Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-05-26

the gorge covered Win rock anu lans un
dergrowth, and shaded almost to gloom by
the dense overhanging forest, seemed a I'll
retreat for marauding bands 1t required
no common nerve to penetrate alone into its
recesses in pursuit of a robber. But the
blood of the traveller was up, and he little
needed the risk he was running
AS be could neither see nor hear anything
to direct him in the pursuit, Mr.. Stogdon
checked his horse, and remaining silent tor
short time, sheltered by the accidental screen
of a low bushy tree, from observation in the
direction the gorge receded from the road.
The song of the mountain birds and the low
murmur of tiny waterfalls, were the only
sounds he heard. The robber had vanished
like shadow, and neither eye nor ear could
tell the direction he had gone.
Having made up his mind to abandon the
pursuit, Mr.. Stogdon was in the act of turn
ing his horses head towards the road, when
he caught, through the branches of the tree
in front of him, the glimpse of man rum
ming rapidly up the side Of the gorge, some
distance further up the de6le. As pursuit
on horseback up the activity was impossible,
he remained in his position and watched, as
we'll as he could, the movements of the re.
treating figure, which no doubt was that of
the fugitive robber.
Climbing from crag to crag, the robber
stopped at length in front of two Lodges Of
rock which projected from the mountain, a
few feet apart, thus making an entrance or
pass. way into the side of the defile. He
looked earnestly for moment in the direc-
ton he had come, and then, entering between
the rocks, disappeared from the sight of the
traveller.
Convinced that he had discovered the den
of the robbers, Mr.. Stogdon at once decided to
return to the blacksmith-shop at the base of the
mountain, and give information to the neigh
borhood. Making careful ocular explora-
tion of the surrounding scenery, and fixing in
his mind as many objects as he could, which
might serve to identify the spot where the
robber had disappeared, he turned his horses
head and soon reached the narrow pass in the
main road. TIE body of the dead robber
lay as it fell, with the blood puddled around
it. Forcing his horse with difficulty to pass
it, he rode with rapid pace and soon reach.
ed the shop, where he found several Of the
neighboring planters and the smith still busy
with speculation upon the mysterious devel-
opments which the latter had witnessed in the
morning.
Mr.. Stogdon related to his eager and won
dering listeners his adventure in the noun
tain, the death of one robber and the proba.
bic discovery Of the place of retreat of per-
haps many more. In few hours the news
spread through the neighborhood, and brought
together company of forty or fifty men at
the shop. 1t was decided, without a dissent
ing voice, to ascend the mountain and storm
the den of robbers. Guns, axes, dogs and
conveyances were soon provided, and the line
Of march commenced.
The cavalcade, moving with celerity and
in silence, soon reached the spot where the
dead robber lay The black coating being
wiped from the face, the body was recognized
at once as that IF the landlord of the hotel
at which Mr.. Stogdon had staid the night
before. The suspicious of the neighborhood
long entertained, as to his character, were now
completely confirmed. He was the confed-
crate of band Of robbers and his hotel was an
outpost where plans were concocted and the
selected victims disarmed and sent helpless to
be robbed and murdered in the mountain.
The body was placed upon baggage cart
and sent, with proper explanations, in the
care Of servant, to the family at the hotel.
So secretly had his connection with the rob-
bers been maintained, that the return of the
corpse, and the developments which followed
were the first intimation which his wife and
children had of his criminal associations.
After brief delay occasioned by the ex-
animation and removal Of the body of the
robber, the company proceeded, under the d.
rection of Mr.. Stogdon, along the lateral
gorge towards the place where the confeder-
ate robber had disappeared between the pro-
jecting ledges OF rocks. At point opposite
the supposed cave they dismounted, and, Sc.
curing their horses among the bushes, began
to climb up the steep ACTIVITY. In a few
moments, arriving by different routes, the
men and dogs were all assembled at the de-
signated point The evidences of human in.
habitancy were unmstakable. The ground
Immediately in front of the rocks was trodden
and hard. Worn paths branched off in sew
eral directions from the spot. The entrance,
a narrow passage between the two project
ing rocks, ran inwardly, and the avenue, ex-
cept fora few feet at the opening, was dark
and entirel irnpenetrable to the eye. 1t
led evidently into a cave or subterranean
shelter of some sort, which the company
prepared at once to explore.
Dry branches of trees and dead underground
were gathered, tied into bundles and lighted.
with fire kindled by flint and tinder. With
these for torches, six of the more resolute
men entered the opening between the rocks,
with the view Of exploring the Interior to
which it led The passage was so narrow
that only two could walk abreast. Two men
in front bore torches, as did the two in the
rear. The middle couple carried muskets
heavily charged.
As they advanced the passage rapidly wi.
dened, and the roof sprang up to great
height overhead. They had gone about
twenty PAGES from the entrance when blaze
of light, accompanied by the almost smulta'
neous report of firearms, flashed forth from
distant, interior point Of the cave. The
two men in front fell to the earth. Dis.
charging their muskets in the direction of the
flash, the others retreated from the cave,
dragging their fallen companions after them,
one of whom was seriousl y wounded and the
other entirel ly lad.
Enraged at the spectacle of blood and
death, the besiegers began more resolutely
the work of assault upon the cave, for such
it was now ascertained to be, and Of consid-
erable dimensions, too. An effort was made
to induce the dogs to enter The more reso-
lutte advanced few PAGES, and then ran back
in apparent alarm. The majority stood at
the entrance and barked, but could not be