Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-08-22

We have given a short account OF the affair
described in the following letter. but the details
are so remarkable ard disclose such daring
course of viIainy that the full history Is worth
producing - ears. e. at,aeeae tse3
franklin HkSRY Co, ,(Aia)
it ~ttf0 os' July 81, 1916
T6Me Ediors Of Tie CharAeston Courier. .,
GKsrLKNsN On the goth instant, the post.
master at For. Gaines Geo } received letter
from Hancock County, tGeo.,) requesting him to
look out for a band of robbers, describing them,
sc that they had just robbeda Mr.. Biilinsslea,
OF Harris, OF eight thousand dollars Of American
gold and four thousand in state bonds-that the
same band had robbed Mr.. Watts, Of Hancock
County, (tieo,) Of four thousand dollars, princi.
patty American gold that they had given the "a:
miles where they obtained the money, NOR.
rhine, supposed by putting il in the vessel con.
tanning the drinking water. Billingslea was
robbed on the Is, of July, pursuit was immed.
ately made, and they were followed to Augusta
they there lost track Of them. Watts was rob.
bed on the 18th; and short time after they
were heard of in Macon. where they traded Of
two Of the bonds
In about two hours after the letter was re-
ceived at Fort Gaines, and the news made public
over the place, two men were seen passing
through the street on horseback, who appeared
10 I'LL the description precisely; they passed on.
making but little stop across the river into this
state; before they crossed the river, they met
negro man, and made inquiries OF Gen. Irwin,
who IS very respectable and wealthy planter,
II he still lived at the same Place, and how far
II was &c; they were informed that he did, and
the distance was three miles; they passed on
through this place without stopping, and called
at Gen. Irwin's, requesting TO stay al night; he
refused for some time, said he did not take III
any except acquai"'ances /; they made many beg
ging excuses, till he consented to let them stay.
Soon after this. company Of men from Fort
Gaines came in pursuit Of the robbers; as soon
as they came into the house and ordered them
TO surrender, one Of them, DR.. F.. A. Roberts,
asked why they pursued him--the other, who
called himself John Jacobs, (but whose name
we suppose is VIM. Eppes) CONNIE need back.
ing, drew six barrelled revolver and threatened
death if any one advanced toward him; Mr..
Wilson, though unarmed, continued to advance
on him, Eppes continuing TO back till he got
some Thirty yards outside OF the house, when
Gen. Irwin requested Wilson to stop. that his
dogs would fetch him (Eppes) in. lie immedi-
ate'y ordered his negroes TO loose two very large
dogs that he has 10 keep chained on account Of
their feroc,y. As soon as the dogs were loosed,
Fppes came in, gave up his pistol, and surrender.
ed In lew moments after second company
from Fort Gaines arrived in pursuit, in con.
sequence ofa reward Of $4,000 for their dctec.
ton. tet
Gen Irwin ordered the prisoners horses to
he brought out, delivering at the same time the
prisoners saddle bags to the company who had
taken them; the prisoners not yet searched, or
fastened in any way, they all started to their
horses to leave for Fort Gaines, it then being
about ten o'clock at night The prisoners being
put on their own horses, and the company dis.
putting about fastening them, Eppes thought il a
GOOD time to make his escape. as he had very
fine and spirited horse, Wilson holding on to the
reins; Eppes thinking he could get his horse
loose from Wilson and make his escape, COM
menced whipping him numerically, and was on
the verge Of succeeding, when man named But.
Ter rode up to Eppes and shot him in the head at
least seven buckshot taking effect in the ear and
back part of the head he fell from his horse and
never spoke again; he lived near two hours after
he was shot
During the excitement after Eppcs was shot,
DR.. E. A. Roberts got off his horse, went up to
Eppes, pulled off h finger ring. took out his
gold watch, and his collar and collar buttons,
purse, and roll of money, (on the Bank Of Da.
rien,) and put them in his pocket; the ring. col.
lar and collar buttons have not since been seen,
The watch was recovered from Roberts when he
wss searched after arriving At Fort Gainee. On
examining Roberts, aner they got to Fort Gaines
they found on him and in Eppes' saddle bags
near five thousand dollars, principally Ameri.
can gold-26 skeleton keys, 2 lock pickers, se-
veral pieces Of sperm candles which hac been
It, several boxes of matches, black mask for
the face and head, bowie knife, with the meme
Of William Eppes, written on the scabbard, 2
phials Of morphine. or 3 phials strychnine. and
one phial supposed to be the extract Of morphine.
They were both well dressed aud had fine
horses, but not paper about them thst would
givethe least instruction Of their names or busi.
ness. DR.. E. A. Roberts was identified BY three
or four individuals; he was . witness 10 case
n this county against one George w. Lo@e,
who was indicted for killing young man for
his money; Ioore was found guilty. but made