The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-03-21

ry saw. mistook him for Stoner, until he
looked into his face, for Henry's horse
and general appearance are not unlike
his-and when he found that he was
wrong, got out Of the way and went on
ill he met Sloner himself, and has shot
him =
No doubt Of it! said several.
But It's very mysterious affair." con-
linued he-'l know of no such looking
man in this region as Henry describes
but at any rate he will be hunted down
tomorrow, for Stoner was one OF the
Regulators, and Hinch is perfect blood
hound He can hardly escape him
crazy or not crazy!
This seemed TO be the most satisfactory
solution Of the difficulty, and as it was
too dark for us to do anything that night,
we resumed our seats to discuss over and
over again these details while the Squire
sent off messenger summoning Ulnch
and the Regulators TO be on the ground
early in the morning.
Before sunrise in the morning, Hinch
arrived with six men. / was walked by
his loud clustering and swearing. He
was raving, as l afterwards understood,
about Henry calling his story about the
meeting with the remarkable parsonage
all humbug-and asserting his belief
that if murder had been committed,
Henry was its author. Our host quoted
him in some way, and when we came
out to join them he greeted us with a
snarling sort of civility. He was thick
set, burly looking wretch, with blood shot
eyes and face bearing all tie marks of ri
otous debauchery Our search was for
several hours entirely unsuccessful, until
Henry by acciden! found the place where
he had encountered the Bearded Ghos,
as some one chrislened him. Here one
of the keen-eyed hunters found the traces
Of large moccassined foot. These were
pursued for several miles and lost. But
spreading our line and continuing the
same general course for some distance
farther, we at last found indeed the body
of Stoner! 1t had been so much mu,ula-
ted by the wolves and ravens, that little
examination was made of the bones. We
gathered them together to carry them
home to his family, and in doing this
noticed the fracture Of bulle! through
the back Of the skull. 1t had been strip
ped bear Of flesh, and both eyes plucked
out by the birds, and was too shocking
an object for close examination. Blu,
what puzzled all parties most was the
discovery, short distance off, of the
trail Of shod horse. Now, there was
perhaps not horse in Shelby county
that wore shoes, and certainly not one in
our party. ShOeing is never thought Of,
being unnecessary where there are no
stones. This was as perfect poser as
even Henry's story, and threw yet d
greater air Of inexplcabiliIy around the
affair 1t was thought tina, this track
might be easily traced to any distance
but after worrying about it for several
days, it was given up in despair, and the
Regulators, fa,igucd and dlsheartGned,
scattered for their respective homes.
But one of .heir number never reached
his. Being missed for two days, there
was general turn out to look for him
and as had been the case, with Stoner,
his body was found torn to pieces by the
wolves. The report was, that ne too had
been shot through the back of the head.
These murders, and the singular cir
cumstances accompanying them, created
great sensation. Ilinch and his troops
secured the country in every direction,
arresting and lynching suspicious per-
sons, as they called them. One poor in
offensive fellow they hung and Gu, down
four or five times, to make him confess ;
but nothing was elected; and they left
him with barely spark Of life.
That evening, as they were returning
to their head quarters at the store, one of
them named Winter, missed portion of
his horse furniture. which had become
accidentally detached. He said he had
observed it in its place mile back--,hat
he would return to get it, and rejoin them
at the store by the time they should be
ready TO commence the spree they had
determined on going into that night. He
left them and never returned. They
soon 60, drunk, and did not particularly
notice his absence until some time the
next day, when his family, alarmed by
the return Of his horse with an empty
saddle, sent to enquire after him. This
sort of inquiries had come to be SO signif.
icant of late, that they were instantly SO.
bered, and mounting, rode back on thier
trail. Very soon swarm of buzzards
and wolves, near line Of thicket ahead,
lea i1noted tho w horo,bon,s oc Tho ok;oo