The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-05-05
NORTH GEORGIA OUTLAWS.
THE STORY OF 4 MAN WHOSE DEATH
Is RECORDED ON 4 POPLAR TREE.
a Narrative Of Some Very Lively Expe-
riences Among the MoonShiners---Th0
Narrow Escape of Il Tenturesome Eel
t"Ephaylce" in til. Ney York Star.)

Deputy United States Marshal kelle
was mu rdered by moonshiners il
the mountains of North Georgia. Al
account of his killing, published in
New York newspaper, said tina
another notch was cut in the big pop
lar that guards the entrance to Sleep.
Cove, the retreat of the outlaws
making five in all, each significant o
the death at the hands Of the illici
whiskey makers, of revenue officer
Now, was until recently revenue
officer, and l can without fear of con
tradiction say that no one is better &C
quainted with Sleepy Cove and tha
big popla. than mhyself. I knew WI
three OF the poor fellows whose epi.
taphs stand gaping there, silent bu
awful warnings, to all who would dis
turb the lawlcss mon Of that lonely
cove: the fifth notch is for kellett, bu
for whom the fourth was cut seems
still to be mystery to the surround
ing neighborhood. Moonshiners sell
dom make mistakes in their matters Of
murder, but in this instance l think
they have lost their reckoning. That
fourth notch was cut for me. l saw ii
done, with death staring me in the face.
Is it possible that the outlaws still be-
lieve my bones are bleaching on the
damp ground III Smoky Hole?
When notch No. ; was cut there
was a great stir in North Georgia.
Country people were wild with ex-
citement. Revenue men riding through
the mountains had sort Of itching in
the back, and were inclined often to
turn in the saddle. We laid the mar
der of W ct the door Of the noto-
rious 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 penetrat-
ed 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 anything.
1t was dusk when we got out of the
deep woods, and began to look about
for a place for the night. A logsscabin
Of two roomssswas not inviting, but the
old crone who came TO the door said
she could provide for one Of the party,
and that the others might find accom-
modaticns at another cabin mile
down the road. In some way it was
arranged that l should stay at her
house, and join the party next morn
ing. She made me as comfortable as
possible. For supper had pure corn
bread and molasses, with a tin cup OF
something hot which she called coffee.
While l ate she smoked a clay pipe,
sitting in the chimney corner with her
legs crossed and her foot swinging in
cesssntly. When she spoke to me,
which she did oftener than / liked, /
could not help feeling that she was
trying to pump me. She wanted to
know entirely too much about the moon
sinners and the revenue men, and
before finished my meal she made me
look upon her with suspicion. Once
or twice | allured to her family. for l
thought it strange that she should live
alone, and even went so far as to
inquire about her husband, and ask
when he would be at home. But she
rcplied evaselv, and all I learned was
that Ter old man and three grown
boys were up on the mountain, tend
ing crops. 1t did not require much
exercise of my imagination to deter
mine what kind of crops they were
tending. In thinking of them my
hand went instinctively 70 my truSty
revolver, and the touch. of the cold
steel braced me up. l wondered how
the men were getting on down at the
other cabin, and if they could hear a
pistol shot that far off.
When the old woman had shown me
to nv room, she returned to her chin
ney corner and her pipe and her foot
swinging. My bed was an old fash
ioned one, with ropes for springs and
bear skins for mattress and cover. l
didn't undress, but crawled just as l
was between the skins, and laying on
nv back, thought | should not do
much sleeping. When my eyes grew
accustomed to to the darkness and
wandered aimlesSly over the open cell
irg, saw something about the size of
the bed hanging directly over me. 1t
seemed to swing slowly back and
forth. l stood up and touched it,
examined it as minutely as possible,
and again lay down. 1t was nothing
bat three or tour bed quilts stretched
across two boards supported at the
ends by short ropes. Fit grew colder
in the night [ would reach up to them
for more cover.
l intended to stay awake, but must
have been nearly asleep when crack
ing noise aroused me. The next
moment it was repeated, and the quilts
above me descended rapidly. 1t flash
ed upon me that | was in a trap.
Drswing my weapon, l attempted to
spring out Of bed, determined to sell
my life dearly, bat as l straightened
up the quilts covered me, and before l
could throw them off strong hands
were at the corners. 1t seemed as if a
ton weight had fallen upon me and
doubled me up. My head was bent so
close upon my breast that my neck
would break. Ny breath came short
and fast.
With a frantic struggle l cooked my
pistol and placing the muzzle close
against the quilt pulled the trigger. /
fred at random, trusting that fate
l.ht o..,;da TO (,cll into tho hnart n1,