Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1852-10-13

once was, or as the popular curiosity now
has it, The Cave of Skulls This | com
nunlcate for our private good
Yours in bonds, MICHER'
A vehement burst of Indignation followed
this, and from the farther end of the Court
room came up a shrill iping cry Of The
Cave of Skulls The Cave of Skulls r.
That strange cry was from Rudolph Leyere.
who was an interested spectator ofthe scene.
Judgment was pronounced upon the guilty
culprit and he was besought by the tribunal
to reveal the names of his wicked comrades ;
but he said
Respectable men among you arc as gull
ty as your prisoner he has been unfprtu
nate-has been caught. and is ugss1 GSasTy
to be of,red sacrifce to zll,eal~.,tan.ls of q
-l;a..a...A..l. - lay. Who my conlf1'sv~---z
cannot tell for am bound in good faith
by an oath which no power in earth or hell
can make me break. Wait till like me they
are caught, and then you shall know them
as they are :
He was led away and suffered the pancs.
the penalty and met the sad doom of the
laws he had set at naught-the laws of God
and man
The tribunal ordered out posse to search
the Cave eff Skulls, which lad been unvisi-
ted for some time, in order to find if posi-
BILE the remains of the infant alluded to in
the anonymous letter, but they could find
no trace of it and gave up the search as a
futile effort to explain the mysteries with
which the whole affair was shrouded. 1t was
evident that the prisoner was the Captain of
one Of the most notorious bands of banditti
that ever infested any country, and the ten
or of the anonymous letters fully explained
the mystery hanging over the history of the
Cave concerning its being the rendezvous
Of gang of outlaws. Many other letters
and papers were found on the person Of the
culprit, bu. they Icing prevalent to the pur-
pose Of this narrative we shall pass them by
unnoticed. Popular conjecture and curiosi-
ty was at high pitch owing to the develop.
ments made by the trial, and suspicion was
liveted on many innocent persons as being
members of the gang of outlaws; many sus
picions were afuat which gave rise 10 un.
pleasant feelings between neigh5ors and
families. Years had passed since the Cave
Of Skulls was discovered and named by the
quarters and the popular excitement hat
died away, but now when new light wa,
thrown upon it the excitement was far great
er than it was at first, and the old bones a
Wiug6eld Tavern and the bullet hole ii
the Left tennle Nera nYaa4n4d t1e fleaeIf7
from what we can gather from Fhe coil'f"
papers, that the unfortunate man who wa
Shot in the left temple was first placed in tn
Cave and afterwards, for some reason un
known to us, was wedged in among th
stones in the hill side, where he renaine
undisturbed until he was dug out by th
workers in stone The old tale Of Crazy Ne
ly entertaining the outlaws was revived an
set afoat with additions, to the effect thu
: they had become tired Of her and had put a
end to her life while others said they hel
belief in the sayings Of th7 old hunter, wi
: :. was now no more, that Cray Nelly ";
}, y slumhering in the quiet Lake beneath Ella
gowan Cliff. Many conjectures were aho
: bearing upon the revelations that had bee
: developed by The bandit, tIial, and the e
: tire city Of A. and the surreundll
) country was in u food OF excitement.