Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1856-05-23


and when he had proceeded several miles, he
espied some distance ahead, man, who
wore slouched hat an ill-ftting, somewhat
! tattered coat, walking rather awkwardIy,
bis body inclined forward, now shooting
-aiagonally across the road, and then, taking
up and balancing himself, moving on gam
in a straight line. As McGlelIand neared
hlni, the man once or twice looked around,
Iexhibitinga pair of blackened eyes, as if
he had been recently engaged in a fight
and MeClelland inferred from his whole con-
duct and appearance that be had been in
company drinking and got hihisely hand-
somely pumDe,ed, without having been So
bered by the operation. AS they approach
ed the summit, McCleliand gained upon
the fellow, until at the point which we
have been endeayoring to describe he was
about passing him but at that moment
and before he suspected any danger he found
himself dragged from his horse, the drunk
Ell man, as he had taken him to be, having
| sprang upon him at single bound, willie in
the same instant a man with cooked pistol
| jumped up from either side of the road, the
one scizing the horses bride and the other
coming to the assistance Of their leader,
| who was no other than Lewis himself and
who had assumed this disguise to prevent
suspecion. The two had been lying III wait
were Conner and Gonnelly--and there can
he no doubt but some one of The gang ha 7
seen McClelland the day or evening before,
and that they had prepared themselves
during the night to attack him in the niorll-
ing. Had tarriea at Nycum's until later in
the day and perchance got some company,
he would mo st likely been permitted TO pass
nnmolested, aud the counterfeit druukard,
who with painted ewes and tattered gar
ments, had been seen staggering along the
'road would scarcely have been thought Of
again.
The spot was we'll chosen by the robbers
for the accomplishment of their purpose
On the north side of the road, for distance
OF at least quarter Of mile, the woods
were more open here than at any other point
on the mountain: and whilst MeClelland vas
hurried off by two Of the men among the
thickets, his horse was galloped at full speed
I through the open space, so as to- be out Of
sight, should any person CHARGE to come
along the read. Having commanded
M'Clelland to observe silence if be did not
! wish to have bis brains blown ont, they leo
! him onward for several miles, the other man
with the horse bringing up the rear, until
they reached the robbers hut, which had
! been constructed of light logs and covered
with bark, where they halted and forthwith
entered upon an examination of their booty
After aseertaining the amount, Lewis turned
to MeClelland and smilingly said he was snot
! the bird they had been watching for, never
theless these were pretty rich pickings' and
his associates were amply compensated
thereby for their trouble. Conner and Com
nelly then proposed they should put Me-
Clelland to death alleging as reason that
! if he were set at liberty he would inform on
them and might cause their arrest; against
which Lewis stoutly protested an at the same
time handed to McClellaEG his watch and
ten dollars, saying that would carry him back
| to his family and friends.
This done, preparations were made by the
robbers to start with the money taken from
McClelland to some place where they would
deposit it for greater security, and be was
told that if he offered to move from the spot
before their return, his life should pay the
forfeit of his temerity. That they intended
to return has always been doubted and it has
4 been judged, and with very good reason,
that their object was to induce him to re-
main there during part of the part of the
day, whereby tLey would have gained ample
time to get out of harms way before he
could give the alarm aGd start anybody in
pursuit. In order to make sure work, how
ever, they produced a pint flask filed with
i whlskey and ordered him to drink freely,
thinking no doubt that by so doing be, a
man uneustomed TO strong drink would socn
fall asleep and might not awake for many
hours. McClelland thought the liquor con-
tanned some deadly poison and the robbers
we're taking this method to get rid of him !;
and knowing he was in their power and that
if his death had been resolved on, all bis
pleading for life would be unavailing, he
concluded to die with as little pain as possi-
BILE, and therefore, to their great surprises
drank the entire contents of the fiask.
! fortunately, however, the liquor was not
poisoned; bur the robbers thinking their
prisoner had taken enough to answer all
their purposes. now left, after ordering him
to lie down in corner of the cabin.
M'Glelland was now alone. The lnci-
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