Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-17
UNDEReRousp nEaurrEs.
description OF wonderful Cavern
Near San Antonio. Tex.

"eseS'ptian OF q WOndcrfui cavern
Near San Antonio, Tex.
A writer in the 81. Louis Globe Democrat
SAYS; II has been the intention to explore
olilclally the cave ever since the discovery
OF portions of skeleton, which was idfn-
tihcd as that Of Frank Harris. Harris was
0 young man living In the lIelotes neigh
borhood. who was bandin-glove with the
i1tts-Brannon gang OF outlaws. lie was
IN love with Melissa Scott. who Slbsc-
quently married Pitts, the leader OF the
gang There was much existent Jealousy
between Harris and Pitts, and the formers
sun was disapproyed by the Seotts-iather
and son.
ON the 10Th OF September, 1884, Harris
was seen in company OF the two SCOTS
ana Pitt. He was never seen again. On
TIE discovery OF hlS bones in the cave the
SCOTS, who were charged with his murder,
saw chain OF crcumsttntill evidence
rlfetCd 10 them which, IT, il stated, they
W " baNc hard work IN breaking.
Nhl'e officers baye been preparing 70 cX-
ploIe ilalriN'S tomb, Justice Rocrner, OF
the Ileloies precinct. has been carrying on
4 private Investigation on his own account
re bat kept hi own counsel and gone
ahead steadily with his work. TO.dly he
showed up at the courthouse, looking mys-
t,ricuSiy important, and carrying under his
arm bulky package done up in wrapping
paper. The officers gathered around him
and, like pcddlcC with his pack, be spread
out ms gha,ty wares.
Tlcy were bones, and human bones,
comprising portions Of a bldly-fracturcd
skull, trokcn ribs. &c. being most Of the
missing links in the dead lIarriS'S per-
sonaily. Near the skeleton was fond a
heavy quirt, or Tiding-whip, with lead
weighted handle. II may have been the
property Of the dead man or may have
been used in Hammcring out his brains.
The ribs were doubtless broken in forcing
the body down the very narrow chute,
which. from an msuspicIOls hole at the
tor, bends twenty feet downward INTO a
subClIan,an cpviiy, which, IN addition 10
The ehastly interest which the Harris
death fasteus upon il. and the fact that IL
was for Yeas the refuge OF one OF the
most dangerous bands OF criminlls Texas
has ever known, is a marvel Of natural
beauty. There was no ligh, from above,
and all TIE exploration was done by torches.
Justice BOemcT says that he did not see il
al; does not know how far il extended, or
what other entrance, it my have. He,
however, went carefully through three
chambers, lost IN the beauties overhead and
aIouud him, and SDlJ>hlng in tn pools Of
icy water at his feet. II is one Oi the
erandC>t formations Of nature ever dIscov.
cred 10y man. Tie chambers are connected
by chisClCd 9rchcS, as though legion Of
Vorkmcn had fashioned them. The cell
iug~ Hc OF great height from the floor, and
the spaces are tremendous in extent.
In al, NIt,.I. Il
"yOu might stand an army Of ten thousand
men. The most remarkable fact connected
with il j. lis utter >cclu,ion. The M
promising exterior gives no indication Of
The marvellous beauty hidden within. \
hole in the wall it would be called by any
one ciancing at il. one expansion Of the
passage j. filed with a score or more Of
,lalagmitcS from two TO ten ortWclvc feet in
height, grouped rs 80 many monuments OF
The dead; the sides and ceiling are OF cX-
quiste workmanship, a III setting TO
the solemn and beautiful scene within.
Nhich leads one to speak i'm low tones and
tread softly as II on sacred ground. Upon
the walls is suspended some drlpcTy IN
stone that would he the admiration and
Despair Of a sculptor. Double and triple
fold, Of ,talaclile, a quarter OF an inch in
thickness and a yard wide, hang thirty
feet, with no support except from
above. Beyond this is perhaps the
most beautiful grotio Of ali. Cell
ing. walls. and even floor are covered
with Il frctwork OF dazzling brightness,
~ hich reminds one OF the finest work OF the
>llycrsmth or the Window.work Of the
most king at IL best. Here and there cell
M and floor are united by columns Is clear
md transparent 0s crystal. \ candle placed
- far within one Of these groups y the
arm could reach Illuminated a wonderful
fairy bower. shining through all the rich
lraICry of stone there are tubular pillars
q immense height and thickness. They
IRE perfectly trans arcnt-Othcrs are
cloudy white, and, under the shifting
torches, lighted mp with thousand fires.
"In this vicinity also appear quantities
OF limestone, coral formations; great sheet
formations. standing ike leaves OF a book
partly open, upright. Many >tIlagmtc',
>tllactitcS. pillars, pcdc,tals, and pima
cirS, and all lengths and thicknc-,es, and
becoming more transparent the deeper you
90 down. Hero also are seen on several
sides arrays OF tabular StahCttc and sta
lagmtc formations, resembling an immense
church organ. ! found at the distance OF
many yards the piEn2cles. pcdcstlls, coli
umn>, staagmitos, SiaactiteS, mOrc'aumcr-
Gus and very brilliant ~ our light, were
thrown upon them. In this vicinity the
scene was beyond description. Is stlIag-
mites of The most delicate and transparent
texture were in great abundance and OF
every conceivable share. Even delicate
tube. the thickness OF le9dpencilS and
three or four feet in length, when broken
OF were full Of alkaline water, and, cutting
of pieces II siIlagmitcs with h1lehet, TIE
sparks would fairly ly. and on which every
tune and sound could be heard. Many Of
tie lrecf spaces there seen 10y me would
reach from sixty to eighty feet in height
and a. much across. The caTeinS Of Lu-
rgy. IN Virginia, or the Mammoth Cave. IN
kentucky, are not circumstance in beauty
compared to the iIdotcs Cave"
There arc also large caycrn> in the SirIn-
iiv whose range and depth are unknown.
There is no doubt that they were long used
bv member. Of The dcspCrlG0c,' scattered
band. They will oil be explored, but there
j. Cnopeh material i'm Robbers Cave proper
10 keep officers busy for some time 10
come. II there are other victims OF the
pistol and knife, a. there seems no reason
10 doubt. lying in H. clycrnouS re-
ccssos, they will DE brought to light
The interest - this whole section now cen
tres in Robbers Cave, and the developments
which may arise FROM careful survey Of
H. my,tcrie,. Thorough and careful search
VIII be made. judge BDcrncr state, That
he was deferred from further examination
partly from lack Of facilities and partly
from ncrvou, dread be- could not shake
on. caused by the knowledge that he was
Wa'kir among the hiunt> Of men OF crime,
~ n Of MLn.c lnmnLr. N. hid cNilcncc I'm