The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1874-06-26
HLOOD-CURD GEsEvELATr0N.
A Secret Cave in Southern Illinois, and
Its Bloody Contents


Tor not d few years back William
son county, Illinois, has been th'
scene Of many deeds Of outrage
violence, and murder, many Of then
bloody, and nearly all of them darl
and mysterious. Men have beer
waylaid and murdered on the public
highway; they have been cruelty as
sassinated in their own yards and on
their own thresholds; they have beer
draggeds4rain their beds at night,
hung upon trees, and their lifeless
and ghastly forms left suspended in
the air to stnrtle the traveller and
drive terror ana apprehension to the
hearts Of their friends and neighbors.
In neatly every case the perpetrators
have managed to conceal themselves
from the knowledge Of the public;
surrounded BY veil Of mystery
which neither the officers Of the law
nor the surviving friends of the muir
dered victims have been able to pene-
trate, they have managed to elude
altogether The penalty their crimes
SO richly deserve.
The farmers Adyocate, published
in Marion, Williamson county, dated
May A, cohtains communication
which throws an air Of wild romance
around the desperadoes who have SO
long been The terror Of Williamson
county. The correspondent Of the
Adcocate cells a story, the substance
Of which il as follows:
Not long since q party Of hunters
were out ut night. In their rambles
they met another party, who they
we're Mortified to see were carrying o
dead man. The hunters, who had
escaped The observation Of the 9TH
ers, concealed themselves until the
party with the dead man had passed
on, when they followed, keeping at
safe distance behind for perhaps h
mile, when the whole party dead
man and all, suddenly disappeared.
The pursuers searched, but could
find no trace nor sign Of the party.
The next day the hunters returned to
the search, and were rewarded by dis
COY ering cave, the opening ofwhich,
large epough to admit the body Of n
man, appeared in a cliff Of rocks
overhanging a small stream of water.
The explorers procured lights and a
reinforcement Of three or four other
residents Of the vicinity, and return
ed to The cave. just before they
reached il two men were observed
running away from it in haste. Two
Of the party entered the cave and
found themselves in q large room,
carpeted and furnished and showing
evident signs Of recent occupation.
The sides of the room showed open
ings which they felt assured led to
other rooms. The possibility chat
they might DO occupied made the
searchers feel uncomfortable, and
they quickly vacated the place. The
party concluded they had come upon
the rendezvous Of a baud Of despera-
does, and, and, on their way home,
at the houseof an old far
mer and told their story. Tho far
mer became excited, left the room
and soon returned with four men,
marked and armed, who made the
party ofexplorers kneel and takeia sol |
emp oath neyor 10 reveal what they |
had that day discovered. The wri-
ter OF the communication says fami-
lies Of the men who made the discov- !
err are leaving tho country-that |
others are preparing to follow, and |
thtt great excitement exists on the |
borders Of jackson and Williamson
counties in tho vicinity Of the cave.