Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-03-07

resulting IN anvthlnS, ana we all ueSaH -
be impatient, when happily the search that
Henry had undertaken, at my pressing In
stance, resulted in finding the place where
he met the strange creature.
A minute examination led 10 the discov-
cry of the moccasn tracks these the Reg
ulators followed with wonderful sagacity
for several miles, until we finally found
ourselves in an open space, surrounded by
woods, there were the remains of a man
who had been devoured by wolves.
A large number of these animals still
strolled in the environs, in company with
ravens and buzzards.
The bones had been so completely de-
nuded of all their flesh. that all hope of FIX
ing the identity of the body would have
been vain, without The gun which lay near
by. and was Immediately recognised to be
Stover's.
remarked that there was round frac.
ture at the back of the skull, like hole
made by a bullet; but il was too horrible
an object to behold, for one to examine 1t
more closely.
We collected the bones that we might
send them to the family Of the dead ; but
before leaving the spot, we made discov-
cry which was matter of surprise to each
one. 1t was the very distinct track of
shod horse.
Now, IN all Shelby county, there was
scarcely TO be found a horse that had shoes
on; for where there are no stones, irons
are unnecessary. Certainly, not one of our
troops company rode shod horse. This
was, then, to become the track OF the mur-
derer; so that henceforth Henry was deliv'
cred from the suspicious of these brutrs.
They thought that these tracks could be
easily followed and were Of the opinion
that they would soon arrive at full solu-
tion of the affair. They set out full OF con-
fdence, following the tracks OF the shod
horse. until night came on, when, notwlth-
standing their skill, they lost them COM
pletely and though they encamped on the
place where night overlook them, and re-
newed their search the next day, it was i'm
possible to find them again. They were fl.
nally obliged TO abandon the pursuit, and
dispersed, each 10 his place.
The day after their separation, the aston
ishine news came that the horse OF Sc
cond one of them, had galloped 10 his mas
ters door, the saddle empty. j..
The Regulators assembled anew, and at
ter long searching, found the remains OF the
corpse which had been dismembered by the
wolves.
The rumour ran, as in Stover's case, thai
the man had been wounded in the back OF
the head; but the skull vas very much
mangled.
These two murders took place in the
space of three days, for the man must have
been killed the day in which the Regula'
tors separated, and when he was returning
to his house, this produced an immense
sensation IN all the country. The story ol
Henry, which was the only one relative &c
the murderer, and the sngularity OF the
circumstance produced lively emotion
What could be the motive for these mur-
ders? Who was this invisible assassin 2
That remained an impenetrable mystery
for the last attempt to follow his tracks had
ended no better than the first.
Hinch and his band were furious. They
traversed the county in all directions, ar
resting and hagelating those whom they
called suspicious persons, that is to say, all
those who for any reason had displeased
them. 1t was fine occasion to spread a.
broad salutary terror, and thus glut
cowardly vengeance together, which they
had not dared to satisfy publicly before
these events.
Public opinion justified extreme meas
ures, for the general security seemed to de-
mand that the author OF these murders
should be discovered; and great as was the
license with which Hinch ordinarily acted
he felt ir the mean time the necessity ol
being sustained by this shadow of approba-
tion that was of value TO him in existing
circumstances.
Thus he, and the miscreants he COM
manded spent many truly saturnallan days
in which neither God nor man laid any OBJ
stace in their way.
Outrages, whose details would be TOO
hideously disgusting to relate, were COM
mitted in all parts of the country. lnofen-
sive men were torn from the midst OF their
families, and suspended to the branches OF
trees in their own yards until there oEly re-
lnained a breath of life in them, thentaken
down, to be hung up again four or five
times; all this was done to make them aVo"
their participation in the murders.
am unwilling to give farther details oil
their proceedings.