The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1884-07-05

He did not recognize me, and readily
stopped when my companions halted
him; and, as may be supposed, we
cantured him without much trouble.
AT first he expressed much surprise, but
when he came to recognize me he
ceased his railing and protested will
inpness to 60 with us where we pleased
we carried him to Booneton, and while
the officers were taking him into the
tavern took good care that his horse
was safely housed in the stable. The
fellow cave his name as Mark Sackett,
and swore that he knew nothing of any
robbers or anything OF that kind, and
touching the affair OF the horse, he de-
clared that that was something which
he could not explain. He said that he
saw me when | was carried into the
woods. and as the horse had left with
him began to revive he had mounted
and followed me- Beyond this we could
get nothing from him.
But had an idea of my own. be-
loved that if there was haunt of rob-
bers anywhere in the wood, the pris-
oner's horse would take us there, and
when | gave my opinion to the officers,
they jumped at the conclusion. 1t was
now only an hour past noon, and in
less than an hour we had twenty men,
well mounted and well armed, ready to
follow us. The black horse was led out,
saddled and bridled, and l took my
seat upon his back, and he behaved
well as he started off. In fact, he
seemed to like the company of
tho other horses. and to be proud OF
leading them. When we reached the
wood I gave him the rein, and he turned
off iust where he had turned with me
before; but he did not dash away this
time as he had done on that former
occasion. Being in the society of steady
horses seemed to sober him down, and
he led the way as a well-disposed pic.
neer should. ..lets...
On by the very path / had been be-
fore-across the brook where / had
made my leap-and then away through
the dark, deep wood beyond. BY and
by we came to another stream, upon
the opposite side of which arose high
perpendicular bluff, and it appeared to
us that there could not possibly be any
passage that way. But the black horse
pushed into the stream, and when he
reached the other side ,he walked down
few rods in the shallow water, and
then turning to tie Fright he entered a
narrow pass which had been before in
visible.
A little way through this curious pas
sage, and we came into deep, circular
basin or hollow, walled in upon all sides
by an almost perpendicular bank, and
here, sitting beneath some small trees,
we found six men They started up
when they saw us, but as our pistols
were quickly out they did not offer re-
sistance. One OF them, however, made
dash toward point in the wall di-
rectly behind my two companions, but
he was quickly stopped, and as my eyes
| followed the course he had taken dis
covered an open place in the face of the
bluff like the molttssef q cavern.
need not tell how we overcame the
villains, nor need transcribe the thous-
and and one wicked things they said.
Suffice it for me to tell that we secured
them, and that we then examined the
opening in the bank which / had dis
covered. 1t proved, as had suspect
ed, to be the mouth of large cavern,
within which we, found plenty of arms
and ammunition, and also many valua-
bles which had been taken from MUIR
dered travellers. The whole thing had
happened very fortunately for us. Had
! the robbers been in the cave when we
entered the basin, or had they been in
possession of their firearms, we might
have had some hot work, for they were
desperate characters but we fairly
caught them mapping,
And one thing more; l discovered
my two bank robbers in the party.
We returned to Booneton, and after
the rascals had been lodged in Jail, the
one whom we had captured upon the
road, and with whom 1 had changed
horses, turned States evidence, and his
story was just about what | had eX-
pected. He said that the gang had
been together for several years, operat-
ating in different parts of the county.
The horse had been trained by one OF
their number, who had been an old
circus performer, and had been taught,
when sent away from home without any
! breakfast, to dash off with the victim
rs he had done with me. This was
done to avoid any bloody scene near the
| highway DuJ Jn6 NlcLlm was not al
ways taken to their cavernous retreat
When a prize was expected some of the
gang stationed themselves along in the
wood between the two streams, ready
to stop the horse aud dispatch the en-
trapped traveller, but i was assured
that, If had been taken across the first
brook, | should have met my death very
quickly afterwards. They had no ac
complete at the inn. When a traveller
was spotted either at Clayville OIL
Booneton, one of their number was sem
to look out for said travellers horse
who, by careful management, had little
difficulty in administering sickening
dose to the animal
The rascals were tried, condemned
and executed. and retained possession