The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-01


vile wretches proceeded to make old Peggy
strip the young girl in their presence. The
poor child, being so pressed, stripped so that
they could but see she had no gold, but, per-
ceiving their vile motive, sprang into her
chamber, saying to the old bag: Nanny,
don't You see l have no gold" The child,
whom the old woman raised and still called
her nanny, had been treated worse than if
she had been murdered outright.
The chapter of blood and cruelty still con-
tinues. The family to whom old Peggy be-
longed was completely besieged They hung
this boys uncle, who weighed 200 pounds,
by the thumbs and kept him in agony
whole night in the woods where there was no
one to offer the least word of consolation.
The weird scene, rendered more hideous by
the pale freight, is beyond description.
They were led to do so by the tales of ne
groes, and because some of the young men
who robbed the wagons were stopping at
their houses. The affair eliminated in the
arrest of any and everyone in the neighbor-
hood. Wiseacre now appeared among the
Yankees, and rode with them night and day,
without law or authority, arresting whoever
the negroes would, or their own imaginations
would suggest. They took old Peggy's mas
ter, with his whole family carried them to
Washington, Wilkes county, and would have
put them in the filthy Jail had not the ladies
of Washington begged that the girls and
nOLnef InlSnG D6 allowed 10 90 III JuS
house. The mother had TO leave her suck
ling babe at home and remain incarcerated
for nearly two weeks. Now comes a scene
which beggars description. They took the
gentleman out and hung him up by the
thumbs to tree in the courthouse yard, in
the presence of his family and the whole
cowardly town looking on. While this man
was publicly tortu 1 in the streets of Wash
ington Ca, not man offered to resent or
said a word to prevent it, One noble boy,
whose parents were from Connecticut, could
not stand it, and he alone said: "If had
any one to back me this thing should stop"
The company of federals which were doing
all this micchief were at last ordered else
where, and we had a company of genteel fell
lows to deal with.
THE GREAT SECRET REACHED.
This brings us to the great secret, which
has been kept we'll. There was collision be-
tween those who had the money in charge
at Washington and those who robbed the
train of wagons. No one can fail to come to
that conclusion. Everything corroborates
the fact that there was a complete under
standing between the parties which seemed
so at a variance. If l had not known the
truth in this affair, 1 would never have
written a word concerning it. The gold re-
manned in Washington a good while, not ex-
actly at the mercy of every one but under
control of quasi-guards. These custodians
had tacit control, and in order that they
might go blameless, if they appropriated any
of the gold to their own use, they must have
place TO escape.
The coming of Wiseacre was a timely thing
with them. They evinced considerable in
genuity in the plan they fixed. As soon as
Wiseacre announced his intention to take
the money back to Richmond via Abbeville,
these men saw their opportunity. They CON
sented to give up to him a considerable
amount, and Joined him in hunting up more.
Wiseacre found good many right-hand men
in the town.
A few days before the time for them to
start to Abbeville, they sent out one of their
men secretly to plan for the train to be rob-
bed, which we have seen was so successfully
accomplished This opens upa all, and every
body can now see clearly through the whole
thing Those men who had taken the gold
before Wiseacre came knew they would be
found, for they had so much that it could
not be accounted for, and if they could
manage to get it all scattered
they would never be suspected.
The reader may look back over
what has been said, and every circumstance
goes to prove that there was understanding
with those men around Washington. How
could Captain NJ - have had all things
ready at so short a notice. The wagons did
not pass where he was living until about sun
down so it was late when they passed
through the village and had four miles to go
before passing where any of Vaughn's men
were staying. l will give this much credit
to those who were connected with the affair,
TO say they had no idea of the matter ending
as it did. They justly thought that they had
more right to it than the Yankees. When
the Yankees came, those who had received
gold from Wiseacre were as quiet as lambs;
they were afraid what they had got honest
ly, as they called it, would be taken from
them. In trying to hide it they lost a good
deal. Some of those who got rewarded with
10per cent. made good use of it, as you can
tell now by the way they have prospered
| am aware that the reader has already in
quired how know there was an agreement
between the parties. A few whispered
words led me into the light, viz: eve did
not know this thing was going to take this
town." We could see that most of the
money was taken about Washington, for
suddenly the finest of brick stores went up
and thousands of goods was brought to the
place by men who hadn't dollar when they
came home from the war Various methods
were resorted to in order to cover up the
fact that they had any of the money Men
who were poor left and bought brick stores in
the cities. Men who would never have had a
thousand dollars but for that gold, now give
in their property for taxes at seventy-fiv
and one hundred thousand dollars, and who
stand on the streets and talk of their bust
ness capacity and of how thriftess the farm
ers are. Wiseacre finally got en- route for
Richmond with a considerable amount OF
money, when he was caught up with by the
Yankees and he lost all, or he may have
been in league with them all the while and
divided spoils. Now all who care to know,
can see what became of the confederate
money. And, to conclude, we must say if it
was right, we must adopt the motto: What
ever is, is right"
ROLLER EVpVnCuON