Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1877-09-22

Lancaster county creates much excitement. !
The crimes committed by the nomadic out
laws embrace arson, outrage, robbery and
murder. Hardly a city, village or hamlet
in the county has escaped the depredatory
incursions OF the lawbreakerS- So extensive
and fiagitiOus has their criminality been
that the people generally are rising against
the tramps, and serious and sanguinary con-
ficts have already occurred between the ma
rauders, vigilants and regularly constituted
The tramps have regular
rendezvous at SmOlket0Wn, q small watering
sfafion ON the Pennsyvanis Railroad At
this plare they organize their forces and
make raids into the surrounding farming
country and compel the citizens 10 furnish
whatever they want. Between five hundred
and thousand of the migratory lawbreak-
eTs arrive at and depart from Smoketown in
the course of a day, the eastward and west
ward bound freight trains, which stop for
water, afording them chance to Jump
from town to town at a quick and cheap
rate. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
has issued strict orders to its train men to
eject all tramps from the trains, but the
wanderers manage TO elude the rallroaders
vigilance and board the trains. The people
OF the tramp infested neighborhoOds have
formed vigilance committees to drive out
the invaders, but the tramps have become
so numerous and savage in their disposition
that the vigilants and regularly appointed
law officers are apparently pOwerles to cope
with them. The situation is certainly
alarming, and the question now ag1taJlnS
the laW-abiding and peace-lOving citizens
is, What shall be done to break up the pre-
vailing lawlessness?'' A month or SO ago
atiOns to the more isolated and less pro-
tected communities, but recently they have
openly perpetrated their outrageS IN the
larger towns and cities.
BLOODY BATTLE.
A terrible battle occurred some nights
since in GraybilIs Woods, near Lancaster.
Nearly one hundred tramps had been des-
troying and stealing the crops of the farm
ers. The latter tried to drive the invaders
of, but the nomads proving too strong for
them the authorities at Lancaster were tele-
graphed to for assistance. A detail of police
men and a number Of armed cItlzenS LeIG
Lancaster for the scene of trouble. When
the tramps saw the approaching forces
they formed themselves in line of battle
and prepared for the charge OF the police
and citizens. The police had no sooner got
under fire than the asSa1led opened upon
them with volley of pistol shots. The po-
lice and citizens reached for their revolvers,
and charging upon the tramps fired at them
Unfortunately. a number of yolleys
were exchanged. Finally the aSsailed and
asSailants got TO close quarters. After a
warm combat the tramps retreated, leaving
five of their number wounded in the hands
of the police, who took them to Lancaster
and lodged them in Jail. A farmer named
| Powers was fatally wounded during the
fight
While this sanguinary affair was being
enacted a similar one occurred further along
the line of the Pennsylvania Railroad. y
Sqaud of tramps boarded the Eastern bound
freight train, which slowed up here to al
low passenger train to pass on the junction
road. The trampS said they were in the late
railroad strike AT Pittsburg, and threatened
| TO take possession OF the train and run H.
The fact was telegraphed to Columbia, and
Detective Brady and some railrOaderS were
despatched to the point of disturbance, and
after sharp but short fight captured eight
OF the brigandiSh crew. The others man
aged to escape. In taking the party to Col
umbia prison an attempt was made by sew
eral of them to escape. Detective Brady
fired several shots at them, which brought
them to a sudden halt. They Were commit
ted to jail, but subsequently managed to
L oak fatnrf 4 hFYi1 fInfr
/ criptiOn this party of tramps are supposed to
| be the ones that committed numerous lille
! it and terrible acts in the Welsh Mountains
a short time ago. 1t is said they were assist
ed in their criminality by the notorious and
red handed Welsh Mountain Gang" which
has terrOriZed the mountains country of
Lancaster county for several. The years
murder of Mrs. Isaac REESE in Salisbury
township a few weeks since is also charged
to the escaped tramps.
PROMINENT CITIZEN MURDERED.
The excitement over these outrages had
been but partially quoted when the intelli-
gence of a brutal murder by tramps startled
the community. Mr.. Milton Gramm, a we'll
TODD and prominent citizen of DuncannOn
who had just stepped from Pennsylvania
Railroad train, above the railroad crossing,
at Marysville, was attacked by two tTampS
who Sprang FROM their cOncealment in the
bushes that fringe the railroad bank. Pre-
Senting pistols ut the head of Mr.. Gramm
the road agents demanded his money. Mr..
Gramm refused to comply with the demand
and the trampS shot him. After rObbing
him of considerable money and other Valu-
ableS the outlaws rolled Gramm s body down
the railroad embanSment. Some IabOrerS
soon after discovered Mr.. Gramm and gave
the alarm. The fatally wounded man was
carried to the house of DIR. Warner, where
he received all proper attention, but he only
survived long enough to give an account Of
the attack and describe his murdererS. The
body of Mr.. Gramm has been sent to Dun
cannon on the P1ttSburg express.
ANOTHER MURDER.
] In a nd of ~
the adjoining counties of Chester and
BerlIs, the wandering brigands have con-
summated many terrible and thrilling
crimes. In almost every instance, however,
the ontrages have been committed along the
| line of the railroad, and it is presumed this
has been done TO allow the maurauders an
opportunity tO board the trains after the
commissions CT their Outlawry, and effect
their escape. The latest fragrant Outrage in
! Chester county has occurred on the Pennsyl-
wanna Railroad. A body of trampS wrecked
/ freight train between MalveSSOn and Fra
Zier'S station and attempted to plumber the
cars. The train hands endeaYOred to pro-
tect the cOmpany's property, and a lively
and bloody fight occurred between them and
the wOuld-be train robbers, during which
one Ofthe railrOaderS, William COnVerS, was
killed. The authorities at West ChesterSe
assistance to the place of riot, and two of the
trampS, who give the names of James KeI-
ley and George Wilson, were arrested and
conveyed to the West Chester Jail Kelley
is alleged to have been the one who murder
ed Brakeman Corners.
NOTORIOUS CRIMINALS.
The citizens of Chester county have not
only organized vigilance committees for the
protection of their lives and property, but
experienced and aStute detectives have
been employed by the authorities to ferret
out and apprehend the trampS who are en-
gagged in the wholesale brigandage. The de-
tectiVeS have already discovered that many
of the persons travelling under the guise of
trampS are notorious criminals from Phila-
delphia, New York, Baltimore and other
cities. Among those arrested are George
Weaver, alias " Red Jacket, the Pirate of the
Chesapeake" Frank Manning, alias George
Weaver; and George w. Elliott. These
parties are all well known to the Philiadel-
phia police. They have been tried before
Judge Butler, at West Chester, for breaking
into the house of w. +. Lockwood, at Glen
lock, and attempting to murder the owner,
and were sentenced to seven years each in
the Eastern Penitentiary. The Chester
Delaware, Lancaster, BerkS and MOntgOm-
cry county prisons are filled with murder
Gus trampS, who await trial for various Of
fences committed Within the borders ofthe
different counties.