The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1886-06-04
THE FOURTH NOTCH.
A "CIose Can" for a Smoky Hole
Victim.

About the middle of last December
Deputy United States Marshal Kellett
was murdered by moonshiners in the
mountains of North Georgia. An ac-
count of his killing, published in a
New York newspaper, said that another
notch was cut in the big poplar that
guards the entrance to Sleepy Cove,
the retreat of the outlaws, making five
in all, each significant of the death, at
the hands of the illicit whisky makers,
of a revenue officer. Now, was until
recently a revenue officer, and think
can say without fear of contradiction
that no one is better acquainted with
Sleepy Cove and that big poplar than
myself / knew well three of the poor
fellows whose epitaphs stand gaping
there, silent but awful warning, to all
who disturb the lawless men of that
lonely cove; the fifth notch is for Kel-
lett, but for whom the fourth was cut
seems still to be a mystery to the sur
rounding neighbOrhoOd. Moonshiners
seldom make mistakes in their matters
Of murder, but in this instance / think
they have lost their reckoning. That
fourth notch was cut for me. I saw it
done, with death staring me in the face.
1t is possible that the outlaws still be-
lieve my bones are bleaching on the
damp ground in Smoky HOleP
When notch number three was cut
there was a great stirin North Georgia.
Country people were wild with excite
ment. Revenue men riding through
the mountains had a sort of itching in
the back, and were inclined often to
turn in the saddle. We laid the murder
of W at the door of the notorious
Cap Hawkins, the daring leader of a
fearless band of outlaws in the Cohutta
mountains, and as soon as possible we
were on his trail with a good pack OF
bloodhOunds. The scent was cold, and
when we had penetrated some eight
miles into the range the dogs became
disheartened. After circling round us
time and again in search Of the trail
they gave it up, and we were forced to
retreat without having accomplished
any thing.
1t was dusk whe we got out of the
deep woods, and we began to look
about for place to stay for the night.
A log cabin of two rooms was not in
Eiting, but the old crone who came to
the door said that she could provide
for one of the party, and that the
others might find accommodations al
another cabin mile down the road.
In some way it was arranged that ]
should stay at her house, and join the
party next morning. She made me as
comfortable as possible. For supper
had pure corn bread and molasses,
with a great tin cup of something hot
called coffee. While / ate she smoked
sIavr nina oSfffwrr IN fh0 oh
ner with her legs crossed and her foot
swinging necessarily. When she spoke
10 me, which she did oftener than ]
liked, l could not help feeling that
she was trying to pump me. She
wanted TO know entirely too much
about the moonshiners and the revenue
men, and before 1 had finished my
meal she made me look upon her with
suspicion. Once or twice / alluded to
her family, for I thought it strange
that she should live alone, and even
went so far as to inquire about heI
husband, and ask when he would be al
home. She replied evasively, and all ]
learned was that her old man and three
grown boys were up on the mountain
tending crops. 1t did not require much
exercise of my imagination to deter.
mine what kind of crops they were
IenulnB. IN bnlnklng Of them my
hand went instinctively to my trusty
revolver, and the touch of the cold
steel braced me up. / wondered how
the men were getting on down at the
other cabin, and if they could hear q
pistol shot that far Off
When the old woman had shown me
10 my room she returned to her chimney
corner and her pipe and her foot swing
ing. My bed was an old-fashioned
one. with ropes for springs and bear
skins for mattress and cover. / didn't
undress, but crawled Just as was be-
tween the skins, and lying on nv
back, thought / should not do muck
sleeping. When my eyes grew accus.
toned to the darkness and wandered
ainlessly over the open ceiling. I saw
something about the size of the bed
hanging directly over me. 1t seemed
10 swing slowly back and forth.
stood up and touched 1t, examined i
as minutely as possible, and again lay
down. 1t was nothing but three Of
four bed quilts stretched across tive
boards supported at the ends by shor
ropes. If il grew colder in the night
would reach up to them for more cover
] intended to stay awake, but mus
have been nearly asleep when creak
inc noise aroused me. The next mo
Daent il was repeated and ths aiaI Z