Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1865-11-16
on, TIE NiSrAKEN WITNESS.

TraD.e dfaTil by titesievtSue JUL
ylaries which we're committed in
the district. One Of these attract
ed especial attention, from the sys-i
tematic mode in which it was
effected, and the amount of prop
erty carried away. The robbers, !
Eve or six in number, and all
completely masked, made their
way, in the middle of the night,
into the residence of a wealthy
farmer, and after rousing the in
mates from their beds, obliged
them to give up all the money and
plate in the house, and taking CT
iectual precautions against a sur,
prise, the burglars sat down and
Tegaled themselves upon the best
cheer the premises afforded: To-
wards day-break, they at length
took their departure, leaving their
victims apparently TOO much stu
ne6ed with surprise and alarm to
make any attempt at the pursuit
and discovery of the depredators.
This outrage was committed IN
the middle of summer; and shortly
after day break, on the same morn
ing. two men were observed about
so,;Io from the scene of robbery,
bnrrying along the highroad which
I'D for the town of D, and
which lay few miles distant.
One of them carried bundle in
his hand, and a county constable
who happened to meet them, asked
what it, ,ntaineadl. The man thus
aaeosted returned an evaslve an
swer, and quickened his speed.
The constable then insisted upon
examining the bundle; the man
resolutely refused, and after a brief
alteration drew pistol from his
pocket, discharged it at the officer,
dashed through hedge, and fled
across the fields. Fortunately,
the shot did not take effect, and
the constable Immediately fol-
lowed the fugitives, for both the
men took to fight after the pistol
fred. A bricklayer, proceeding
10 his work, encountered them as
thew were hastily crossing a stile
thus pursued. He attempted to
seize one of the men, but failed
and they soon afterward reached
wood, where all trace of The
fugitives was lost.
The police of the district very
naturally concluded, that thesf
two men were concerned in tax
daring burglary which I have dc
scribed, and every effort was made
for their apprehension. Indeed
they seemed to afford the only clue
70 a discovery of the gang, a
fromthe circumstance of the whole
of them being closely masked
while engaged in the robbery
neither the master of the hous'
nor any of his servants could un
dertake to identify one of them
eranincessant search of severa
weeks, man was at length appre
hended on suspicion in the tow
of D. On examination DC
fore the magistrate, the count.
constable deposed that the prlsone
was the person wkcm he had me
on the morning of the robbery
and who had fired a pistol at hlf
and made his escape. This WI
ness was corroborated by tn
bricklayer, who had heard the re
port OF the pistol. Upon thu
testimony, the latter-ot whom
! NAV observe, that the polio
knew nothing preyiously-wa
committed for trial at the ensuln
assizes.
Happening to be at D--a
The time, and feeling some intei
est in the case, | obtained, nc
without difficulty, seat IN tn
court on the morning of the trla
My curiosity was not singular, &c
/ found the building crowded |
every part, and many of the gel
try of the district were provide
with places on the bench. Th
prisoner. on entering the deck, wa
closely scrutinized by the more e.
ger portion of the audience, butdi
covered no villainy which the CT
rious in such matters are apt I
detect in conspicuous CRIMINAL
He was a tall man, about ~ yeal
of age, of a powerful and actly
frame, and with countenance Q
greater intelligence than isusuall
observed among the class to wllic
he professed to belong-that o
IT,. nintbao ,xh IN