Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1854-03-22

Iindignity and outrage followed each OH
er fast. Hinch never forgave the Inlncky
skill which had robbed him OF. his proudr
est boast, that OF being the best marks
man on the FT6nGier; and he swore, in
base, YindicIive bate, todog him to death,
or make hfmIeavc the country. Soon at
ter this, a valuable horse belonging to a
rich and powerful planter, Disappeared -
He was one of those men who had COM
promised with the Regulators, paying so
much black mail for exemption from their
depredations, and protection against 9TH
ers OF The same stamp; and he now appll-
ed to Hinch for the recovery of his horse
and the punishment of the thief. This,
Hinch, under contract was bound 70 do,
and promised to accomplish forthwith
He and some Of his men wentof on the
trail Of the missing horse, aud returning
next day, announced, that they had tolT
lowed it with all the skill through many
windings, evidently intended to throw
off pursuit. and had at last traced it' to
Jack Longs picket fence, and there could
be no doubt but he was the thief. The
planter knew nothing ofJack, but that he
was a newcomer, and demanded that
he should be forced to give up the horse,
and be punished to the extremity OF the
frontier code. But this was not Hinch's
policy yet awhile. He knew the proofs
were not strong enough to make the
charge plausible, even before a Lynch
court, Of which he himself was both the
prosecutor Judge and executioner His
object was first to get up a hue and cry
against Long, and uuder cover of agene.
raj excitement accomplish his dcViiish
purposes without question or muchs trial
even. So that after a great deal of ma
neuvering for eight or ten days during
which time the charge against Long was
industriously circulated by his myrmi
dons, MS to attract general attention and
expectation as to the result of the lnVes.-
tigation, that he had the horse at last, hid
in timber bottom, near Longs. This.
of course, seemed strong confirmation OF
his guilt, and though the mob were most
of them horse thieves, to all intents, yet
it was an objectionable crime for any
one to practice professionally 5amoug
themselves so that Long was loudly de-
nounced, and threatened on every side,
and ordered to leave the country forth
with. N a
These proceedings, jack by no means
comprehended or felt disposed TO be mo-
we'd BY; but gave them ono and all to un-
derstand that he meant TO remain where
he was, until it entirely suited his conve.
nience, and if his time and theirs did not
asSTceI -ttTey-T,,;s sl,t uIIHKG the most OF IT,
And Jack was such an unpromising, slug
gish looking somebody, and his rePuta-
ton, which had now spread everywhere
of possessing such consumma'e skill
with the rifle, that he thought it con-
desension to shoot game anywhere else
but in eycs-was so formidable, that no
individual felt disposed to push the mat
ter to a personal collision. lie might
still, therefore have been left in quiet
but Hinch had unfortunately taken up
the impression, from jack s conduct in the
shooting affair, that he must be coward. !.
and if this were true. then all his skill
amounted TO but tlitttle, and like any 9th.
er bloody, wolfsh brute, he followed him
up the more eagerly, for this very reason,
which would have disarmed a generous
foe. Besides, Jack had given fresh and
weighing matter Of offence, that he had
refused to obey, and defed his authority
as regulator. The very being Of that au.
thorily seemed to require now that a
wholesome example should be made Of
him. for the aweing Of all refractory per-
sons hereafter The wretch, who was as
cunning AS ferocious, and had sworn in
his inmost heart TO ruin and disgrace
Long. from the moment Of that triumph,
now availed himself remorselesslv Of all
l.. "a laI, nfF Fhn Cnpi,
ETY. around him to accomplish it. Several
horses now disappeared, and robberies OF
other kinds perpetrated with singular
dexterity, followed in quick succession
All these things he managed through
the clamors Of his scoundrelly troops, to
have laid directly or indirectly at Jacks
door. a.ugu1 4g H @Hf. s70Fst
But in the popular estimation they.
counted as nothing in, fixing the charge
of dangerous malice upon poor Long, in
comparison with one other Incident
About this time not only Hinch himself,
but every other person who had made
made himself conspicuous, by insisting
upon Jacks guilt, and the necessity of
furnishing him summariiy, began TO lose
every day orstwo, valuable stock, which
was wantonly shot down sometimes in the
sight of their houses, and it soon began
to be remarked that every animal lost in
that way had been shot in the eye! This
was instantly associated with Jacks we'll
known and curious prediction for that
mark in hunting. A meeting was at once
convened at the store, of which the plan.
ter was chairman and at i0 by unani
nous vote, a resolution was passed, con-
demning Jack Long to be whipped and
driven out Of the country, and Hinch and
his regulators appointed to carry it, into
effect. He could hardly restrain himself
for Joy; for now, whatever extreme his