The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-02-20

many others, the murderer should have
been able to so battle all pursuit. Hinch
and his band had been thoroughly cow
ed and awed; but the moment this idea
occurred to them, the reaction of their
base fears was savage exultation.-
Here was something tangible; their
open and united force could easily ex-
terminate an enemy who had acknowl-
edged their weakness in resorting to
secret combination and assassination
from "the bush" They forthwith pro-
claimed "war to the knife" with the
whole class; and during next week sew
eral outrages, so revolving that | will
not detail them, were perpetrated upon
these men in different parts ofthe coun-
ty; and the fact that, during this gen.
ernl tumut, nothing more was seen or
heard of the mysterious Refeman, en-.
couraged them with the belief that they
had succeeded in getting rid of him
through the intimidation of his confed.
crates.
They had now been for nearly n
fortnight in the saddIe-had glutted
themselves with vengeance, and, as
they conceived, broken down this dan
gerous conspiracy against their power;
and if they had not succeed in detect
ing and furnishing, had at least frighten-
ed off their singular foe. They now
concluded they might safely disband.
That day, after they separated, one of
their number, named Rees-almost as
bad and savage man as Hinch himself;
was riding past thicket, in sight OF his
own house, when he was shot from it.
His negroes heard the gun, and seeing
his horse galloping up to the house
riderless and snorting wildly, they ran
down, and found him stretched in the
road dead. He ,Das shot in the eye, and
the ball passed out at the back of his
head.
When Hinch heard this, he turned
perfectly livid, his knees smote togeth-
Ell, and with horrible oath, he exclaim-
ed, "It's Jack Long, or his ghost, by
G.! come back for vengeance!' 1t
was now perceived, for the first time,
that all the men had been shot through
the eye, instead of in the back of the
head, where the ball had only passed
out after entering at the socket. The
other heads had been too unpIeasanty
mutilated for examination, and this fact
had not been before observed. OF
course, everybody was satisfied now.
that this terrible beng was in one way
or another identified with Jack Long;
for the notorIety of his tavorite mark
and his matchless skill instantly occur
red to all. as accounting for much that
was unaccountable in these occurren-
ces. This produced a great change in
public feeling. The better sort began
to conceive that they understood the
whole matter. The Iynching Jack had
received was fresh in their memories,
and they supposed that its severity had
shaken his mental balance and made
him monomanlac, and that the dis
ease had endo wed him with the mar
vellous cunning-the staunch, murder
Gus hate-and the unnatural appear
ance, which had created such sensa-
ton. They could not understand how
a being so simple e-hearted and sluggish
as he was reputed to have been, could
have been reused or stung to such
deeds by the mere depth and power of
MS natural passions. But monomani-
&C or not, such vengeance, and the
1aring conduct OF the whole affair, were
very imposing to their associations and
and they sympathized
heartily with him. 1t was only while
The general uncertainty left every man
N doubt whether his own person
night not be next the object Of this
nurderous aim, that the public were
disposed to back the Rangers in what
ever violent measures they might
choose to resort to, to drag the secret
% light, and the actor to punishment;
out now that it was apparent his whole
l1te was levelled against the Rangers,
md all that uncertainty was confined
o them, be he devil, ghost, madman, or
lack Long, the public had no intention
If interfering again. 1t was per-
'onal issue between him and them
hey might settle it between them
selves! Indeed, men felt in their in
most hearts that every man Of the ten |
in the lynching of Jack Long
deserved dozen times over to be shot;
Ind now they looked on cooly, rather
Enjoying the thing, and earnestly hop
ng that Jack might have the best Of it.
And of this there seemed to be
trong probability; for the Regulators
made only one more attempt to get to-
,ether; but another Of their number be-
ng kille on his way to the rendezvous,
,is hodv hearing that well kno wn and |