The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-05
Redmond's Arrest.
AsHEY1LLE. n. c.. NJ

This is Major Redmond" said Squire
Young, the courteous sheriff as hc pointed
to slender, boyish figure that lay on a
bed of straw in front of the iron barred
window enjoying the cooling breeze from
OF the blue hills with which he is so
familiar. He has western window, and
looking westward can see the distant
peaks among which for several years he
has been as much at home as chamois
among his native Alps. He extended u
small, weather stained hand to your
correspondent and asked him to be seated
on the only chair in his cell, except the
one by which he propped his head.
where did you get your title, Ma.
jor"
"Well, that" said he, "is nick name
they GIN me when ! was a boy"
But you have been in command Of
squads of men at different times, have
you not?"
"No, sir, never was. Thems all a
pack O. lies they tell about me havin' a
band o. men,"
What, Major, are the charges against
you I"
They say, somers about year and q
half ago | was aeen in Il blockade still
house. The truth about the matter is
that there's man out there in Swain
county who has been trying to lay his
blockade stillin' on me. He got sCthin'
or nurther agin me. We hsiut got
along we'll together for sometime now"
Major, tell ME something about your
life."
"Well," said he, adjusting the chair
under his head more comfortably, II was
born close to where Atlanta, Georgia, is
now, in 1854. Then my father moved up
to Transylvania, in North Carolina.
We lived there till the war come on. and
moved to Swain county. After the war
and lived there and farmed it ill 1877,
when / had some little trouble with some
revenuers. They was to blame, 1 wasn't.
left then and went over into South
Carolina. That same year about corn
gatherin' time married old man Ladd g
gain the upper edge of Picken's
county. come back then in March 10
to Swain county and leased ME some
land OH the Tennessee river, about eight
miles from Charleston but, wherever
I've been alters had good character
The newspaper men has tole heap O.
lies on me-"
"Major, how did the officers capture
you 2"
"Well I'll tell you," said he. II have
been a 'lisin' peaceable and not
botherin' nobody fur this is now gwyne'
on three years. I mostly stay at hone
and don't hardly ever leave my cabin
'cept to hunt y little and to worL in my
fields. Along about the fist week in
April my wife asked u.c 10 step out in
the edge o. the clearing and kill her a
squirrel. And 1 heard the dogs barking
up on the ridge above the house; 80 I
gifts the shot gun and goes up that way.
But when I got in about fifty yards of my
dogs-where they was barking l seen
somebody move behind the brush and
cliff an six men stepped out all hollered
"halt." l turned around an started
towards my cabin and they kept a
sEootin,' and ever once an q while I'd
feel ball hit me, and heard 'em whiz-
zin' by me till l got over the ridge.
They run after me and overlook me about
a hundred and fifty yards from my
house."
wounded, Major?"
Seven places, an they hurt me
mighty bad this mornin', but don't say
much about it."
The officers version differs somewhat
from the Majors statement. Officer Con-
ley Gays: eve went to his house-or to
a ridge about hundred and fifty yards
distant-early Thursday morning, April
z. AT 10 O'Clock a. m. the dogs saw us
and came rushing up to where we were.
Redmond followed with his gun. When
in about fifty PAGES of us he lowered his
gun ms if to fire. We told him to halt,
but as he was still rapidly advancing we
n 10 rritt fall Ii, .. i
he ran towards his house. Passing the
cabin he ran about one hundred and fifty
yards into the woods beyond. All six Of
us closed in on him, and found him
wounded and exhausted. We took him
to his house, and the physician said he
could not be safely moved on An extend
ed trip en- account of his wounds. So
we were forced to try to keep him in our
charge there. we anticipated an at
tempt at rescue on the part of his friends.
We plainly told Redmond, when we saw
his neighbors coming to and going from
bis house, that if any attempt should be
made to take him or any attack made on
us that we would shoot him first. This,
we think, prevented his pals from the
dangerous experiment. On Friday,
April 22d, we carried him eight miles on
litter to Charleston among our friends
where we slept better. On the following
day, Saturday, 23d instant, we started for
Asheville, reaching here on Sunday. We
brought him to Asheville because the
several rewards offered for him designate
that point as the place for delivery of
his body"
His father is said to have been moon
sinner, end Jared badly at the hands of
the revenue officers and the law. Hence
it was but natural that young Redmond
should imbibe the prejudices of his faith
er. His antipathy to the agents of the
revenue department was not concealed.
He would speak often of his successful
resistance of the officers of the law, State
and Federal. Flushed with victory, he
became desperate and shot down Deputy
Marshal Duckworth, in Transylvania
county, in 1877, when an effort was being
made for his arrest for alleged violation
of the revenue laws. He then fed to
South Carolina. But he did not there
escape the sleepless eye Of the law, but
no managed to clude her officers. Where
upon o reward was offered, and we are
Informed is still offered, for his person.
Once in South Carolina his wagon and
team were seized under the revenue law.
He escaped the small squad of officers
who took his property. But in a few
hours he returned with double barrel
shot gun, and with the wild daring of