The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-13
A KENTUCKY CATAcOnB.
The Crumbling skeletons OF Ten Human
Beings Discovered In a Cave,
from the Glasgow (Ky.l Times.I

u
One day last week party OF hunters chased a fox
into q cave about 1--WE miles from this place on
Beaver creek, near the residence OF Rev. William
Neal. They entered the cave and exploring it
found q number Of human bones in small cham
Der that had heretofore been unknown TO them.
Tie cave, which il about twenty PAGES 10 the right
OF the Columbia road, on the hillside just beyond
Beaver creek, is entered through chasm In the
EARTH which has solid rock walls Ait the depth of
twenty feet two avenues lead off, to the right the
other 10 the left: these avenues are large. easy or
access, and have been often explored In neither OF
on anything OF an unusual character discovered.
But, IN the right or southern avenue, there IL 4
small assure In the rock that leads OF IN On eastern
direction, Just large enough 10 admit the body OF
man. The assure, which Is about twenty feet III
length and Is passed through with the utmost dnl-
Guilty, leads TO small, obong chamber eighteen
feet In length and about twenty Ieet from floor to
ceiling. Save the t0rtuous assure by which access
is gained this mysterious chamber there ia no
visible outlet nor evidence OF one ever having ex-
listed. The walls and ceiling are almost literally
composed OF solid rock, covered with the formations
peculiar TO the caves Of this section OF country
II is In thisnyserous little chamber that the re-
mains alluded to were iound--tiese OF 1T least ten
human beings In all. Three skulls were found ex.
posed above the surface, ana on each there was
limestone formation, produced by the dripping OF
water from the ceiling above. Near the centre or
the chamber seven skulls, with almost every
bone that composes the human anatomy were
found-some protruding from the surface and
others as deep down "a eighteen inches some per-
fectly sound and others so much decayed that they
would not admit OF removal. There was no Ortie.
or regularity IN the Arrangement OF the remains,
less thana loot or each other. Nothing remains or
could be discovered, save the bones, the clothing
and flesh having long since rotted away, and thus
destroyed every evidence OF identity.
No clue has been or is ever likely to be obtained
to unravel the mystery that shrouds this subterra.
nean chamber Of the Dead and thus far all seem to
be lost IN conjecture and wonderment. Beyond
question, however, this cave must have been used
by the robbers and murderers who infested this
section OF country In early days as y place
or deposit for their murdered Victims Its
situation, the entrance being concealed, vet
within TWENTY-FIVE PAGES Of the Columbia road,
much travelled In early days; tho security of this
little eastern chamber from invasion even should
the main cave be entered, taken In connection with
tue fact that no human beings-not even the
abOrigincs-w0uld have sought place so diilcult
OF access for the simple burial OF the dead or de-
posted the remains with 50 little regard to order
all these considerations lead us TO the belief that the
bones unearthed IN this dim-yaulted sepulcre are
the remains OF unfortunate victims OF crime ithln
few days past we have heard OF number of per-
s0ns--msstly travcers-whO many years ago disap-
peared while IN this section OF country and were
never afterward heard Of One instance is refnen,-
bered where horse and buggy, belonging to a
traveller from Virginia, were found loose upon tn e
road near this cave, its owner missing and never
heard from,