The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1879-08-14
MARCH THE ARMK INTO: lLIA-
.en3t:i ..lsas MOIST

cidentsl to this faMd describes $ the
coalition ofaGairs 40 bordering upon
batbaris,n.' This Is kt the village el
i'sCAye-in, Rock, on the Ohio River
awhsrey sdds the Times, reign Of ter.
:ror has prevailed ~ hich ois adisgrace
to any civilized commiunity., The
apathy, of Presidept Hayes, who haa
not movsdla gnnhoat ipor set ? squad
ron, In The Geld, to deal with this fear
ful stafe of', ',saAtional Aflafrs' is the more
remarkable when We reflect that If the
venue had been laid sacross the river
in Kentucky sws should have had the
whole Republican press of the country
urging Rim % srspress the reign Of
terror and abate the disgrace. Il
seems that Csve,in. Rock possesses two
famihes remarkably prolific in fight
.ing.nsn. One Of these is tho Belt
fannily'-which seeims indeed so far to
be tie champion family land the 9TH
or 10 known. A. the sOldhams.' The
Belts' makesupa clan aof some fifty
persons. e Tho roll Of the Oldhams
shows : ttffle under this figure. The
chief Of the Belts L.. described as hav-
ing the imprint Of lsi rufiian on his
face yet ~ being the pious man Of
the gang. It ts related Of him that
recently, while he was preaching,
certain of his. congregation became
unruly, when he left his pulpit and
only returned to It. to conclude his
discourse when he had soundly thrash
ed the disturbers.' In justice to .this
laodiy reprobate we must observe that
q similar story has been told of earlier
divines. Tho Oldhams, called in the
neighborhood isOdums,' are described
a equally ferocious with the Belts but
not IL Intelligent. sInnumerable' is
the somewhat extravagsnt adjective
used BY the chronicler Of their feuds
when he refers to the murders COM
milted by either side. Cave-in-Rock,
in fact, has been converted into . little
Corsica. Yet the Administration has
90 Ear neglected to fire the Southern
heart aud rouse the latent national
pride Of the country by preaching .
just crusade against the State In which
Northern barbarism and ferocity are
thus allowed to flaunt themselves in
the face Of Heavenl z s''
The details prove Illinois to be quite
incapable of self-government. A Bolt
was shot and killed by one ellison,
connected with the sOdnms.' ., In q
week this ellison was killed by anoth-
or Belt who almost Immediately after
wards openly sssassinated onew tness
to the. .dssd and furtively made way
with tho ether witness. One Dorris,
presumably connection of the
'Odoms,' gave testimony against q
Belt, and in fight with fists which
thence ensuod between them Belt was
,worsted 6hd Doris returned victori-
ously home. That same night an nm.
knowniman called Dorristo his door
ON some pretense, and Doris. foolish
" coming, was shot and killed. For
this murder the Belt who had battled
with Dorris was arrested. but on
proving IN alibi by ttwovt notorious
ruhaans' he was handsomely acquitted.
Next appears An Oldham or Odum,
who aave = dance in honor of his own
new hoasesto which his friends were
invited on payment Of twenty-five
cents. One OF the Belts came In with.
ont ,going through this ceremony.
Oldham or Odum called Belts atten-
ton to the oversight with q pair Of
brass sknuckles,' and was rewarded
for his ,inhospitality by being shot
dead in his own house. Immediately
the woods and lsnes in the vicinity
bristled with avenging Oldhams or
sQdpms' and with hlood-thirsty Belts
Probable Witnesses were freely shot
~ they journeyed to and fro and the
roads of the vicinity were soon made
silent and solitary by shot-guns pro-
truding through the brambles. Threat
enisg letters and placards varied the
monotony Of the conflict and tho Old
hams or .Odums' haye now fortified
themselves IN their farm -houses like
the Mainiotes Of the Morea. Last
june ono of 3the Belt clan turned
states evidence and disclosed the fact
that the Relts have been organized in
to . community. controlled by signs.
grips, passwords, and masked men
.witha cQnstitution which enscts MUIR
dset and bY-lsws written In blood.
When warrantsare issued the sheriffs
.deolineito ,ssrvel them; and when in
sheer btaggadocio the leaders OF the
Ibefts oh ono occasfon came into court
/ e velnptssr hail they .came to the
lbeneh, srmed to l, tho teeth, carrying
sarp6tltngs sfAlr Of pistols and hayine
"a 6isott u twenty atmsd retainefs-
One OF the Belts coRdpctad his own
case, told the Witneases in > AcoRpli'