Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-04-04

lnmost hearts that every man OF the tel
engaged in the lynching of Jack Lonl
deserved a dozen times over to be shot
and now they looked on cody, rathe
enjoying the thing. and hoping that JacI
would have the best of it.
And of this there seemed to be a stronj
probability, for the Regulators made onll
one more attempt to get together, bu
another of their number being killed OF
his way to the rendezvous, his body bear
ing that well known and fearful signature
of skill, the remaining FIVE, perfectly un
nerved and overwhelmed with terror, re
treated to their houses, and scarcely
dared for several weeks to put thei
heads outside their own doors.
The class to which Jack had belonged
at least those of them who had managed
to keep a footing during the RELENTLESS
persecution of the Regulators, now begar
to look up, and limited that they hao
known of Jacks return from the time oi
Stoner's murder, and had aided and abet
ted his purposes in every way in theil
power; furnishing him with fresh horses
when the noble animal he rode back
fran the States became fatigued assist
ing him in his flights and concealments,
and furnishing him with information, as
well as spreading the exaggerated stories
about him. One bluff old fellow re-
marked:
You are all fools who talk about
Jacks being crazyl He's calm and cold
as frosty morning up in old Kaintuck
and his heads as clear as bell ! He's
just got his Injin fghtin' and Tory-hatin'
blood walked up in him. by them stripes
that's a blood, you know. that's more
dangerous than a catamount when it
once gets risen !"
Jack was now frequently seen, but it was
known that his work was only half COM
pleted, that he meant to finish it, and
he was regarded with great curiosity and
awe. The five wretched men were en-
tIrely unstrung and panic stricken. They
made no attempt at retaliation, but all
their hopes seemed to be in the effort to
get out of his reach.
That long, heavy rife haunted them
day and night. They saw its dark muz.
zle bearing on them from every bush,
and through the chinks of their own
cabins.
One of them, named White, who was
an inveterate topper, with all his terror
could not resist his inclination for liquor,
and after a confinement in his house of
nearly three weeks, determined to risk
all and go to the store and buy him q
barrel. He went in a covered wagon,
driven by negro, while he lay on the
straw. A barrel of liquor was obtained
he got into the wagon-lsy down beside
it, and started home. All the way he
never raised his head till near the mouth
of his lane, log had been placed on the
road, which tilted the wagon in passing
over it so as to roll the barrell over on
him. He forgot his caution, and sprang
up with his head out of the cover, to
curse the boy for his carelessness, and at
that moment rifle was discharged. He
fell back dead-shot through the eye! The
boy said that his master suddenly cut
short his oaths and exclaimen, There
he is !" at the moment the gun fred. He
saw a tall man with q beard hanging
down on his breast. and dressed in skins,
walking off through the brush with his
gun on his shoulder.
The next man, named Garnet, about
two weeks after this, got up one morning
about sunrise, and in his shirt sleeves
stepped to his door and threw it open to
breathe fresh air. He was rubbing his
eyes, about half asleep, and when he got
them fairly open, there stood the gaunt
ayenger beside tree in the yard-the IA
tai rifle leveled, and waiting till his VIC
tim should see him clearly. He did see
him-but it was his last look The bull
let went crashing through his brain too
Long is said TO have told his friends that
he never, in a single instance, shot one
Of these men until he was certain that
the man saw him and recognized him
fully.
All were now gone but Hinch and the
two youngest men of the party, Williams
and Davis. The two latter were permit
ted tn escape. Whether it was from the
relenting on the part of the dread aven-
ger-or observed some trifing thing in
their demeanor on the occasion of the
outrage he was thus furnishing, which
recommended to mercy, now that his re-
sentiment had drank so deeply of the Bit
ter delight, or in his anxiety to secure
Hinch he confined his efforts and watch
fulness to him alone-I do not know
They made forced and secret sales of
their property, and cleared out during
the night. But it was for Hinch he had
with passionated forethought reserved
the most inconceivable torture. He had
passed him by all this time, while one af-
ter another he struck down the tools and
companions of his crimes. He doomed
him to see them falling around him, with
the sure and certain knowledge that
the avenging hate which slew them,
burned with tenfold intensity for his life
that it must and would have it But
when would the claim be made? Shoul1 /
he be the next one? No! The next
one? No! But then each succeeding
death, so sure to take enc of their num-
Der, drove away every sophistFy Of hope,
and realized to him in bare and sterner
horror that his fate was as fixed as theirs.
As each one fell away the circle of doom
narrowed-slowly, steadily closing in
about him. Soon there would be none
left but him How could he call an
hour his own1 When colud he feel safe?
That relentless subtlery had baffied them
all. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven
fearful rifle shots-and every one of them
through the eye! God of HeaYen and
the sharp agony would spangle keen
points of burning light through the
brain, as if the ball were already burst
ing through the socket al, too, must
be shot through the eye2"
1t was worse than ten thousand deaths, |
and he died then in lingering tortures
told over day by day.
From the time of Rees' death he looked
a changed and stricken man. In few
weeks he had lost a great deal of flesh,
and became piteously haggard-his eyes,
gait and voice were all humble. His tur !
bulent and fierce animosity faded before |
the narrowing suspense of this fear. The |
bully and murderous ruffian trembled ct
the rustling of aleaf. His own Imagination |
became his hell, aud hungry remorse be-
came stronger and stronger with feasting |
at his heart. He never left his house for
weeks, until the escape of Williams and
Davis inspired him with some hope. He
prooured a fine horse and set off one
night for Red River. Everybody regret
ted his escape, for men had looked on in
quiet expectation upon the progress of
affairs. and in the strong faith that wild |
border justice would be grati6ed in see
ing this stern, righteous and unparalleled
vengeance consummated by the fall Of
Hinch-the monster instigator and chief
actor in all the grievous Outrages which |