Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-07-01

tiIO lltdl WAS llIuueU, IiC 'uiu t'oo SO"S
or two ago. couple Of counterteiters had been
for sometime at Randals and they bad copper
plate to make Bank notes with, &c. He also
stated that Randall and Others had laid plan to
rob Capt. Dundore of large sum of money, that
they said he had in his office, (Which was the
fact) The plan was to set fire to DR.. kempers
barn, (near town. and when the people had been
drawn off to the fire. the office was to be broken
into and the money carried off. Every statement
that he made, (that could he investigated.) has
been proren to be strictly true. On examina-
ton of the stone pile in Randars field, the phi
was found Just as he had described it, and a parl
of the stolen bacon in it. The place where tie
negro Adam had been concealed was also found
to be correctly described. The copper plate has
been found-a So plate of Central Bank OF va.
Everything in Dundore's office was infinitely and
correctly described, although Dundore says the
negro was never in the office in his life Not q
single discrepancy has been discovered in any.
thing that he told. The plan to detect Randall
was this: Ellick agreed with Randall to break
TITO Jno. Lewis mill, and steal two barrels of
-four, and bag of corn, which with hog that
Ellick was to steal for him, was to be delivered
to Randall in the woods in rear of Mrs. Strayer's,
on Monday night, (25th of Mayo tor all of which
Randall was to pay Ellick So. The -four was
carried to the place of designation, and party
of men placed there to arrest Randall and his ac-
completes; but on Monday the plot was revealed
to Randall or Bill Jones by one of Mr.. Strayers
negroes. On Tuesday morning Lewis Meyer
hoetfer, to whom Ellick was hired, heard him
screaming murder in the woods where he had
been sent to work. Moyerhoeffer fastened to
the spot, and fund Randall his son Dick, and
Bill Jones, dragging off Ellick, (whom they had
partially gagged.) no doubt with a view to muir
der him-they had already beaten him cruelty
AS Moyerhoetfer approached, he heard Randall
said to Ellick, "You tried to betray me-" A
party was soon raised, who going in pursuit of
Randall, found him and his accompliees near the
place where Elck had been beaten ALI three
were heavily armed Randall had double bar.
rel gun and revolver They swore they would
not be taken, but finding the party determined
to arrest them at all hazards, they surrendered
and were taken to Port Republic. Here large
number of men soon assembled, and it was de-
termned that Randall & Co. should be confined
until Thursday, (the election day. when the
case should be submitted to the decision of q
general meeting Of the people.
On Thursday very large meeting of citizens
was held, (many from Augusta also being pres
ent) The people were very much exasperated
a gentleman whose age, experience, and char
acter gave him considerable influence in the
neighborhood, proposed to proceed against
Randall according to law. He deprecated any
resort to Lynch law, even in its mildest form,
and entreated the people to do nothing raslly or
illegally. He proposed that Randall should be
required to give bail in heavy penalty, and
in default of finding sufficient surety, he would
have to be committed to Jail" To this it was
replied, that nobody there wished to resort to
Lynch law, or to do him any bodily injury what
soever but that the peace and safety of the |
neighborhood required that Randall and his !
gang" should leave the neighborhood 1t was !
argued that the confinement of Randall in Jail |
would afford no protection TO either the lives |
or property of any person against whom Ran |
dali had any spite. He would lie in Jail, con-
coct his schemes of viainy and revenge, and his
confederate desperadoes (black and wlite) would |
execute them. 1t was said that information |
had been received that he had number of ne
groes and others over whom he had such inhu-
ence, that they would murder any man or burn
any property that Randall would point out. 1t |
was proposed, therefore. and unanimously re-
solved that Randall and his family, and Bill |
Jones, he required to leave the neighborhood at
least 500 miles" Upon this being announced |
to him, after at first swearing that he would not
go, upon being told that money would be raised |
to send him and his family to any place over
100 miles distant that he might choose to 90, |
he agreed to go, and professed to be anxious to !
60 He said he knew that neither he nor any
of his family could ever do any good here with |
all these charges resting on him. A meeting of
the people was called for the next Saturday. to
provide means for their removal Upward of
5000 were raised, and arrangements made for
taking them away. Protesting to be anxious to
60. he was released from confinement, and al. |
lowed to go home to make arrangements for
leaving. Soon after he was released he was
heard by several gentlemen of veracity to say
that he had markell p men, and if they sent
him 500 miles, he would come back, and lie q.
bout until he had killed erery one of them."-
Upon this being stated in the meeting, there
was heard for the first time any intimaton of
disposition to lynch him. The most intense ex-
citement was created, and a voice in the crowd |
was heard, "let's hang him. The gentleman
before alluded to had just come into tho meet
ing-he sprang upon bench, and ''implnred the |
people not to do so rash thing" After ad-
dressing the meeting for few minutes the ex.
element was allayed. He then stated to the
meeting that he had just been talking with
son OF Randall's--tlat the youth professed to be
very anxious Gas he said all the family were) to
go out of the State but said that he was afraid |
that his father would be killed. 1t was pro
posed that this meeting pledge itself that no
violence of any kind should be done to Randall or
his family that we will protect him from injury,
and if need be, contribute still further to re.
move them to any place they may choose to go
out of this State, provided they will comply |
with their promise to go Immediately" This
was unanimously agreed to. The meeting then
adjourned in hope that there would be no me-
cessity for any future meeting, and that we
should soon be happily rid of this nuisance and
pest of society. The meeting had hardly ad-
journed, however, before it was announced in
the streets that Randall had fled to the woods
after swearing that he would not leave, until
he had killed erery Id rascal that had taken
any part against him." A patrol was then kept I
up every night until he was again arrested. In
the mean time, information was received frQm
white man, who offered to swear TO It's truth,
that Randall had told him during the preceding
night, that he would leave the neighborhood
until the excitement was over, and when things
get quiet, he would come back, and ssaySag and |
Till certain men, Is or 8 of whose names lie re-
peated)"
There is good reason to believe that Randall
tried to induce others who have been suspected
of incendiarism to waylay and murder certain
persons who had taken ar active part in arrest
ing him. He said they could ''acatcA for them,
and from behind a tree or log shoot them down,
and nobody could know who did it." Informa-
lion from several sources to the same effect has
been received. Let us specify ease 1nforma-
ion has been given, {by a white man, which
we believe TO be true that being in Port .Repub-
ic one dark night Randall told him that Geo.
Eutzer and j. Sigler were both in town." With
,ne OF these men Randall (as is well known) has
ong been at ennity--wth the other the inform
mt had himself quarrel! Randall proposed