Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-07-29
KENTUCKY'S OUTLAW.
The Remarkable Career ct Old
Jim Bridgewaters.
A Man Who Has Figured COnspicuously as
Counterfeiter, Thief and Chief Of
Band Of Cut-throats-His
Many Crimes.
Eiom IN Occasional Correspondent.

of almost colossal size and height quiz
city entered the post office door, walked
up to the window and asked for his
mail this morning. The expression Of
his face was almost ferociOus. Al inn
mense Roman nose bulged out from be-
tween pair of small, keen, whitish
grey, vindictive eyes. a heavy growth
OF beard covered the lower part of his
face, and partially concealed long,
deep scar which extended from the left
ear along the cheek and int the thick
sensual lips, making the mouth ragged
and brutal in expression. Long, mat
ted, almost white hair grew on his
head. His forehead was low and re-
treating. He appeared to be about 90
years old, and weighed not less than 800
pounds. His bulky form was clad in a
settling suit of homemade jeans.
This man was old Jim BridgewaterS,
the most noted and at one time
One orthe Most Noted Characters in
Kentucky.
Before the war he was well-tO-do
farmer, and was one of the most re-
spected men in the country. But there
was a screw loose somewhere in his
moral nature. For hardly had the re-
belllon broke out, when suddenly the
country was flooded with finely exc
cuted counterfeit e.dollar bills. The
best Judges were deceived, and business
men were almost afraid to receive notes
of that denomination. 1t was known
for quite while that the cOunterfeiterS
had their headquarters in this locality,
but the sharpest detectives were unable
to spot the exact place. Bridgewaters
began to spend money lavishly, and
suspicion was fastened on him. De-
tectives followed him like his own
shadow. One dark night number of
officers raided his house. They had
been told 10y trusty ally that they
would catch them in making cOun-
terfeit money when they went in. On
the contrary, however, Bridgewaters
was the first person to meet them at
the door, smiling and apparently much
surprised at their visit. After a long
and close search small printing press,
dies, ink, paper and quantity Of cOua-
terfeit money were discovered in a con-
sealed recess in the wall. OF course he
was arrested, but month later
lie Broke Out Of Jail and Escaped.
1t became known afterward that he had
been getting large quantities of coun-
terfeit money from man named
Busch.
This fellow Busch was very re-
markable individual in personal ap-
pt arance-short, bow-legged and hump
shOudeIed-bu he had most beauti-
full and intellectual face and refined
manners. He spoke French, Latin,
Greek and Hebrew, No one knew
where be came from. He buried him.
self in cave in the mountains of
WAYNE County, and did some Of the
finest cOunterfeiting ever known West.
After Bridgewaters was arrested Busch
became uneasy, and suddenly left the
country. His cavern home was after
ward searched, and q quantity of ma
terial found. The rooms in the place
were elegantly furnished and indicated
the occupant to have been a person of
refinement.
Bridgewaters' arrest for counterfeit
ing destroyed his previous good reputa-
ton. He purchased a piece of property
in the toughest portion of the county,
built an immense log house on it, pierre
ed the walls with portfolios, gathered a
number of wild, lawless men around
him and babe defiance to the authori-
ties. Ina few months farmers horses
began to disappear. DEMONSTRATING be-
came prevalent all over the State. Not
one of these nimble- heeled knights OF
\ Il - h.,f
would sometimes go through the noun
tains to Tennessee or Northern Geor-
gia, and find their horses in the posses
sion Of some reputable citizen. The
last owner could always prove that he
purchased the animal OF some
Strange Horse Trader
from kentucky. One day mar named
Sloan was hunting in a thicket on
Bridgewaters' place and thought he
heard the drumming of pheasant.
Dropping on his knees, he cautiously
worked his way along in the direction
of the sounds. In short time he came
out into small clearing, where, in
stead of q pheasant, he saw several
fine horses tied to the trees. 1t was
their impatient stamping on the ground
that he heard. Sloan frowned, then
smiled, and, glancing in the direction
of Bridgewsters' house, walked away.
That night number of officers crept
to the place and arrested man named
McFerrin, who afterwards proved to be
one of Bridgewaters' main lieutensnts.
The horses were finally identified As
the property of citizens who lived in
the centre Of the State. The prisoner,
by some hook or crook of the law,
escaped the penitentiary.
The horse stealing went on as before.
The thieves became holder than ever.
They organized a system OF night re-
laws, of only few miles apart, extend
ng from Northern Kentucky through
the mountains into Tennessee. The
| effect of this was to allow the man al
one station to ride the stolen horse
through to another place of conceal
ment and get back to his own home be-
fore the next day, so that no suspicion
could attach to him. The plan work
ed like charm. Aman would lose a
horse, say, about Lexington. Ia few
days the animal would be in some little
t-of-the-way town south Of the Cum
berland mountains and in the posses
sion Of an unknown man. The hors
wss cheap. g. sides, it war war times