The New York herald., 1879-10-17

ually quiet little city found
affairs existing in the upper
y In fact, tho condition Of things
Die. A band OF men. numbering
twelve, after committing murder
ily defy arrest and continue their
ton Back of the scene of their out
swamp in which they hide them
ey discover the approach of force
lot openly resist.
the situation, which promises much
interest may be understood it is neces-
.---.- " the occurrences of the past few years
in Baldwin county. Four five years ago there
came to BALDWIN from East Tennessee an Informed
hunchback by the name OF Michael Shaw. He soon
betrayed most desperate character, and was sur
rounded by equally bad. In 1875 the negroes of
the middle belt of Georgia planned an insurrecton
that to embrace several counties and utterly
weed out tho whites. These plans were discov-
cred by chance letter picked up containing
an order to the captain of q negro com-
pany and almost instantly the whites went
to organizing all through the black belt. Shaw
put himself ut the head of his little band despcra-
does, which he named the Georgia Tigers" and
went to work as sort of patrol and regulating
squad There is no telling what damage done
during these days of disturbance, the country
was full of fugitive negroes and armed squads. but
nothing can be learned definitely. After things had
quieted down. however. it discovered that Shaw
and his crowd were still organized and punder-
ing and killing They operated upon the edge of
swamp. and it was impossible to detect them. The
negroes driven out Of the section that they in
tested and valuable plantations were thus
rendered almost worthless. One day Colonel
McComb.f who owned one of these places.
received anonymous letter, telling him
that if he would look in old well his place he
would find tho skeletons of threo who had been
missing for time, and that the skeleton of
other missing man could be found in q creek near
by, where it had been anchored down with stones.
The letter further said that Mike Shaw and his crowd
were the murderers of these people, and that they
had been killed for the most trhing cause. two of
them simply because they had worked two days in
the corn field of shaw's gang ana it was cheaper to
kill them than to pay them. search was made and
the skeletons were found described. Arrests of
tho whole gang were being planned when it was re-
ported that Mike Shaw's wife had been found
in her bedroom with her skull crushed in-mur-
dered half-wttcd boy swore that he Shaw
himself kill his wife, He said that he caught her
by the hair the piazza of the house, beat her
the head and shoulders with bludgeon until she
fellcd to the oor and then dragged her into the
house. leaving trail of blood all the way. Imme-
diately after they had disappe1red in the house
pistol shot was heard and Shaw came running out.
delay was hanged for this murder His gang scat
tered and demoraized. and some of them hid out in
the swamps. 1t is supposed by many that they are
connected in way with the present disturb
ances. although they located in different part
of the county.
REIGN TERROR.
One of the mysterious points of this whole mat
ter Is that it is impossible to definitely place the
responsibility of the bloody work that now being
,y,o
terrorism is established in the troubled district.
The circumstances of the late troubles are thcse:-
DIR. J. A. p. Robson is physician living near tho
line of Hancock county. lie is perfectly fearless
man; has had mis- tested often. and has never
finched in an emergency. There a negro living
on his place named Cicero. who has been very badly
maltreated in the past year. Once he taken
out of his house and beaten until he was nearly
dead Indeed it appears that his assaants left him
for dead in the woods. His employer, DIR. Robson,
took him to his house, had him well cared for
and when he had recovered took his part
and swore that he would protect him. He
had one or two difficulties with his neighbors
this interference with the plans of the negros
enemies. and at length received note saying that if
he did not desist he would be burned out and killed.
He pursued his way despite these warnings and
night he saw that his sawmill was in flames. He
dressed hastily and ran toward the mill for pur-
pose putting out the fire. Just he came
within the circle of light he fired upon from the
bushes and bullet two sent through his clothes
He hurriedy fell back into the dark and returned
10 his house. In the meantime some OF
his neighbors. attracted by the fire. hurried
across the country to help save his property AS
they reached the light they, too were fired
upon. and retreated The mill consumed. and
the gang then departed. The next day Dr. Robson
just defiant ever. and in night or two
his GIN house. which built for public gin. and
in which was stored much of the neghborhood cot
ton. was set on fire. He did not dare leave his
house for OF being assassinated aud quietly
and watched his property destroyed. He stiil
mi int and dac arad flafh hq an
prosecute the parties who had maltreated tho
negro On Saturday morning. accompanied by Serge
negro he started for Milledgevlle, where Court
to be held. II happened that he and Roe started
half hour earlier than was intended, the negroes
coming behind. When they mad gone a few
miles and approached the edge OF the swamp the
negroes were ired on. aud Cicero was instantly
Killed. His companion escaped, although he was
repeatedly hred ON. DIR. Robson, who was riding
some distance ahead, heard tho firing, and
knowing full well what it meant, put spurs
TO his horse and plunged into the woods
He reached MilcdgeviIe in safety and was
escorted back home by several members of the Bald
win Blues He then received notice, through letters
scattered about his place. that ho must leave the
country, and that AZ he did not he would be burned
out aud killed, and that Andrew and John Serge
Roe his wifes father and brothers. would be treated
in the same manner.
-cowARDLY SEreHBons
He determined TO make defence of his home,
and offered $50 a night to any persons who would
come and help him guard his premises. But the
feeling was so profound that sort or watch could
prevail against the assassins. that no could
to. IN Atlanta, and camc down at once.
In the meantime his enemies burned another cotton
house on his place, and notified him that he must
leave by saturday night thoy would kill him and
his people. liy this time tho intcnsest alarm was
felt through all the neighborhood. II not known
TO what extent the despeiadoes would go. delega-
tion OF citizens of Milledaevillc posted of to At
lanta to consult the Governor and SEQ what help he
could give. They held that the military could do
no good, as upon the approach of large iorce the
outlaws would plunge into the swamp which
was almost absolutely impenetrablc. and a regiment
could not ind them in tweivo months. They have
their camps and retreats in this swamp and arc safe
when once hid there. The Governor therefore sent
two trusty detectives TO Milledgevilo to investigate
the whole matter and identity the criminals and he
pledges himself that he will then take and punish
them IL IL takes all the military in Georgia. IT, how
ever. the detectives will only fix the guilt upon
certain parties the people of the county will
that tney taken. 1t is the mystery, the doubt
and uncertainty that has paraly zed them until "