Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-06-24

ing to delay, determined to proceed alone. While
breakfast was preparing, the iarpes and their wo-
men came up, Their appearance denoted poverty
wuhbut little regard to cleanliness two very indis-
ierent horses, with some bags swung across them,
md rff1c gun or two composed nearly their whole
equ'pagc. Squalid and miserable, they seemed OBJ
Jecfso pity rather than of fear and their crocious
ganccs were attributed To hunger than guilty
paSsnu fhsy were cntirc strangers IN that nc,gh-
borboo,i and like Mr.. Langford were about To cross
the Wilderness When breakfast served up, the
iandlord as was customary al such PLACES, IN those
times invited all persons who were assembled IN tho
cornaon. perhaps the only room Of his little inn.to
sit down; bat tho Herpes declined, alleging their
of mo,'ey the reason. Langford who was Of
lively, generous disfes..e, hearing this, invited
them topartake of the meal at his expense they
cep;cd of the invitation, and ate voraciously Whcr
they had thus refreshed themselves and were abou,
TO renew their journey, Mr.. Langford called for the
bill, and in the act Of discharin il inprudenly dis
played handful OF silver, They then set out to-
getbcr.
"A few days alter, some men who were Conduct.
'ng drove oi cattle to Virginia, by the roac
which had been travelled by Mr.. Langford and the
ilarpcs, had arrived within few miles OF the Big
kock- Castle River, when their cattle took fright
and quitting the road, rushed down Hill into the
woods In collecting them, the droveTs discovered
the dead body OF u man conccalcd behind 4 log, and
covered with brush and leaves. IL was DOW evidcn,
that the cattle had been alarmed by tho smell o
OF violence, ii was at once suspected that murder
HAD been pcrpctrated but recently. The corpse was
taken 10 the same house where tie. Harpes had
0reakasted, and recognized 10 be that of Mr.. Lang
iord, whose name was marked upon several parts oi
his dress. Suspicion fell upon the lIarpes who were
pursued and apprchended near the Grab Orchard.--
ihcy were taken stamford, the scat of Justice for
bhcoin couaiy, where they We're examined aud
committed by an uquring court, sent Danyic for
sale Keeping, and probp. for trial, the system OF
dsird courts was then IN operation III Kentucky
Previous To tho tune Of trial, they made their cs
cape, and proceeded TO Henderson county, which n,
thai tune was just beginning 10 be settled.
Here they suon acquired a dreadful celebrity.
Neither avsricc, want nor any of the usual induce
'nents To the commission Of crime, seemed govern
their conduct. a savage thirst for biuud-a deem
rooted maiignity against human nature, could alone
be discovered In their actions. They murdered every
detenceleSs being who fell in their way without dis
tncton o. aye, sex. color. la the night thew
stole secretly 10 ihc cabin, slaughtered inhabitants
aud burned their dvclling-whiie the farmer who
lrii his house by day returned 10 witness the diving
aeonIcs o! his wife and children. and the con!agla
it"n Of his possessions. Plumber not their object
travellers they robbed and murdered but from the
inhabitants they took only what would have been
freely given to them, md no more than was immedi
ntcly necessary 10 supply the wants OF nature they
destroyed without having suffered njury, and without
the prospect of gain. a negro hoy. riding IN mill
with bag Of corn was seized by them aud his brains
dashed out against tree: but the horse which he
rode, and the gain were left unmoleSted Females
children, and servants no longer dared stir abroad
unarmcd mon feared 10 encounter a Harpc and the
solitary hunter he irod the forest looked around
him with watchful eye and when he saw n stranger
picked his flint and stood the defensive.
1T seems incredible that such atrocities could have
been often repeated country famed for the hardi-
hood and gal!antry of is people; in Kentucky the
cradle of courage, and the nurse Of warriors. But
that part of kentucky which was the scene Of these
bsTbarltics was then almost a wilderness, and the
vigilance of the Harpcs for time insured impunity
The spois of their dreadful warfare furnished them
with the means ut violence add of escape. Mounted
on fine horses, they plunged into the forest euded
pursuit by frequently changing their course and
appeared, unexpectedly TO perpetrate new enoIities
n points distant from those where they supposed
20 lurk. On these occasions. they often left their
wives and children behind them; and it Is n fact
honorable TO the community. that vengeance for these
bloody deeds was not wreaked the helpless but IN
ome degree guilty. companions of the perpetrators
Justice, however, was not long delayed
"A frontier is often the retreat of loose individuals
Who, if not familiar with crime. have very blunt per
cp;lOns of virtue. The genuine woodsInen the
cal pioneers are Independent brave and upright; put
Is the acka pursues the lion to dcvour his lea ynos
he footsteps OF the sturdy hunter are closely pur-
ued by mlScreants destitute of his noble Qualities
These are the poorest and the diest of the human
to labor. aid impatient of the restraint
,ut the ar'lor, the activity, the love Of sport and
patience Of fatigue winch distinguish the bold back
voodSman these doomed 10 The ,orcst by sheer
azness, and hunt for hare Subsistence; they are the
cankers of calm world md long peace The help
ess n1bodteS, vino, "a country where none starge
nd few beg, sleep until hunger pinches. then stroll
ntO the woods for meal, and return TO their shmn-
er They are sometimes mere wax ~ the hands
f the designing. aud brcome the acCossotics of that
,ut which they have not the courage the industry
o pcrpetrate. with such mon the Harpes are sup
,osed TO have sometimes hUkcd. None are known
o haze participated IN their deeds Of blood nor sus-
,ected Of sharing tIeir counses but tey sometimes
;rept to the miserable cabins of those who feared or
we're not inclined TO betray them.
1.-TWO travellers came one night TO the house Of
nan named Stcgal, and, for want Of better odpups
claimed under his little roof that hospitality which in
new country Is found at every habtaton. Shortly
lfteT the Harpcs arrived. 1t was not il seems their
irst visit; for Mrs Stcgai had received Instructions
rom them which she dared not dsobcy, never to ad.
iress them by their real names in the presence OF
bird persons. On this occasion they contrived to
inform her that they intended 10 personac ueftodsI
1rsdchnrs and ordered her to arrange aters so that