The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-03-16
Pursued TO THE DEATH.
An Old Story RetoId-A CoId-BIoodet
Crime and n Thrilling RetributiOn.

I
Crime and Thrilling RetTibutiOH.
In the year 1912, the western portion.
OF Pennsylvania, embracing the noun
famous regions between Chambersbur9
and Pittsburgh, presented little more
than an unbroken wilderness, through
which the great road from Philadelphia
to the headwaters of the Ohio Valley
passed; and at that period it was a
lonely and dangerous pathway to all
wayfarers between the Eastern cities
and the great Western wilderness of
Ohio and Kentucky.
About midway of this road, and in a
most dismal locality, was located an
inn, kept by an honest, well-to-do Ger
man named Stottlers. The house was
small one, but the accommodations
were amply sufficient for the travel that
came that way. In the spring of the
year mentioned there came from the
stock-raising region around Pittsburgh
a drover, who, with his flock of we'll
fattfne shnllocks, was on his way to
Philadelphia. He was well armed, and
mounted on a horse of spotless white
ness. In conversation with the inmates
of Stottlers's inn-the most of whom
were ordinary hunters-he stated with
reserve the objects of his trip, and COM
municated the fact that on his return he
would stop at the tavern with the pro-
ceeds from the sale of his cattle in his
possession.
On the day following his arrival the
stranger departed for the East. About
three weeks thereafter, or at the time
he was expected to return, two Cana
dian Frenchmen, of villainous appear
ance and both heavily armed, arrived
at StOttlers's, and, after breakfasting,
continued their journey eastward In
less than an hour they returned, accom-
panied by a third traveller, who was
mounted on a white horse that closely
resembled that ridden by the Pittsburgh
drover. This third party, in the course
of his conversation with the landlord,
stated that his name was Pollock, that
he lived near the residence of General
Arthur St. Clair, in Westmoreland
County, and that he was on his way to
rejoin his wife and children, from whom
he had been separated for some weeks.
He stated also that he was farmer,
but possessed of small means. The con-
tents of his purse were, how ever small
they might be, at the disposal in equal
shares with destitute travellers, such as
those whose company he was in, and
whose expenses to Pittsburgh he ex-
pected to pay.
After partaking of some refreshments,
. bn +h,-,,g tln,, ta,1- h., 4
ward. In less than an hour Stottlers and
his brother-in-law, John Lambert, a
blacksmith by trade, and thorough from
were startled while in con
on the porch outside the inn,
to see Pollock's riderless horse ap-
preaching them at 4 gallop. As the an
imal neared them they saw that he was
bespattered with blood, and Lambert,
who had just been communicating his
of the Frenchmen, insisted
that the farmer had been murdered, and
urged an Immediate pursuit of his COM
paniOns.
The servants about the inn were at
once mounted and sent ont to scOur the
country for assistance, while Lambert
and his less energetic relative busted
themselves in preparing their. horses
and arms for the chase. By MONDAY
about Il dozen of men residing nearest
the inn congregated at the general rem
devious, and, with Lambert for lead
er, were soon in pursuit of the murder
ers. After journey of about one mile,
the party came to the scene Of the muir
der. Here they discovered the evidences
of terrible struggle. The snow which
lay upon the ground was much trampled
and greatly discolOred with blood, and
a few feet away from this scene lay the
corpse of the murdered man, wedged
in between two logs, and covered with
the rubbish of leaves and broken twigs.
Two balls had passed through the body,
and in the breast were several gaping
wounds that had evidently been intlict-
ed with a large hunting-knife. One of
the hands of the deceased was terribly
disfigured, as he had evidently grasped
the blade of the knife, which, being
drawn through his fingers, nearly cut
them in twain. His clothing was badly
torn, while his countenance indicated
the intense agony of his dying mo-
ments.
Itappeared from the foot tracts in the
snow leading to the west, that the muir
derers had set their horses free or been
compelled to part with them, and this
seemed wise precaution on their part,
as the mountainous condition of the
country ahead of them rendered travel
by foot, to those accustomed to such eX-
ertion, far more expeditions than by
horseback. Lambert and his compan-
ions knowing this to be the case, deter
mined to follow their prey on foot also.
Accordingly the major part of the party
at once continued on the trail, while
three or four of the men removed the
body and the horses to Stottlers's inn
Shortly after night had fallen, Lambert's
associates became dissatisfied with their
errand, and in a body returned to the
inn.
The intrepid blacksmith, nOtwith-
standing this demoralizing detection,
continued the pursuit alone. After
travelling in a northwestern direction
for twelve or fourteen miles, he came
to an old disused road, running nearly
pOl dllCl Win lAlC OlC llC lGlb. L HIS
was called the "Old PENNSYLVANIA
Trace" between Philadelphia and Red
Stone Old Fort, situated on the waters
of the MOnongahela River. 1t was the
first road ever opened between Eastern
Pennsylvania and the head-waters of
the Ohio River; and the ancient land
marks, ''three chops and blaze, "were
still visible by daylight on the old trees.
This ancient road and landmarks were
adopted by the old surveyors and open
ers of roads in the West to propitlate
Heaven in favor of the first settlers of
the great western wilderness; and hence
the first chop was for the Father, the
second for the Son, and the third for
the Holy Ghost; and the blaze was
merely designated to attract the eye of
the observer.
When Lambert struck this old road,
he discovered on the north side of it a
dilapidated log-cabin. Approaching
the cabin, he noticed light within,
and, feeling satisfied that. the murderers
were close at hand, he gave loud
cough. This brought to the rear door
of the house the old woman who occu-
pied it, and who obtained a living by
selling cakes and beer to passing way
farers. Lambert, in feigned voice,