The Daily Dispatch: November 4, 1861., [Electronic resource]

Crime and Retribution.

‘ "An outrageous and cold-blooded scheme of robbery and murder has been developed and punished in Hardin county. Three men, named Willis, Magins, and Chesher, formed a plan to rob and murder a citizen named Dark, residing on Batson's prairie, and proceeded to the house for the purpose. Chesher commenced the attack by raising a gun to shoot Dark. The latter knocked the gun aside, and the discharge wounded his wife, though not seriously. He then seized a gun and shot Chesher dead. A faithful negro man of Dark's then came to the assistance of his master, but was shot and badly wounded by one of the remaining robbers. Dark having another loaded gun at hand, succeeded in putting them to flight. The alarm being given, a company from liberty turned out, caught Magins in Hardin, and Willis in Jasper county, and hung them both. They confessed that it was their intention to kill the whole of Dark's family, and they named three or four others whom they intended to murder and rob. Willis was a young man who had lived in Jefferson and Hardin counties some four years, and was well thought of before the occurrence. Chesher is looked upon as the leader in the horrible work, thus fortunately brought to an end.

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