The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-09-14

of score or more of The worst looking
men ever encountered, and in their
midst my friend and comrade Andrew
lluf Andrew looked frighuully pale
and emacia,ed, and appeared to have
suffered much worse than myself We
had barely tine to greet each other, and
say God bless you, comrade = when we
were suddenly and roughly seized and ef
fectualiy gagged. At the same time one
OF the outlaws, whom | at once recoroi
zed as the leader Of the party which we
had iirst encountered, stepped forward
aud addressed US.
Now, cuss yer! cried he. passionate,v,
we, II make yer pay fur yer handy work
tother night. Strip EN- 7
In n few moments we were stxjpped 10
the skin, and we had neither the power
to resist or expos,u!a,e.
Out with the plank hosses! ! yelled the
same fellow. Fust, show 'em ihe way
they're going to travel y
We were separately led to the brink
OF chasm near by, and made to look
down into the almost unfathomable
depths. a stream OF water dashed along
over the rocks at the bottom. 1t made
me dizzy to look down. We were then
stationed few feet from the brink, with
a guard over us. | began to compre
hend that some frightful death awaited
US, and my feelings were dreadful.
a plank about dozen feet long and
a loot vide WAS then brought forward and
placed half way over the precipice. My
blood rah cold At the preparation.
On one end Of the plank two men sta.
toned themselves.
Now, drive the cuss Eor'ard = shouted
The leader, pointing TO Andy. 'TOtber
fellow shall see him drop, an then he
follows arter him. Drive him on thar,
hosses =
Every effort was made to move Andy,
bu. the poor fellow continued Obstinate
The outlaws pricked him with their kni
YES, aud beat him with their rifles, but he
refused to stir.
Garry the cuss'd' shouted the leader,
madly. despite his struggles, Andy was
picked up bodily and carried to the plank
As the outlaws let him down they gave
him violent push which sent him for.
ward 10 the end Of the plank over the
precipice. Andy swaved from side TO
side, and struggled wildly to regain his
balance. He failed however, and fell over
in his fall desperately cIu,ching at the
plank. There he held with his finger
nails buried III the wood |, was hor-
rid scene, and my blood runs cold AZ the
! bare recollection Of it.
Let him 90! shouted the fiendish lea.
der
The men who were standing on the
other end OF the plank jumped off, and
plank and Andy whrIed down into the
seeth,ng depths below. Despite the gag
IN his mouth, the poor fellow uttered a
loud and terrifying shrek before he Glsnp'
peared from sight forever. The cry rings
IN my ears now, though wears have pass
ed since then. | shall never forget 1t.
The OUTLAWS sprang to the edge of the
cliff and with savage eyuIta,ion watched
hndy's descent.
Now, for t'other cuss = shouted the
leader, after the lapse OF a few moments.
AT that inStan. a loud report OF fire.
arms suddenly reverberated TAR and near,
and half Of the bandits. at least. fell dead
to the earth. The balls whistIed arour d
me thick as hail, but escaped unhurt.-
Instantly atterward a patty of trappers
rushed upon the scene and charged at the
outlaws. The fight was short but desper.
ate. In the end not an outlaw of them
all remained alive, though they fought
like mcarnate devils
In the first moments Of the melee
got away out OF the reach Of harm -
Pinioncd and gagged, | would have been
of no use to myself or anybody. After
the conflict was over ] made nv appear.
ance and gave a statement Of all that
had transpired. From the trappers
learned that the cry OF Andy had direc
ted them to the spot but. poor fellow,
they came too late TO save him.
i thanked God aud the mountaineers
for my own preservation, and quilted the
| scene with a sense of relief mingled with
feeling Of sadness.
Gentlemen, that was about the worst
situation | was ever placed in, and NAV
you never have a similar experience