Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1859-04-14

Major Dennis, and on Monday, in the
autumn of 1878, three of the banditti
were sent to rob the house and murder
its inmates. Among the three chosen to
accomplish the wicked deed, was one
Smith. an honest citizen, who had joined
the gang solely for the purpose of betray-
ing them, wherever an opportunity offer
ed. At this time he was chosen with
Pagan and Burke, two of the most noto
rious robbers of that time, to make the
assault upon the house in question. AS
they approached, Smith prevailed upon
his comrades to Turk in the bushes, while
he went and scertained if the way was
clear but instead Of which, he appraised
the family of their imminent danger, and
begged them to take safety in flight. The
beautiful Amelia, hastily hid some valu.
able understanding $80-and retrea-
ted to a swamp near by. Mrs. Dennis had
not time to escape before the two robbers
entered. The Major, on this occasion,
was away from home, else might the fate
of the robbers have been sealed. One of
the wretches instantly caught Mrs. Den
mis-. and threatened to murder her forth
with, ii she did not tell them where the
valuables were secreted. MOI replied
his comrade, let the she rebel live."-
But the murderers took her to a cedar
tree, and hung her by the neck with a
bed cord. In her desperate struggles for
life, she ioosened herself, however, and
once free, she ran down through the
swamps and bushes, and escaped.
Amelia, poor girl, saw all this, from
her hiding place, but she was so complete.
ly overcome with fright, that she was for
the time, unable even to scream for assis-
lance. But now that her mother mad
escaped, her strength was renewed, and
her benevolent heart beat high, as she
saw a n~eighbor, named Holmes, approach
ing her fathers wagon, ignorant of the
danger he was in. With a cry Of pain
she leaped from her security, and rushing
toward him to warn him of his peril, she
saved his life, at the severe risk of her
own, for the balls of the robbers rifles
whistled around her, and one passed over
her head, burying itself in an oak
Holmes at the exclamation of alarm from
Amelia fed, and miraculously escaped in
the woods. The robbers then plundered
Cue premises ana were Oh.
The next day, Major Dennis removed
his family to Shrewsbury, under the pro-
lection of the guard stationed there
The honest Smith stole away from his
companions, and told the Major "that
they were coming the next night. to more
thoroughly search his dwelling" and"
said he, Major, bring your rifles and
companions, and as we pass a spot where
you can distinguish US apart. take aim,
at a signal given by one, aud shoot down
every villain as you would dogs"
Accordingly. on Wednesday evening,
the Major, with a party of militia, lay
in ambush listening to every sound that
disturbed the quiet night AS they lay
thus secreted, peering out from their sta.
ton, they distinguished the sound of the
cracking of sticks, and soon they distinct
ly heard the noise of an approaching
wagon. Carefully each "a parted the
bushes from his face then they placed
heir rifles, and drew them up to their
shoulders, as they knelt upon the messy
ground. All was neiseless, save the
gathering of the horses shoes, and chuck
ing OF the near approaching wagon. Now
the team could be seen ; but only one
man was sitting in the wagon. Close
following behind, were the two robbers,
Pagan and Burke. The men in ambush
saw them, and quick as q hash-after a
gwen signal, which was a word spoken
by Smith to the horses-every rifle
cracked! A yell of pain followed, and
the horses started on with great speed.
The Major, with his men, rushed out of
the place Of their concealment, to look
tor the bodies of the robbers, but strange
they were not to be seer
On the Saturday following, some hun
tiers made a bet that Pagan was killed.
In order to prove it, search was made,
and his body was found and buried. On
Sunday the event became known-the
people assembled, disinterred the remains,
and after heaping indignities upon it, en-
veloped it in a tarred cloth, and suspen-
ded it in chains, with iron bands around
it, from a large chestnut tree. about a
mile from Freehold, on the road to Colts
Neck. There hung the corpse in mid,air,
rocking to and fro by the winds. a horri-
BILE warning to his comrades, and a ter
ror to travellers, until birds OF prey pick
ed the flesh from its bones, and the skel-
eton danced in the awful night storms,
and fell peacemeal to the ground. The
skull was afterwards placed, grinning,
against the body Of the tree, with a pipe
in its mouth, in derision." In the course
Of a few years, this band was entirely
extirpated, and the people lived no longer
in constant terror from their violence.