The New York herald., 1874-10-24
ROAD KNIGHTS.
They Make q Raid Upon Long
Island Farmers. aa
JAMAICA FEAR-sTRICKEN.

daylight draws toward an end, and that ague
shakes are as nothing to the trepidation which
nightly moves the solid men OF the place. The in
formation conveyed 10 the HERALD was in
verbal picture sufficiently well drawn to demand
notice. IL reported the burghers Of jamaica
as sitting all night long in their chairs,
armed to repel attack upon their bsrri-
caded houses; and In side sketch It
represented farmers, Fenced in their wagons by
thick planks holding reins in one hand and a
revolver in the other as they drove along the
gloomy roads TO the pretty town and WATCHED
furtively for 'knixhts OF the road" Sucn pic
ture demanded attention, and such state OF
AFFAIRS as II represented ought not to exist long in
our vicinity and In the nineteenth century. A
reporter OF the HERALD accordingly went to
Jamaica In the interest OF artistic TRUTH to DO
something toward restoring healthy tone to
afYairs there.
The shades OF evening gathered fast over
Jamaica our inquisitor alighted rom the cars.
He inquired as to the best hotel in the town ana
was directed to Remsen's Only Two minutes
walk from the depot. On entering the barroom
(Which answers for ONCE parlor and spiritual
guderD, IL was found to contain about dozen
persons, principally farmers and residents Of the
vicinity. The proprietor was engaged in converse
tion with some OF them. Tney were busily occupied
in studying the qualities OF "gin cocktails" and
brandy smasnes," ana majority held In their
hands small glasses OF cold rum, no doubt out OF
respect to The title Of their native and rising vii
lage. tap on the shoulder directed the attention
OF the proprietor to the reporter and step brought
the consultation to secluded corner Of the room.
''Do you keep this hotel ~
swell, the hotel keeps me-" responded Mr..
Remsen.
"Have you heard Of the operations OF highway
men in this ycinitys ?"
The Interrogation seemed TO stag9er the gentle.
man. He looked amazed, and with an accent OF
apparent innocence denied all knowledge Of
"road knights'' and OF any runlOr about them
prowlng In the neighborhood OF Jamaica. He
turned to his group OF friends II anxious to es-
cape from hearing about highwaymen, but one OF
the group immediat tey entered into narrative
OF an attack which was made lew days since
upon Mr.. George Henry Lott. Mr. Remsen
winked mysteriously and nudged the speaker and
the conversation relative to the alleged attempt
at highway robbery was afterward continued in a
Lowered tone and Il became Impossible 70 ascer,
burned brightly in the crate, rendered
Of D the Ss os0DeT
General Mcclellan, and other DOtOrieties-nOt ex-
ecuted by any OF the great masters-decorated the
cOnviviality. The whlsperlngs and narratives
went on, al length broken IN upon by the entrance
GUS eXcrtion on the part or the attentive bar.
keeper. The ..ghouls'' Of the hlghwaymen seemed
to have vanished ike the witches in MacDeth inso
tnin atr ana the conversation changed. s9t
THE SUPPOSED KILLING or A HIGHwAYMAN.
On me piazza Of the hotel to which
2 Celtic watchman, attached to the Long
Island Railroad Company's depot He was
name mixed up in the troubles. Two months ago
ne said just previous TO his appointment AS
and robbed This was the hrst he knew Of any
particular raid in Jamaica by
"GENTLEMEN OF THE ROAD.o haGHEfM
Since then several cases had occurred. The hard
times were responsible Tor this state OF AFFAIRS
Numbers Of men were ont Of employment, and the
He had heard OF the attack upon Mr. Lott and the
shooting Of the highwayman at Ways woods, just
outside OF Jamaica IL was lonely and q melan
crime. There were bad lot Of young men resi-.
dents o. the Vicinity he said' ana they required
Leaving the communicative watchman the re-
Woods and the home Of Mr.. George Henry Lott,
who, III company with o friend. was attacked Dy
highwaymen while returning home. Mr.. Lott lives
about two miles irom jamaica on the road known
as Flushing avenue. In order TO reach his home,
coming rom Jamaica, he was compelled 70 pass
by Ways Woods. 1t was nine O'Clock at night and
thick fog obscured the moon as the reporter,
accompanied by driver travelled along the road
Woods were reached. They border the road on
either side. Tall locust trees, tnicKly grown
at the entrance to TINS dismal locality. Right at
the beginning OF the woods Is The farm and resi-
Mr. Way after Whom me property T takes e
dark night IS certainly impossible TO see two yards
anesd and the Journey from Jamaica to localities
on this avenue Is as lonely as eau De imagined.
Emerging from the woods a tollgate appears, and
short distance from this tolgaIe is situated the
residence ana fine farm Of Mr.. Lott. About sixty
acres OF land surround large and commodious
house, handsomely painted and fronting the road.
On entering Mr. Lott was iound to be at home.
He IS young man OF good address and evidently
Of cool % II Mtemperament . hls story q tas encoun'
"About ten O'Clock at night and friend named
William Smith started from the town OF Jamaica
wagon. When dresse in holiday attire am IN
the habit OF wearing diamond pm, with gold
may have tempted the robbers We drove
along quietly until we came 10 the beginning OF
three men came out from behind the bushes.
The horse became frightened, and made jump.
one Of sae men seized sS tas neaa and
man struck me on the back OF the neck with some
heavy instrument, which almost Knocked me
senseless. Recovering immediately, pulled q
pistol and fired at the man that struck me. He
fell back and groaned. crying out, Uhp The
other Two then TOOK hold or MIN and dragged him
into the woods, ana we drove on, travelled few
yards up the road and then drove back again, with
tne Intention OF making search Could md no
indications of the struggle. do not think could
recognize those men II saw them. they were tall
were masked nave several times lately noticed
suspicious looking characters lounging around
these woods: NO arrests nave yet oeen made nor
OF this outrage. The people Of the vicinity feel
alarmed, ana are afraid 10 be out AZ night.n
These are the main points OF the story given by
Mr.. Lott. His family, consisting OF brothers and
sisters. " one OF the mostrespectable and wealthy
OF the locality. +t-tt.at.t+t+tt
After the interview, the same route was taken
back TO Jamaica, and a call made at the house OF
Mr.. Jonn NJ Crane, President. OF the village, out
ne was absent. IL Is understood that Mr.. Crane
takes deep interest In the putting down Of those
Immediately be made to protect the inhabitants.
ANOTHER OUTRAGE ALLEGED. .ua
IL IL reported that a few evenings since a lady
and gentleman were waylaid and robbed OF their
jeweIry and money while driving along the BOue-
ward road. near Jamaica. inquiry at different
points failed TO procure the names OF these par
iies IL was ascertatned, however, that they are
evidently strangers to Jamaica, and came out
probably from New York to take drive. IL
appears that q gentleman named Colonel DcRraw
met them on the road, 10 whom they related their
adventure-that they nad been met BY two high
waymen, who demanded their valuabes, and were
cnrn neIled hand Watches. inNeIrY