Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-12-14
Original 4apers,
For the Spirit Of the Age.
YANCY COUNTY.
A Sketch from the Annals OF Crime,

The County of Yancy is a picturesque
country, and its soilvery productive, though
"hung up between bears and wild cats,
and fenced in with stills. 1t used to be no.
torious for drunkenness, rioting and blood
shed; and even at this day, our blood is
often chilled by hearing Of the horrid death
of some old offender, that, till now, has
escaped the avenging steel of his foes or
the moose Of the gallows rope.
Twenty years ago, the town of Burns
vile, at the close of all public days, would
be turned to battle ground, and the fen
dish yells, curses and obscene language,
poured out by the reeliEg host marshalled
at the grog shop, would cause one, used to
more quiet scenes, to think for a moment
that the prince of darkness with his legion
was holding his orgies there.
AT such times the fight would often be-
come general, when all that were nerUed
for the contest, would deal their blows
indiscriminatey among friends and foes.-
After the battle puddles of blood have often
been seen standing in the streets, and posts
and walls dyed red, and old nuts and pieces
of torn garments scattered about the streets,
and here and there locks of hair from the
foretop, and sometimes as much of the
crown itself as an Indian warrior would
claim IA a trophy.
Though fights were so frequent twenty
years ago, there were comparatively few
killed, which WAS owing to the weapons
used for they had not then learned the
more genteet way Of fghting-with knives
and pistols but many are falling Of late
There is old Dan Angel, one Of the old
ring leaders, that survives the wreck of the
past--that survived to see his youngest sor
stretched between the earth and the hea.
vens for the murder Of Il. b. Roberts in g
drunken broil-and has survived to see hi
next youngest son branded for manslaugh
ter.
There lies the remains of Andrew Bank
in drunkard's and murdercrs grave, who
after placing the serpent of death in hi
own breast and in that of his sons, survived
its sting to see his son in drunken spre
shoot his brother, then fighting in defens,
Of that son, on the ground where be him
self had killed Jack Ii pton, received th
steel and bit the dust.
There was B. Pate, who was Graded il
the still house, and who, in his youth
though old in crime, fed to Virginia, wher
at the card table he murdered his man, AM
then under the gallows, suffered the ex
treme penalty OF the law. His last word
were, "ISee ,0hat the bottle can do"
| shall mention but one more case o
murder and that wish each lukewarr
Son of Temperance to carefully consider
A. +. Keith, the man who was murdere
in Burnsvile four weeks ago by Jim Boor
was one of the buies Of the county fror
twenty years ago down to the time of hi
death. Keith made many narrow escape
from the steel of his foes, and even frol
the gallows. lie was the son of preacl
er.
There was Division of the Sons of Ten
perance organized in Burnsvi!ie eight c
nine years ago. Keith joined; and man
had ahope OF his reformation. There wei
two others initiated at the same time-or
was a nephew Of Keith's murderer, and IL
other was the writer of this. How soc
may any man meet death after taking Il
drunkard's start Any man that takes
dram may end his life on the scaffold.-
Young man-you that take a dram-yc
are n0v in the path that ends at the .g'
lows. Sons of Tcmperance-you wi
have pledged yourselves to touch not, tas
not, handle not-you, if you want to bls
your memory, if you want to die the d
graceful death of the murderer, if you va
to make your bed in hell with some th
have gone before-break your pledge.
Young men-you that now take 20
dram-you are now in the path that W
lead you to the gallows and down to ht
Take the advice of one who could nev
be prevailed upon to take a dram sh
the inebriate's bowl as You would the il
rosy, There is safety only in total abb
nence.
Swannanoa, n. G.