resolution prepared by E. D. Monroe, J. L. Tolliver, and H. I. Raley of the Union County Court was unanimously adopted at the meeting praising Sheriff Hutcheson on January 9, 1935.
The resolution read: "Union County lost a good citizen and an efficient and accommodating official, and one who tried to do the right thing as he saw it, and who always dealt with the people in a friendly and courteous manner."
"We the members of the County Court mourn his loss, both as a public official and as a citizen. We tended to his bereaved widow, children, and befriends our generous sympathy and condolences.
At the same meeting the Union County Court chose Mrs. Della Hutcheson, widow of the deceased sheriff, to fill the unexpired term of her husband, making her the third woman sheriff to serve in Tennessee.
Doctor Paris Alton Palmer, a longtime physician in Maynardville, kept a scrapbook of newspaper clippings of the published events of Hutcheson's murder, the East Tennessee manhunt for the criminals, their capture, the trial held in Maynardville, and the deposition of the criminals after being found guilty and sentenced. This paper is compiled from those newspaper accounts.
It was a hot day on May 15, 1935 when 0. J. Melton, a substitute jailer, on duty at the Cocke County jail in Newport, saw to it that all the barred windows of the old brick building were wide open before he sat down on the stoop and propped his chair against the door.
Peacefully drawing on his pipe and mopping his brow with a handkerchief, the jailer speculated over three of his charges locked together in the blistering hot first floor "bull pen". They were cheerfully endeavoring to harmonize mountain songs. Gus McCoig, a young, tall, blond robber from adjacent Jefferson County, was singing a melody. Melton smiled as they swung into a dolorous prison song "Birmingham Jail". McCoig's two cellmates were Clarence Bunch, twenty-two year old six-footer with brown hair, and John Campbell, a Cocke County youth. Bunch, along with Billy Lynn and Edward Veal, locked in separate cells, were held for robbing a bank in Ewing, Virginia, while Campbell had been arrested as a liquor law violator.
Melton had asked them to clean their cells and it appeared to him they were cooperating. McCoig called the jailor to pick up a mop and bucket. As the jailor approached the cell Bunch pulled a pistol and fired at Melton, hitting him in the arm. With the gun pointed at the jailor's head he demanded the "bull pin" keys and keys to unlock the other cells. When the jailor told him the sheriff had the keys to the other cells, Bunch fired again but missed because McCoig grabbed his arm. The shooting stopped when the keys to their cell were surrendered and the wounded Melton was dragged into the cell and the door locked.
Outside the jail the trio discovered that William Mayes, a high-school student, had parked his car a few yards from the jail and had gone into a store. They jumped into the automobile and headed southeast. Cocke County Sheriff R. W. Smith was summoned from the downtown barber shop. He hurried to the jail, where he found Melton locked in the "bull pen", and quickly released him. Melton had stopped the flow of blood from his arm with his handkerchief, and insisted on joining the posse which was quickly formed to trail the desperados.
Notices were sent out to law enforcement agents, and within a short time all main highways were being patrolled. All cars containing suspicious looking male passengers were stopped. As darkness fell it became apparent the fugitives had eluded the dragnet. They fled down Asheville highway for only a few miles after the break and turned onto a sideroad. They followed back country trails until reaching the vicinity of White Pine, where they hid the automobile in a clump of trees. They waited until evening and went to a nearby house, where they changed clothing and ate. Campbell left Bunch and McCoig there and went home.
At the suggestion of McCoig, the two gangsters crept up to the home of James Sams, a farmer who had been McCoig 's benefactor, and stole a touring car that belonged to the farmer's son, Bill Sams. They drove into North Carolina where they robbed a half dozen filling stations in rapid succession. A week later, with a stake of about one hundred dollars, the gangsters slipped back into Claiborne County and hid in a cabin on Bunchtown Ridge until their money ran out. For several weeks no disturbances were reported, then one evening during the last week in July, Sheriff Smith was summoned to the telephone in the county jail at Newport. Clarence Bunch had called the sheriff and, using profanity, told him that he and McCoig were coming over to tear the jail apart. That same evening, jailor W. A. Martin received a similar telephone call at the Dandridge jail. This time the caller was McCoig saying he and Bunch were coming to the jail to release the prisoners held there. They never carried out their threats, but that same week they robbed a hardware store next door to the jail at Dandridge and escaped with three rifles, two thirty-eight caliber pistols, and several hundred rounds of ammunition.
Shortly after stealing the weapons and ammunition, they raided the country store belonging to Arthur Breeden at Sulphur Springs. They took cigarettes, canned goods, and nearly one hundred dollars. Before they left they damaged the telephone with gunfire. Sheriff S. B. Churchman and Deputy Mack Franklin arrived from Dandridge before they fled and exchanged gunfire with the robbers. The merchant had provided food and supplies to the McCoig family of twelve children for several years, although he saw little chance of ever being paid for it.
Not only did they rob friend as well as foe, but also they sought special revenge toward those who moved to curb their activities. For example, Bill Sams filed charges against the gangsters for stealing his car. One evening the robbers drove past his home and riddled it with gunfire. One of the bullets struck within a few inches of where the Sams were sleeping.
The gang expanded terror into neighboring Knox County where they robbed the Holt filling station in Burlington on August 5. Deputies under Sheriff J. Wesley Brewer of Knox County, engaged the outlaws in a gun battle following the robbery. For the Burlington robbery the gang was joined by two Claiborne County youths, Good Asbury and Charlie Bounds. They were now using forty-five caliber automatic weapons and driving a stolen car. They changed automobiles frequently, preferring Ford V-8 sedans. If they saw a car on the highway that appealed to them, they stopped it, robbed the passengers, and drove away. Highway robberies were so numerous during their reign of terror that auto clubs issued warnings to tourists traveling through East Tennessee to use special caution.
They stole a car belonging to a man named Richardson, but became dissatisfied and ditched it. They then stopped Knoxville motorist C. E. Williams and took his car, watch, and money. While the Williams' robbery was in progress, a truck driver named Dave Gwinn slowed to a stop near the scene and Bunch ordered him to move out by emptying his automatic into the truck. One of the slugs struck Gwinn in the right leg and he underwent surgery to treat the wound.
The evening following the Burlington gun battle, the quartet robbed the Blue Bird Restaurant in New Tazewell and broke all the windows and mirrors with pistol fire before leaving. Bunch was driving the getaway car and misjudged a corner on thehighway and rolled over in a ditch, however, no one was injured in the accident.
The gang fled back to Bunchtown Ridge and appeared at the home of Dr. 0. D. Miller on Lone Mountain around midnight. They aroused the doctor by calling to him. Not recognizing the voices, he admitted them. Bunch drew a pistol and ordered the doctor to treat a wound in McCoig's leg that they claimed he received in an auto accident. During the examination the doctor discovered the wound was caused by a bullet.
While the bandits were at the doctor's home, officers from several counties and a squad of Knoxville city police surrounded Dr. Miller's home. Before the physician completely bandaged the wound, the bandits helped McCoig outside and they fled in the shadows of the night abandoning their automobile. They traveled on foot to the home of Good Asbury's sister, where they hid in a barn for a time. Taking a horse for McCoig to ride, the group left before the posse arrived at the Gorley home. The manhunt was discontinued for the remainder of the night, but near morning a posse of Claiborne County officers surprised the gang on a mountain trail on Bunchtown Ridge. There was another gun battle, again without injury, and the gangsters escaped once more.
Early the next morning, Police Chief C. H. Minton of Middlesboro received a tip which sent him to Claiborne County. He stopped at Tazewell, where he was joined by Deputy Sheriff J. C. Franklin and W. H. Gregg. From there the officers drove to the home of C. T. Epperson, a bootlegger. As they approched the home they saw no one, but as they closed in on the house, Patrolman Bunch (not related to the fugitive) saw two men through the door that he recognized: Clarence Bunch and Sheriff Roach of Grainger County, who claimed to have a warrant for Bunch.
As they stepped out onto the porch, they were joined by Sheriff Brewer and Deputy Kirby of Knox County. Patrolman Franklin suggested they go to the Tazewell jail and talk the situation over. From the porch Sheriff Brewer shouted to the Knoxville officers to get Sheriff Roach's gun. Bunch flew into a rage. He grabbed Sheriff Roach's gun from the holster, ran a few steps across the yard, and began firing in the direction of Sheriff Brewer's car. Almost instantly Chief Deputy Kirby opened up with the machine-gun he was carrying and pumped twenty-three bullets into Bunch's body ending the career of one of Tennessee leading public enemies. Sheriff Roach and his Chief Deputy, H. V. Vann, were arrested by Sheriff Brewer and taken to the Knox County jail. Brewer had information indicating Roach had harbored Clarence Bunch for a week before the shooting. According to this information, Roach and Bunch had been seen together in Knoxville. Deputy Vann was later freed, but Sheriff Roach and Mrs. C. T. Epperson were convicted on harboring charges and each was fined fifty dollars and sentenced to serve six months in the workhouse. Sheriff Roach served only a short period.
McCoig, who had been arrested and awaited trial, was informed of the death of his pal in his cell at Tazewell. He, along with a friend, Charlie Bounds, were convicted on two counts of robbery and sentenced to serve fifteen years on each count in the State Prison at Nashville. Good Asbury and other accomplices were rounded up and sentenced to long prison terms.
In the state prison MaCoig was assigned to the hosiery mill. He made friends with eighteen-year-old Pete Dean of Nashville, who was serving a five year term, and George Wilbur Moss, a twenty-three year old robber from Lauderdale, who was serving a five-year term also.
Shortly after noon on December 3, 1935, Deputy Warden Ed Connors returned from his home where he had eaten lunch and parked his car inside the prison next to the hosiery mill. Before he could get out of the car Pete Dean leaped into theseat beside him and pressed a knife to his throat. McCoig and Moss quickly climbed into the back seat and shoved a wrench representing a gun in Conner's back and ordered him to drive away. A half mile from the prison Connors was forced out of the car and the gang sped away.
The fugitives were not seen nor heard from until ten o'clock on the morning of December 6, when McCoig and Dean, each carrying two pistols, and a third man recognized as Frank Hopson, a local youth, walked into the Citizens' Bank at Tazewell in Claiborne County. Inside they forced the occupants to line up against the wall while they scooped up $2000.00 before fleeing in a Ford sedan. While the trio was fleeing William Ingle, a cobbler, ran out onto the sidewalk from his shop and began shooting at the rear of the automobile with a rifle. McCoig leaned out of the car window and returned the fire. No one was injured but the gunfire alerted the authorities. The getaway car disappeared on State Route 33 in the direction of Knoxville. Cashier Lewis quickly telephoned the county jail in Maynardville and informed Sheriff L. B. Hutchinson of the holdup.
Sheriff Hutcheson and Deputy Austin Matthews raced the sheriff's Ford coupe toward Tazewell on Highway 33. About seven miles from Maynardville, and a short distance beyond the bridge over the Clinch River, the officers parked beside the highway. A car with three male passengers passed them at top speed. Matthews swung the car around and began a chase. The speeding sedan stopped at the south end of the bridge and turned sideways, blocking the highway. Dean remained in the car while McCoig and Hopson got out and stood on the roadway beside the car. McCoig was holding a forty-five caliber automatic concealed partly by his trousers. Matthews stopped his car a short distance away and he and the sheriff got out. In a soft tone Hutcheson began to speak to the boys but never finished the sentence. McCoig raised his weapon and opened fire. The first shot went wild, hitting the windshield, but the second struck Sheriff Hutcheson squarely between the eyes. McCoig then trained his weapon on Deputy Matthews, who was now out of ammunition, and ordered him to surrender. At that time a Greyhound bus pulled in behind Hutcheson's car and stopped. McCoig went to the bus with his forty-five flashing and told the driver and passengers that he had just killed the Union County sheriff. After boasting, he left the bus and paused a few moments to look at the body of the fallen sheriff before returning to the getaway car and heading toward Maynardville.
George Wilbur Moss, the robber who had escaped with McCoig and Dean from Nashville, did not participate in the bank robbery. He had been captured a few hours before on the highway a short distance from Tazewell.
Frank Hopson, the local youth who had participated in the bank robbery and witnessed the slaying of Sheriff Hutcheson, was behind bars twenty-four hours after the manhunt started. He had surrendered through his father, Silas Hopson, a respectable farmer. Hopson reported that Dean and McCoig had ditched him shortly after the shooting. He also claimed during his trial that he had asked McCoig to release him from the bank robbery.
Law officers speculated as to the whereabouts of McCoig and Dean and did not get much rest over the next several weeks. Meanwhile, Gov. Hill McAlister announced that the state was
For more information on this article or any article or publication of the Union County Historical Society please write them at:
Union County Historical Society
P.O. Box 95
Maynardville, TN 37807
Or
E-mail the Union County Historical
Society.
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