The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-04-23


and other wild animals, which ! met in
the forests of Kentucky and Tennessee;
and, occasionally erected a little cabin
on the banks of the lower Mississippi,
where l supplied the boats that traded
on that river with wood. Myself and
my two sons came up the river in a
canoe, about the middle of the last fall,
carrying with us our rifles, and such
other equipments as are needful for un-
settled hunters; and, having landed
one evening near Lighthouse, situated
at short distance from the bank, we
made our canoe fast TO tree, and lay
down upon the sand till morning. In
the course of the night some passengers
were landed from steamboat and the
following day we learned that persons
on their way to this section of the coun-
try, were in general put ashore at that
place. On this information, we formed
the diabolical plan, which has brought
me to this untimely end, and periled
our precious souls in the sight of God.
Examining the neighboring bank, we
fixed upon point of land, about two
hundred yards above the tavern, on
which we erected cabin, of the very
same form and dimensions; and, clear
ing wide space between il and the
Mississippi, nightly, as soon as It be-
came dark, we placed light in one of
the windows which looked towards the
river; signal formerly used at the
house below, but which, some nights
after our arrival, had been discontinued
there, owing to the glass having been
driven in and broken by tremendous
storm. Thus, was tie new erection
mistaken for the old tavern below and
it was afterwards at our house, that
passengers, arrived in the night, were
mostly put on shore.
"Our first victims, were a man and
his wife, and their infant child all of
whom, after rifiing his saddle-bags of
considerable sum in silver, we strangled
when asleep, and buried in the adjain-
ing woods. The following night, two
young men-I believe they were BROTH
ers-on their way to purchase catt. in
Illinois, and therefore supposed % be
possessed of money, accompanied by a
dog, were decoyed to our murderous
den; who after they had supped, and re-
tired to rest, were also strangled in their
sleep. The night being wet and stormy,
we wished to avoid exposure to such
inclement weather, and therefore re-
solved to conceal their bodies in the
house, until, on more favourable op-
portunity, we could convey them to the
woods; and, having dug hole in the
southeast corner Of the kitchen, we
threw their bodies into it, and covered
them with earth.
"It is said, how ever" continued Hos.
car, "that murder will never lie.' In
our eagerness to seize the money, the
dog of which have spoken, had entire
ly escaped our recollection, until, we
were in the act of putting the strangled
bodies into the grave. This animal, af-
fectionate and faithful to his master,
at this instant sprung upon us with
the utmost fury and, being struck by
one of my sons with spade,and wound
ed in the head, he escaped through a
hole in the back of the chimney, and
ran, as / afterwards learned, to the
tavern below. The door being open,h he
rushed into the kitchen, where there
then happened to bea number ofpersons.
Just preparing to retire to bed ,and, utter
ing mingled howls and piteous moans,
the blood streaming from his wounded
head, he at length succeeded in drawing
the whole party out of the house, and
led them with rapid pace to the scene
of his masters murder. All within
was now dark and silent. No light
flickered in the window, to decoy the
unwary passenger; and not a sound
was heard within. The eastern door
was stove in by the party from below |;
and, rushing into our suspected tene-
ment, they caught myself and my two
guilty associates, as We were endeavour-
ing to escape through the other door;
but my sons-God grant that 1t may be
for their good-as is well known, broke
Jail the following day, and have never
been heard of SINCE"
Such was the horrid narrative, caused
by remorse of conscience; which ac-
counted for the hole into which had
thrust my sword in the deserted house;
the bodies having been discovered in IT,,
Immediately after the arrest of the as
sassins, by the sagacity of the faithful
dog.
The day of the old mans execution
at length arrived. The place fixed for
tho consummation of his earthly penal
ty, was the scene where he and his con.
federates had committed their atrocious
crimes. The concourse that attended
on this solemn occasion, was greater
than had ever been known in that dis
tant region and Lumley and myself
were invited by the sheriff, to accom-
pany the procession. When we had
reached the spot where the conflict had
taken place with the men who had fired
at Us with their rifles, the river having
now nearly receded to its usual level,
and left the ground almost free from
the water with which it had been COW
cred, the agony of the wretched old
man was renewed, by recognising in
the bodies of the two boatmen, which
were still lying there unburied, his own
sons who had effected their escape from
r prison! These, the sheriff directed to
, bo carried to the place of execution
and, after the aged culprit had been the
/ usual time suspended, the three bodies
l were thrown together into the midnight
D grave which had contained the bodies
+. of the murdered brothers; and, fire
f having been applied to the four corners
1 of the house, it was soon completely
+. enwrapped in flames; the roof fel
!, within its burning walls; aspiral clcuC
: | If Giro alal sLaal.n Li.rA frnun hI