Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-06-06
A FLORIDA TRAGEDY.
The Terror of .he Pines

A Florida letter to the New York Sun
has this story:
Over thirty years ago man named
Lang came to the Indian river country.
1t was then trackless wilderness; even
now it is but little better. Lang was
we'll educated, and could have adorned
high station in life. He was thor
ough botanist, and at one time super
vising gardener to the King OF Saxony.
1t was said that he was driven into exile
by domestic troubles, but whatever the
cause he invariably left his cabin and
plunged deeper in the wilderness when
ever a white man settled within twenty
miles. He was over six feet tall. Physi.
cally he had ne superior south of the
latitude Of St. Augustine. For years he
lived upon the shore of Lake Worth,
nearly hundred miles from any post
Office. The only path to his place was
an intricate channel through the arms of
the Everglades, known only to himself
and the Ssminoles.
About four years ago the richness OF
the hammocks around Lake Worth at
tracted the attention OF land hunter.
He announced his intention of making
clearing. That was enough for Lang.
he pulled up stakes and departed, Civ
ing his beautiful home to jolly old sail.
or named Moore. Lang returned to the
Indian river. Association with the peo-
pie of the scattered border settlements
partly drew him from the shell of isola-
ton which he had so long occupied.
Attracted by the charms of young wo-
man living with her parents in the pines
back of Lake Jessup, he married her
Then the old longing for retirement re-
turned. Away up the ST. Lucie river
u haunt OF the mysterious menatee-he
found a small hammock in which he
erected a palmetto cabin 1t pleased
him, for he and his wife were the only
human beings living along the river.
Last year two stout young men suddenly
appeared in the door OF his cabin. His
wife recognized them as Tom Drawdy
and Allen Paget, who lived miles away
in the direction Of Lake Okechobee.
The two men lounged about Lang's
house, and finally accepted the invita-.
ton to dinner. On rising from the table
they picked up their rifles, and asked the
German to put them across the river,
Lang readily consented. He had sail
boat and row.b boat. Hatless and shoe
less, and entirely unsuspicious, he went
to the boat followed by Drawdy and
Paget. Lang took the oars and showed
from the shore. His wife, who vas with
in day or two of confinement, saw him
for the last time. She heard the report
of gun, but supposed that it was shot
at deer, aud paid no attention to it,
When the sun went down and the waters
were blackened in the shadow of the
palmettoes, she became alarmed, for her
husband did not return. The long, dark
night was spent in listening for the sound
of his oars. At daylight she managed
to cross the river. The boat was found
upon the opposite shore. Drops of blood
scattered upon its bottom told too surely
the fate of her husband. A hat belong
ing to one of the murderers had caught
upon one Of the oar locks. The horri-
fed wife hunted for Langs body, but
did not find it. She returned to the
desolate cabin, rolled up her blankets,
and made for the nearest settlement in
the sail boat. Her fatherless child was
born soon after her arrival at Lake Jes-
sup.
Among their friends and acauaint-
ances Drawdy and Paget make no secret
of their name. They rather glory in it.
They acknowledge that they broke bread
with man and assassinated him within
fifteen minutes, while he was doing them
a favor. An Arab or an Indian would
turn his face from such men. But il is
said that they offer an excuse for the
murder. One Of the murderers had
entered Lang's house months before and
found fresh beef upon the table. As
they knew he owned no cattle, they were
satisfied he had been butchering other
peoples beeves. SO they visited his |
house with the intention Of killing him
for COW stealing. This explanation |
appears to be satisfactory to settlers at
Lake Worth, who give Lang a bad name,
but those further north, who knew him |
more intimately, declare that it will not !
hold water. They say they cant see
why one cattle thief should kill another
for stealing cattle. They speak in the |
l