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- [S117] The White-Caps - A History of the Organization in Sevier County, E. W. Crozier, Publisher, (Copyright 1899), Chapter XXVII.
Millard Filmore Maples was born in Sevier county about six miles east of Sevierville in the month of August, 1856. He is forty-two years old and in the prime of life and vigor of manhood. He is a son of G. R. Maples, Sr., a farmer and an old ex-federal soldier.
He was born and raised on the farm and trained by his father to that occupation, but farming did not suit his taste very much, and after he had grown up and married, he soon drifted from the farm into other business channels.
Mr. Maples has only a common school education, but being bright and intelligent he thoroughly mastered the common school course and acquired what might be called a good business education.
In the summer of 1894 he made his first race for sheriff of Sevier county. Maples being naturally of a social disposition and a good mixer, his work for the previous fifteen years had afforded him an excellent opportunity to become well acquainted with the people in all parts of the county.
His opponents in this race were G. L. Delozier, who was then sheriff, and Captain E. M. Wynn, who was an ex-sheriff, having served two terms in that capacity. Both of these men were of splendid character and very popular with the people, besides being thoroughly acquainted throughout the county. Three stronger men are seldom pitted against each other.
This race occurred at a time when the White-caps were holding high carnival in Sevier county and made themselves felt in elections. Maples took a bold stand against this organization and its practices and asked of them no assistance. This, of course, drove the White-caps from him, but brought to his support most of the anti-White-cap leaders. It was also understood that Maples would appoint one democrat as a deputy, and this brought him the full democratic vote.
While Captain Wynn was not believed to be a White-cap, but on the contrary a quiet and law abiding citizen, yet for some reason the White-cap element as a rule was supposed to be for him, as well as many others who were known not to belong to that order.
Delozier’s supporters were men who stood between the two great extremes and consisted of a large number of conservative men of all classes in the county.
Maples was elected by a plurality of 147 votes, and inducted into this office the following September. His first term as sheriff was not marked by any special incidents, except so far as the war he and his deputies waged against the White-caps.
It was he and his deputies who arrested thirteen at one time, charged with white-capping, and brought them into Sevierville for trial. This was immediately after the battle near Henderson’s Springs between the White-caps and Blue Bills, in which three men were killed and one or two others wounded.
Maples has always waged an unrelenting war on the White-caps and was hated by them second to none except Tom Davis, his faithful deputy and anti-White-cap leader.
He was a candidate again and re-elected in 1896, thereby receiving the endorsement of the people of the county for an honest and faithful administration of his first term.
His opponents in his second race were C. C. Yett and R. H. Shields, the former being a son-in-law of Captain Wynn and a deputy under him when he was sheriff, and the latter being a warm supporter of G. L. Delozier. It is therefore seen that the field was divided much in the same manner as in the former race, and the same issues in a measure entered into it. This time Maples was elected by a plurality of 162 votes.
Soon after his second election the Whaley murder occurred. This afforded sheriff Maples and his deputy’s additional reasons for pursuing the White-caps with more zeal than ever, which they did. This murder aroused so much public sentiment against White-capping that sheriff Maples thought that now was the time to strike the death blow. And to that end he and his deputies went to work as never before to drive out this hated organization from the county. So he and his deputies became vigilantes and detectives to hunt down White-cap criminals wherever they might lurk, and especially were they determined to hunt down the Whaley murderers and bring them to justice. What success the have had remains for the public to judge.
By the time sheriff Maples term of office expired, white-capping in Sevier county was almost a thing of the past, and many of those found guilty of this offense had been tried and convicted.
Sheriff Maples took a leading part in the prosecution of Pleas Wynn and Catlett Tipton, and on this account incurred the enmity not only of the defendants but of some of their friends and relatives also.
This led to an unfortunate difficulty between sheriff Maples and William Wynn, a brother of Pleas, during the March term of circuit court, 1898, in Sevierville, in which Maples shot Wynn, who died in a few hours.
Pleas Wynn and Catlett Tipton were being tried for the Whaley murder at this time and William Wynn not liking the interest Maples was taking in the trial both as a witness and an officer, and being somewhat intoxicated, accosted Maples on the street and began cursing and abusing him. Whereupon Maples drew his pistol and shot him, but not until Wynn had threatened to kill him and made an attempt to draw a weapon, as Maples claims.
Maples now stands indicted for the killing of Wynn, and insists that he was justifiable in doing it under the circumstances.
The case will probably be tried at the next term of the circuit court, at Sevierville, when the public will get the merits of the case as presented by the testimony.
It is generally admitted that Wynn sought the meeting between him and Maples and brought on the difficulty, and being a bold, dangerous man, will all militate in Maples favor.
When Tom Davis became a candidate for sheriff against Mr. Shields, sheriff Maples, remembering the great services rendered him by Davis while a deputy under him, espoused his cause vey enthusiastically and contributed much by his vast influence to the election of Davis .
Maples has always been a strong republican, but in this instance he took the bit in his mouth over the protests of many of his friends and appointed Tom Davis a deputy because of his peculiar fitness for the position.
He had no cause to regret this appointment, and when Davis became a candidate for sheriff he could not withhold his support from him, even though a democrat. He felt that it was not inconsistent after having appointed Davis a deputy to give him his support, and right or wrong this is the record he has made.
Maples was married when quite young to Miss Julia Lillard, of Cocke county, a quiet, unassuming Christian woman, who made him a cheerful and zealous help meet through all his struggles in life.
Mr. and Mrs. Maples have only one child, a daughter, who is now Mrs. W. H. Gass, of Sevierville.
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 7 Aug 2010.
Upland Chronicles: Sherriff Maples takes on White Caps
by Carroll McMahan
Filmore Maples was Sevier County Sherriff from 1894 until 1898.
Lay’s Marble City Saloon was located at 135 Central Avenue, next door to the establishment operated by James P. Lay, where Filmore Maples was fatally wounded.
Sherriff Filmore pictured with his wife, Julia and daughter, Lillie.
The race for sherriff in the Aug. 2, 1894 Sevier County General Election was one of the most hotly contested contests in our county’s colorful political history. The overwhelming issue revolved around the notorious vigilante White Cap organization, which had gained enormous strength in the years leading up to the election.
The sherriff’s race was not easily won. Incumbent Sherriff George L. Delozier was challenged by former Sherriff Elkanah M. Wynn as well as businessman Thomas Millard Filmore Maples, who took a strong stand against the White Caps thus gaining the support of anti-White Cap leaders. With Maples taking the boldest and most opposing position against the White Caps, he won the election by a plurality of only 147 votes. He was sworn in Sept. 1, 1894.
Sherriff Maples and his deputies led by Democrat Tom Davis, who, like Maples, was staunchly against the White Caps, waged war against the organization. They arrested 13 men after a battle near Henderson Springs between the White Caps and Blue Bills, a group established for the sole purpose of defending the public against the vigilantes. During the battle, two men were wounded and three were killed.
In 1896, Maples sought re-election. His opposition consisted of C. Columbus Yett, son-in-law of former Sherriff Elkanah Wynn, as well as Robert H. Shields, a major supporter of former Sherriff George Delozier. Although he was hated by the White Caps and their supporters, Maples was successfully re-elected by the small margin of 162 votes.
Just months after Maples second term began, the White Caps struck again. On Dec. 28, 1896 the White Caps murdered William and Laura McMahan Whaley; however, they left behind the McMahan’s infant daughter, Molly, crying in her crib. The unmerciful slaying of the young couple aroused so much public sentiment against the White Caps that Sherriff Maples decided the time had come to strike the death blow against vigilantism in Sevier County.
Two suspects, Pleasant “Pleas” Wynn and James Catlett Tipton, were arrested and placed on trial for the crime. Sherriff Maples took a leading role in their prosecution and incurred the enmity not only of the defendants but also of their friends and relatives as well. This led to an unfortunate altercation between Sherriff Maples and William Wynn, a brother of Pleas Wynn.
The Wynn brothers were the sons of former Sherriff Elkanah Wynn who had lost his position to Maples in 1894. The incident occurred when Sherriff Maples attempted to apprehend William Wynn for severely beating a witness who had testified in court against his brother, Pleas. Sherriff Maples and witnesses reported Wynn, while intoxicated, approached the sherriff on a public street and began cursing and abusing him. Wynn, according to Maples, resisted arrest and threatened to kill him. As he made an attempt to draw his gun, Sherriff Maples had no alternative but to fire quickly before Wynn could kill him.
As for Pleas Wynn and James Catlett Tipton, they were found guilty of the murders of William and Laura Whaley and were executed by hanging on July 5, 1899. Sherriff Maples was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense for the killing of William Wynn. Before Maples left office in 1898, the White Caps were a thing of the past in Sevier County and many additional members of the notorious organization who were found guilty of related crimes had been tried and convicted as well.
When Maples decided not to pursue re-election for a third term in 1898, he cast his full support in favor of his faithful Deputy Tom Davis, a Democrat. Although Maples was a Republican, he laid political allegiances aside in order to support the man who had assisted him with bringing the White Cap organization to justice. During this time in Sevier County, candidates were not chosen to represent their respective parties in an earlier primary election; however, everyone knew both men’s political affiliations.
Once Sherriff Maples finished his last term, he moved to Knoxville where he served as a deputy United States Marshall, gouger in the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and was also a police officer. In addition, Maples was employed as a bartender by Lay’s Saloon until he opened his own bar in Knoxville, the Arcade Saloon, which went out of business.
On April 4, 1907, Maples visited his friend and former employer at Lay’s Saloon on Central Avenue in Knoxville. Their private conversation escalated into a heated confrontation, which ended with the bar owner, James P. Lay, firing five shots at Maples, who died instantly. Lay was taken to jail and charged with murder. He pleaded self-defense and was acquitted of all charges only eight days later.
The former sherriff was 50 years old at the time of his death. Maples had been making plans to return to Sevier County and reside on a farm he had recently purchased. His obituary concluded with the remark, “May his faults be forgotten and his many good qualities remembered.”
— Carroll McMahan is the Special Projects Facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments; contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or e-mail to cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or e-mail to ron@ronraderproperties.com
© themountainpress.com 2010
- [S94] Sevier County, Tennessee Census, 374a, 12 Jul 1870.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/tn/sevier/census/1870/0374a.gif
- [S94] Sevier County, Tennessee Census, 343, 1880.
Source: FHL Film 1255277 National Archives Film T9-1277 Page 343A
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
M. F. MAPLES Self M M W 22 TN
Occ: Clerk In Store Fa: TN Mo: TN
J. F. MAPLES Wife F M W 30 TN
Occ: Keeping House Fa: TN Mo: TN
S. L. MAPLES Dau F S W 4 TN
Fa: TN Mo: TN
E. CLEVENGER Other F S W 17 TN
Occ: Servt. Fa: TN Mo: TN
http://sevierlibrary.tripod.com/page561880.html
- [S34] In the Shadow of the Smokies, Smoky Mountain Historical Society, (1993), 422.
Lists death as August 1856.
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