Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-09-17


fellows wasn't here then, and the
saw mill hadn't eaten into things
the way is has since. y man hunt
in those days was a terror. Hank
was a crook, and had been around
this section some time. Everybody
suspected him. Finally, one day
old man Hardness, Of Michigan,
turned up murdered. He had pine
lands up here, and had been on the
spot seeing about the putting up
of a saw mill. No man was likely
to have much money here, but
Harkness had fine watch and
chain, aud of course some cash,
and when his body was found
these we're gone. AS Hank was
missing, nobody thought twice
about who had been doing that
killing, and we set out with the
idea of catching him before he
could get ont of the woods.
"There were about dozen Ofus,
and we lost no time in getting on
the trail. About a month before
the murder of Harkness, one OF
the men who was working for
Lander, a Swede, who had not
been here long, was lost in the
woods, and we had just given up
our search for him when we heard
of the crime and changed of onto
Coon. There had been some fires
that fall, bat they had not scared
us much. After VIC had been on
the track of Coon about a week we
came one morning onto what every
body said was his body. The re-
mains were hardly recognizable,
I but the clothes were his, the boots
and hat were his, and a big horn
ring on one of the fingers was one
which we had all seen him wear.
Thinking he had starved to death,
SO resolved to search the clothing
Or Harkness's money and jewels,
lat as they we're not to be found
We came to the conclusion that he
hd buried them, with the expec-
talon of returning as soon as he
thught he could do so with safety.
Thn we left him where he was,
ami, returning to camp, told our
stOy.
about month after that one
! of or men came running in with a
stor about seeing Hank Coon in
J the woods. Nobody believed him
/ at fiAt, but he was so certain about
b.. it tht we concluded to 90 out
with lin. After a long and care
ful serch we came upon him sure
enouG, the same man exactly as
he walwhen we saw him last, ex-
cept tht his clothing was changed.
i We had him covered and he had to
+. surrendT, after which, in explana-
> nation q his strange appearance,
he said bat he had CONS upon the
20 body of he missing Swede, and
that as the latter's clothes we're
better tlm his own, he had chang
:. ed Will him for the fun of the
b. thing. lie denied most positively
p that he had anything to do with
%. the murder, and expressed the
er greatest willingness to accompany
I'd US backtO camp. On the way he
si was falling so elibly that most OF
us forgd that he was our prisoner
by and, watching his chance, he made
a dive br the juuge, and was out
= of sight before we could realize
So what hs was up to.
"'BWn him out3 somebody
cried, aud then quickerthan | car
tell it We agreed to spread out sc
as to surround the place, for VI
knew h would hide after little
and thn set fire to the woods. W.
lit fguredtbat if he did hide thai
or would be a sure way Of getting
him whether We could stay there
OF not, and as for ourselves, VI
we're Il be the judges wden it wal
time fq us to skip. An hour afte
that tib smoke was risingfrom hal
10 a dozA different quartets. Th
woodswere dry, and by q littl
careful watching we kept the blaz
under some sort of cOntr6. TC
ward dark a brisk wind spraeg uT
and bGore 10 o'clock the old IOres
re, was a going of like artillery an
f. muskary. was on the lee side
- and az there we're no back Gre
, burniIg, / had the prettiest vies {
the bhze that a man ever had. i
q, was terrific, aud | began to Tea
that he boys on the other cid
A might not get away, but as tier
/. was nothing for me to do but Ree
= out Of danger myself, | just stge
&c, as far back as it was necessary /,
% slp do, ard saw the flames spread. 4
GIT was worse than a powder mill. III
Irst r heat, even where ] was standih,
ems was almost insufferable, and tver