Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-03-14
These events produced an impression so

But Henfy lauSned al the luea, anu Hdiu-
tanned that the assassin must be madman,
and cited in support of his opinion, several
examples reported by physicians, somewhat
romantic perhaps, of the remarkable skill
with, which such diseased persons avoided
discovery and eluded all pursuit in the ac-
complishmeat of some design upon which
all their misguided faculties were strangely
concentrated. This opinion was most in
favour among the planters, the most intel
ligent class; but popular rumour gave to
the murderer, features of the most extraor
dinary and fantastic character.
The Bearded Phantom, the name given
him from Henry's description,-had been
seen by different persons. Sometimes he
was crossing, with great strides, like gl-
ant spectre, some open space between two
woods, and disappeared before the fright
ened observer could summon sufficient
courage to speak to him. Sometimes he
was seen standing upright and lmmovable
at the foot of an old tree on the side OF the
road his eyes deep in their cavern sockets,
sparkling fixedly in the darkness; but he
became invisible when word was said to
him. Yet again he would pass on horse
back like light vapour before the blacklsh
trunks of the forest trees, or fly off, as rap
idly as a raln-cloud driven by the wind, o.
yer vast prairie.
But he was always skeleton-like clothed
with the skins of animals, flowing beard,
and long and heavy carbine on his shoul-
der.
very soon began to remark that those
who told of seeing with their own eyes,
these wondrous things, all belonged to the
class of these rovlug hunters, who had pc
culiarly suffered from the prosecutions Of
the Regulators. | observed also, that they
always placed the mysterious apparilons
IN the immediate neighborhood Ct some one
of the Regulators houses.
And was struck with the idea that there
was skilful conspiracy of some person ol
that class, under the guidance of man who
was remarkable both for his appearance and
his shrewdness, the object Of it being to
bring about The determination of the Regu-
lators, or drive them out of the country.
1t appeared that the cunning mind OF
Hinch arrived at the same conclusion. He
observed the peculiar eagerness with which
these men circulated strange news, and to
exaggerate, as much as possible the idea
which the people had formed of that mys-
ferrous being. His savage character pos
sessed itself of this idea with an emotion oil
indescribable pleasure. Heuceforth he
could wage open war on all this odlous
class. fee the country entirely of them,
and reach his terrible enemy IN his coad]u-
tors at last, if he should succeed in screen
ing himself from his vengeance.
He then loudly accused the wandering
hunters; and as the population was greatly
alarmed, and felt the necessity Of sounding
this dangerous secret to the bottom, great
number of men willingly offered their SER
vices TO Hinch; and during one week four
or five parties traversed the country in all
directions. Thus reinforced, Hinch gave
himself up to excuses, to which all his Tor
mer ones were nothing in comparison.-
Many individuals were horribly mutllated
with the lash; others were forced to take
refuge in the woods, where they were hunt
ed like wolves. Finally Hinch went so far
as TO hang one of these poor devils for good.
During all the time that these violent de-
monstrat;ons lasted and curiosity was on
tip.toe, nothing more was heard OF the
bearded phantom.
: No one saw him even at distance; so
that Hlnch's satellites, on their return from
the hanging which have mentioned, con-
= graduated themselves upon the result oi
their chiefs sagacity, whom they boastlng-
Iv affirmed had annihilated the formidable
. conspiracy and driven away the senseless
ghost. They believed themselves 50 sure
t Of being freed from it, that after arriving at
: the grocery they dispersed, each to return
;, to his home.
: One of them whose name was Rees, al
/ most as wicked and brutal man as Hnch
himself, was returning alone at late hour
in the evening. As he vas passing IN front
of thicket IN sight Of his house, his wife,
: who was waiting his return saw hlm sud-
4 denly stop his horse, and quickly turn his
head toward the thicket then an instant
afterwards blue smoke issued forth from
4, the bushes. At the saEle instant she heard
the report of a gua, saw her husband iai
from his saddle on his face, and believed
she distinguished tall individual with
carbine on his shoulder rapidly recedlng
through the lofty forest trees that were ad-
lacent. She Immediately spread the alarm
and with her negroes ran to where he hao
fallen. They found him quite dead; the
ball had struck him in Tie eye, and passed
through the back of his head
AT the reception of the news OF this
fourth murder, general indignation was car
ried TO ITS height but when the curious cir
: cumstances which have just dvulged were
made known, great change took place IN
: the nature of that feeling.
; On learning that Rees had been struck
in the eve, and that from the direction OF
: the bali in the three other cases, 1t was
probable that all the victims had been killed
: in the same manner, Hinch became as livld
+ as a body that had been two days dead his
knees smote together. and he exclaimed
with horrible blasphemy:
! "Jack Long Jack Long ~ then lowering
his voice, 'or his spirit come to revengelt it.
= self"
$ Those who had nothing in common with
( the Regulators were greatly relieved to see
this mysterious affair, finally, to a certain
D point explained.
They 'mmediately caileu 10 NINA 'he
memorable circumstance of Jacks triumph
t at the target, and the punishment that was
inflicted on him.
In the mean time considerable number
persisted in believing that it was Jacks
, spirit, saying: GLOW could it be otherwise,
as the Regulators left him for dead -
But, spirit Or not, the general belief was
| that Jack Long and his carbne were the
: authors of these deaths. In the three 9TH
l sr cases. the skull had been so much dis