The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-26
A Tale Of Revolving Crime. from the
Wids of Baldwin County.
SHAW, THE WIFE SLAYER.
The Uncounted Butcheres OF His
Gang OF Outlaws.
DISCOVERY OF SKELETONS.

the dining room of her little home There was no
one in the house with the body. except little girl
daughter OF the murdered womanl who unable
TO givo any account OF what had happened
II appeared from survey OF the scene
that the unfortunate had been attacked
upon the front piazza There wcrc sprinkled stains
OF blood Just outside the door, aud pieces OF
dress found on the piazza In the room IN which the
body lay the noor was srneared with blood, while tho
door that led from the into the hall was spattered
with brains and blood. Near by the corpse q
heavy Pine bludgeon with which tho woman had
doubtless been beaten to death, as It was covered
with stains OF blood and pieces OF har The skull was
battered in and two pistol balls had been sent through
the taco. These had evidently been fired alter the
woman was down, as they sped into tho floor, after
passing through her head There clew TO the
murderer. There had been attempt robbery.
The body OF the woman had not been dcnled, and 1t
was evident the murderer had been allowed ample
time have carried the purposes that usually
move men TO murder. Very after tho
negro who had been near the house that morn
Ing was arrostcd and brought to trial. There no
evidence upon which TO convict him. and he
leased.
HORRIBLE SUSPICION
After some time had elapsed tho mother OF the muir
dered woman astonishcd the community by charging
that hor daughter had been murdered by her (thc
daughter's) husband. Mr.. Michae. Shaw
OF desperate character ana some hesitation shown
in arrcsting him upon suspicion. The mother sworc
however, that her daughter had frequently told her
that sho afraid Mr.. Shaw would kill her-that he
had beaten her frequently and had threatened to kill
her. II discovered also that he had
been arrested for beating his WIFE, Tho
mother further testified that the little child
had told her, after the excitement had len
her calm. that hor "faher had killed mother" Shaw
was then arrested and put upon trial The Theory
that he murdered his vito tho mysterious
points that hung about tho murder. II removed the
apparent causelessncss and accounted for the OF
the rounded bludgeon in preference to the keen
that lay at the pilc from which the budgeon was
TAKEN man bent upon murder would havo seized
the the best instrument A brutal husband de-
terminod TO punish his wifo would have takcn
bludgoon rather than the
AN UNEXPECTED WITNESS
The trial had hardly opened however, before a wit.
ness was introduced who swore directly Mnd positively
saw him do II. HIS story was as toilows:-"i was
standing upon the hill near Shnw's house when saw
him come out on the piazza whore his VITO stand
ing. He had some words with hcr and struck her
once or twice He then ran to the woodpile and
seizing heavy pine knot, scized her by tho throat
and rainci the ticks down upon her head. She
screamed once or twice and then sank upon the cor
Shaw still clinslng TO her and beating her with
tho Knot After beating her over tho head
for about one minute no dragged hcr in
tho house. Alter probably another minute had
| elapsed | heard two pistol shots the
| house Immediately after this Shaw came running
out of the house with pistol In his ana bundle
| OF clothes under his arm He ana at once
| hurried up TO whore WIS. He asked me what
doing thore told him was just looking about. He
SAID, DID you know somebody had killed my wioY'
| replied that had everything that had hap
pcncd at the house. At this no became worry mad and
drawing pistol up TO my face sworc that he would
blow my brains II | ever said one word about what
had seem promised HIM that would not speak OF IT,
no changed his clothes, and buried the SUIT he had
on when he left mo, as " was bloody all along the
sleeves and pants; he also hid the pistol"
IA he and kpnt aV,g
secret because he was afraid shaw would Kill hun
II he ''peached." His story received confirmation
IRON the TACT that tho suit OF clothes
Shaw as wearing ON that day havo never been
since that day, and could not DO accounted for
by Shaw. Tho accused man WINS convicted of
der Tho witness has sworn the trial that
he taken into the woods by who put a
rope around his neck and sworo they would XIII him
II he did not swear against shaw Aiterward, how
ever he swore that he made this last affidavit under
Misrepresentation as 10 what he was swearing to- and
that his FIRST story was true. SO that Shaw
under sentence Of death In the JAN IN city. His
WHO was a handsome woman nnd bore good charac-
ter.
BANDED MrRDRRERs.
And now some strange developments arc made. A
short time ago Mr. h. T. Murphy, professional do
tecuve OF great Skill with headquarters ut Atlanta
received letter from Colonel W. s. McComb OF Bald
win county, inciosing anonymous Iottcr, In which
some Startling statements were made Tho anony-
nous letter, written in iegiblc but awkward hand
evidently by some person whose fingers more az
home around the plough handle Than the pen
stated that shaw the wife. murderer, had been Tor a
long time the leader of band oi ruians living the
deep forests near him. and that he the
OF perhaps dozen murders. The letter addressed
To Colonel McCouib and stated that II he wanted 10
know where Jun Bostck--a young follow who had
gone over To shaws house las his mother tcstincd)
evening collect IA I'LL and never socn again
might be found, to look IN his (McComD's) well for
him. as shaw and ms gang had killed him anu thrown
him In there II further stu ed that one evening shaw
ana hig crowd Killed two men that they haa hIrei TO
pull fodder Tor them. Alter the hands had finished
work Shaw ana some OF his crowd Killed them
as IL WAS the easiest way To pay them, aud
iheIr bodies ao the creek, having first them open
and hllcd them with rocks that they might sink
IA IuIfa had t.lu
which the skeletons Of these men might be found.
the writer also detailed The story OF another muruor
quite us alrocous as any OF the others. aud stated
that many more had been committed. Hc further sad
that snaw ana MS crowd had regular organization,
aud kept the section through which they operated in
STAGE oil terrorism. Colonel McComb, In his
letter to Mr. Murphy. stated that he had
had the well Searched Tor B0sck's skeleton,
as directed and had found II there described by
anonymous writer, and that the Coroner then
holding an inquest OVERT He stated that no had not
yet been abio 10 have the creek searched Tor the
disembowcled bodies, but that no had no doubt they
could DO found In short, he believed the anonymous
letter to be true III all It's details as had been proved
true in one particular He wrote further that tho
sad 10 bave been murdered wero missing just about
the Tune tho anony mous writcr SAID they were MUIR
| dercd.
CHASTITY CONFIRMATION.
Upon receipt OF TINS letter Mr. Murphy went nj
t. BALDWIN county and investigated tho matter thor
oughiy He reports upon his return that affairs were
| much worse than lie expected TO nnd them. Io found
that shaw had collected about himself band oil dcs-
pcratc men he called sIhe Georgia Tigers . They
nau a secret organization and held the tnnly sottlod
section around them IN complete state OF terrorism.
He found the corpscs IN the creek as described. Ito
captured certain implements OF torture that used
by the Tgers, consisting OF haBdcus, heavy leather
belts ncu inside win spikes and huge barpcd straps
Tor whipping purposes He says that the ''rigeran
assaulted whoever they pleased. killed whenever they
wanted TO- aud made those dismal forests terrible
that hands could not be found TO work the farms
! Mr.. Murphy found an almost supcrsttious dread
| against going mo the CONAN OF tho ..rigcrsp
pcryuding all classes, aud he earnestly
dIssuaded from trying TO explore their
icarsonc secrets. Hc went ahead, however ana dis
covered enough to convince him thai shaw nad Tor
led the life OF iiend and that less than
| cigbt murders, besides the Staying OF his wife might
be traced 70 his hands These we're cruel and
wanton 10 the last degree, as IN the the two
laborers who were killed IN cold blood after they had
iaithiuiiy performed their work, SIMPLY because
/ killing them was an easier way OF settling with them
tnan Dy paying thor bill. The Grand Jury rot out
bill Tor murder against shaw on one OF these cases,
which Will DO tried, n ny any quiD5e he should Is,
cape hanging tor tho murder of WIFE, ii TINS trial
comes up u Will rosult N come rich deyeonmenla Il