The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-03-26
A GREAT SENSATION.

lNS h
A GREAT SENSATION.
ACaye Uncovered in Tennessee, Once oc-
cupied by q Famous Bandit and Mur-
! dorer.
a letter from Huntingdon, Tenn, to
tine Nashville World says: On the
l1th instant we left Huntingdon for
the southwestern portion of this coun-
ty for u few days bird and squirrel
hunt, having for our companion Al. M.
Lee, the acknowledged prince of post
masters; and let us say when Hunting.
don loses him She will lose a postmas-
ter that has pleased every one without
a dissenting voice. His, duplicate can.
not be found. Being securely seated
behind q two-forty (hours) thorough.
bred, we were soon on our hunting
ground, it being in the immediate
vicinity of where we both wero born
and raised, as a matter of course we
were well acquainted with the woods,
While following rocky branch known
as the Gin branch, we came to where
IL Sklrted the margin of a high hill,
our setter, Charlie, made dash at @
rabbit and both rabbit and dog disap.
pcarcd III the hill. The entrance was
what we supposed to be crevico in
the rocks, as the margin of the hill
was covered with large sand rocks; in
moment the bats came pouring out
by the hundreds; the weather being
chilly, they fell to the ground in a
stupor as soon as the air struck them
their sum5crs had been disturbed bv
the dog. We were enjoying the fun
when, to our aStOnishmcnt, several
large horned owls came Hopping out
ono gave Il dismal hoot as though he
had not seen daylight in years, or
wished to frightcp us away. Bccom-
ing uneasy for fear our dog could not
return, Mr.. Lee went TO the entrance
OF the cave, taking Il pole and probing
some six feet, he made an abrupt angle
to the right; the opening was barely
sufficient for common sized man to
enter; he gropcd his way until 1t be-
came SO dark that he returned and
revealed the terrible news that it
opened out into what he believed to be
large hall, and that he could hear
Charlie running about and whining,
as though he was lost and could not
find his way out. We sent to neigh
boring house and procured lantern
determined to rescue Charlie ut all
hazards. With lantern in hand we
both entered, compelled to crawl on
hands and knees for some distance
before we could walk erect; the en-
trance turned first to the right then to
the LETT III q zigzag form; finally we
met Charlie, and his bark, as it echoed
ana Fc-Cchoed, astonished us TO such
an extent that we raised our lantern
over our heads, which threw a bright
light around we stood dumb for n
moment-Wc were shocked and horr-
Hod-the surroundings were revealed 4;
we were III large room, ceilpd on
sides and overhead with rude clap
boards; before us sat large table with
mutilatcd pack of cards in the centre /:
heavy wooden chairs around the table
| and couple of largo and rough shop
made knives on one corner. AS soon
as as we could collect our senses and
calm our staggered brain we found
we were i'll Il secret cave that had once
been occupied by q band Of outlaws,
but who or when was the question.
In surveying the room, which was
lSXl8, we found in one corner black
something holding the light close our
blood was chillnd-it was large black
man, his skin and flesh dry rs those
who in ancient days were given pas
sage over Sharon. a large and rough
made chain was locked around his
ankle and fastened to staple i'm the
floor. In The opposite corner Law the
dried frames Of two blood hounds. in
an old and heavy wooden box was
found two old-iashioned horse pistols
with flint locks; they had undoubtedly
done service in the revolution; there
were also several pairs Of handouts.
WA began 10 think we were in the
regions of the damned. When looking,
Oh the rough wall there we saw "thc
handwriting" it was, "John A. Muir
rel, 1928" We were in the great out
laws den; we could see that the man
chained had been stolen by the bold
bandit, brought there and chained
until they could run him South and
sell him. The presumption is that
when The cave was deserted he was
alive; the doom was sure but what
agony he undcrwcnt-chaincd and
! aIonc-his face. like Milton's devil
| "grinncd horribly Il ghastly smile"
| The blood hounds had been kept for
| the purpose of rCCapturin2 any slave
that might escape. AS we were about
making our exit our companion, Lee,
called our attention, in an excited
manner, to another object. We turned
around and he was pale and the Ian
tern was trembling in his hand; he
pointed under the table and there laV
the form and dried frame Of another
human being. Examining close it,
proved to be the form of n once beau
tiful. female. She too was chained.
She had died horrible dcath-had
starved to death. Her long yellow
hair still clung, to the dry skin ON her
head, which hung in golden tresses
. over her bosom, that once heavcd with
the breath Of life, though now cold.
Her once ruby lips were parted, so os
10 disc ose a set of pcarly teeth. How
came she IN robbers den? She could
could not have been victim to cupid,s
dart, if so why chain her? She had
undoubtedly been kidnapped and held
! for ransom. But GHr hearts grew sick
az we write. Several letters were
found Of asuspicious character, but as
they contain the names Gf people i'm
Middle Tennessee, we decline & give
their contents. .......> -
| The discovery of the den hosrca neo n