The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-09-21
THE CAVE OF DEATH.
A Cavern Filled with the Skeleton. Of
Murdered men--A L~send Of the
Lower MississIppI.

Cavern Filled with the Skeleton. O
Murdered men--A L-send Of H.,
Lower MississIppi.
Abort tfty years ago greater Dor
ton OF the South and West was bu
wilderness. Even in those States thai
were more or less populated, there were
great sections of the country where there
could not beseen any Sign of habitatiop
Away down in Mississippi there was .
scope of country about one hundred
miles across, consisting of o swampy,
wild and desolate country, then known
as Tuckapaw county, in which was nc
settlement, and across which was q
regular road of travel. Now. in these
old az slmes there was great amount OF
traffic and trade between New Orleans
and the lower Mississippi, and all the
upper country mule traders from Ken
lucky and Illinois would drive mules
ana horses and sell them to Southern
planters and return by land. Flatboats
py the hundred, from all the upper coun-
Try, from Ohio to the Rocky mountains.
could be seen descending the Mississip.
pi, laden with the most valuable pro-
duce the country could afford. The
merry boatman made the forest resound
with his song and revelry. When they
landed at New Orleans, and disposed of
their valuable cargo, they would buy a
plug OF mule or mustang" on which
they would take their holneward course.
sometimes alone, sometimes in squads
| of from two to six.
About half way across the wilderness
road, man by the name OF Cregol had
located, and built a house for the pur-
pose OF stopping place for travellers.
This place was known by every Southern
trader, and with Cregol they had all to
stop, and they were glad to share his
hospitality.
In the course of time the country be-
came settled. Old Cregol had become
immensely rich (; he was growing old,
but was hale and stout. Not far from
his house was @ cave in the hillside
which had never been explored. Iu
fact, no one had ever entered its mouth,
az was known. Now, this cave became
the object of interest. The dogs, for
miles around. would collect at its en-
trance, and create the most hideous
sounds by their unhearthly bowling.
Night and day would these poor crea-
'AtNS hSSp ulJ liGlI ulUliTDIul song.
Every person, men, women and chill
dren, for miles, would come to see this
sad, sad sight. But it was noticed that
old Cregol did not go to see ihis thirg.
Why did not Cregol go2 His neigh
bors insisted that he should 90. No
sooner did he come in sight than the
dogs, with onoaccord, which had, there.
tofore, been perfectly submissive, mo-
testing no one, and auy one could walk
among them and they would only howl,
with teeth grinning, ard bristies ND.
tnshcd at him rs though they would
tear him to shreds, and would not let
him come near.
at length it was resolved to explore
the cave, and upon day set the neigh
bors met for that purpose, and with
torches in hand grouped their way a
short distance on their hands and knees
until they entered what appeared TO be
a large chamber. They rose to their
feet, and with torches lifted high, be-
gan to peer through the darkness. The
trst object they saw was i long blue
coat, hanging against the wall of the
cave. The coat was OF the old French
style; made of blue cloth with brass
buttons. Upon passing further on.
scores and scores OF skeletons We're seen.
scat cred in every direction. Human
skeletons, with clothing of every de-
scrilption hanging to them, which the
wolves had torn to pieces. Among the
explorers was young doctor, who lived
IN the nejghbolhood. AS soon as the
party emerged from the cave, the dogs,
apparently satisfied, ceased their howl
ing and dispersed. That night a man
came for the young doctor. The dogs
had collected at old Crego.'s and com.
menced their howls. Cregol was seized
With spasms, and the man rushed for the
doctor.
The next morning, while the doctor
was sitting by Cregol's bed, who was in
deep stupor, the door suddenly flew
open, and a tall man, with dark com
pleXion, wearing the identical coat which
the doctor had seen in the cave the day
before, entered and passed quickly and
noiselessly through the room. Poor
Cregol, when the man entered, rose
quickly in bed, and gazed with a wild
ma nlaniacal stare at him until he passed
out of sight, and then fell back-dead,
lie had murdered these men for their
money, and that's how he got lis wealth.