The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-03-31
ANOTHER GAVE MYSTERY.
Startling Discoveries I'm Highland County,


Especial TO the Cincinnati Commercially
HILLsBoRo, March 22.-Ths residents OF
Marshall township, this county, are consid-
erably excited over the somewhat remarka-
bic discovery OF q cave containing human
bones, together with large quantities of the
bones of animals. The cave, If it deserves
that name, Is on what is known as the Rugg
farm. now belonging to Hon. John l.
Hughes. For many years hunters have no
ticed that rabbits, foxes and other game
when pursued always made for a certain
point on this farm, and disappeared sudden
ly from sight at the confluence of two
small streams. A gentleman by the
name of Main, while chasing a rabbit a
few days since determined 70 investigate and
at the base of the hill where bis game went
out of sight he found q hole. Reaching in,
he grasped something in his hand which
proved to be the long bone of human. His
curiosity being now very much excited, he
procured assistance, and commenced dig
ging. People flocked out from the village,
aud came pouring In from the surrounding
country, as the news rapidly spread. The
locality is but short distance from the no.
torious Bob McKimie's old headquarters,
aud within the range of his once noted gang.
nearly all OF whom are now in prison under
long sentences. In fact, it was supposed
that McKimie was hid IN one OF the numer-
Gus caves that exist in the eastern part of the
county, after he made his escape from Jail
here in so daring a manner about three years
ago.
After digging some distance they came to
large stone slab on edge closing the mouth
of a cavern about 10 by II feet square and
six feet high. On the floor lay bones in
large number, some hundred, but the larger
portion bones of different species of animals
Some of them were in good state of preser-
walton, and could easily be named and classi
| IL
posture to the air. Bones of wildcats,
rabbits and dogs were found, while some
larger animal bones could not be classified,
though they are supposed to belong to the
larger species of wild animals, such as pan
there, catamounts, bears, etc.
There was also found some large bodies of
charred wood or charcoal. One OF these is
as large as an ordinary base burner stove.
| Close search was made for metal ornaments,
but none were found, though several articles
of flint and stone were discovered such as
are generally found in mounds and ancient
| Notifications.
The cave or cavern is a mystery to every
body. II it were not for the stone and flint
articles, the theory of some, that the skele-
tons are the remains OF murdered persons
| hid there by their murderers would be gen.
orally accepted. There are many stories of
murders and mysterious disappearances
| during the early times throughout this sec
ton. Old settlers tell of movers from Vir-
ginia and other States, and of travellers along
the once great highways from the East tC
the West, being murdered for their money,
and their bodies never found. 1t may De
! that the dead past has now revealed the
resting place of some of its dead after a long
lapse of years.
There are reasons, though, for not credit
ing the murderers' hiding place theory.
Some little distance away from the cavern
stands an ancient mound, and it Is believed
by some that the cavern was once th'
entrance to a subterranean passage leading
to the interior OF the mound. This idet
seems so plausible that arrangements are
being made for thorough examination Of
the mound. 1t is proposed to dig into it
and excavate to depth sufficient to uncove
all it contains. The work will be supefin
tended by competent persons, who will
carefully preserve whatever may be dis
| 00uarad