The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1888-02-28
THE ROSS MURDER.
THE DARK CORNER IN
SOUTH GAROLINA.
Chief OF the Elhion Detective
Agency OF AsheviiIe-The
MurdereFs Captured.

IL n0 uE EAAGAAN2 As1k1SAHO ONs
We mentioned in our last issue tina
the murder case Of young Ross in Poll
county was being Investigated by Detec
tive Deayer of this, city. We were il
error n to the place and make tn
correction gladly, Eainee it is not ou
good county of Polk. A reporter of tn
CITIzEN met M. H. Beaver, Chic
of the Pinion Detecttve Agency of thi
city, who called our attention to the mis-
take. and while they we're both at leisure
the reporter learned the following abon
! the case Names are omitted becaus,
there will be . trial and we might de-
sOms one an injury Tae first informa
ton eur detectiFs knsW about the mattel
was from the following telegram: -
LAEDRUMs, s. c., Feb. 81 q
~ II. De0VcF, <sheUille, NJ C. -
Come on first train to Landruns. s. G.,
in the Ben Ross murder case. Answer
am waiting, cali on Mr.!--, who
will give low whistle. P r. S.
detective flesh in answer to the telegram
It was 2 a. m. on the 22d, when Land
runs was called out by the brakeman.
AS Mr.. D. struck the ground he saw the
form of man By the side OF = house;
then came a low long whistle and the
two got together, introduced each other,
the other being Mr.. Lee Fisher, who
said: See yonder patch Of woods stands
a horse for you to ride" where are Nc
to go " inquired D. The answer was a
fire., zing one, az he said, Into the heart
of the Dark Csiner." Every body fvc
many miles has heard of that locality
with all its bloOdshed and general law
lessncss. It is, of all places one that both
state and government officers object to
60 to. In this loathsome hootoWl look
ing country many revenue officers
have forfeited their lives after moon
sinners. Spur on, pistols in holsters
they mounted their horses and away
they went to the north ward, over noun
taIns, hills, through deep dark caverns,
most time in q hog trail. Fifteen miles
was finally passed of, and'they were at
the rendezous agreed upon by Mr.. Fisher
and Mr. John Ross the bfother of the
deceased. 1t was we'll up in the day
when they got to the foot of the rugged
hill in rear of the house of the deceased
There was the finest place to hide and
keep comfortable that was ever seen out
side of the limestone caves OF Kentucky
and Tennessee. A large shelving rock
with cave 10 feet back, large aud
roomY, and d crevise in the rock for the
smoke from the fire to escape. The
surviving brothers OF Ten Ross were
there waiting for them with hearty
welcome all around. Work was at once
commenced; the case talked over and
plans laid, to find the murdersrs of Ben
Ross. .Deaver was called Leach, and was
to be prospecting for mica, which sticks
out very prominently in that Dark
Corner" 30 much 30 that one mountain
is called "Glassy" Mountain. The
younger Ross was detailed to 20 and
bring more rstions, and ask the widow
to visit their quarters, that a starting
point in the case, in the way of motive
for the murder might be had. While he
was gone Fisher aad our detective climb
ed to the top of the hill, from where,
many miles around was open for inspec-
ton to the eye. There was the "Hog-
back" the 'Glassey," the Pinnacle"
the "FOnnel Top" &C., in view, greatest
among these was the "HoEback" whose
frost from the tops of the great Blue
Ridge range, it is the South Carolina
Hogback, not our own in Transatlantic
county. Fisher was at home in the
wilderness having hunted moonshiners
there for many years. Not branch for
20 miles luare, bnt what he had been
on. He pointed out the noted places, here
was the home and hiding place of the
noted Redmond the outlaw. In view
was the smoke standing in semi circles
against the distant mountains and hills.
near by they could see WIeaths of smoke
from three of these manufactures of the
"mountain dew" the screams of the Bald
Eagle was as common there, as that Of
the crow here in Spring time.
Dark drove them to their cave, Not
long had they to wait till the young Ross
and the widow came. She was a good
looFing lady about 80 years old. with
keen black sparkling eyes, with long let
black hair thrown over her rightshouid
After supper, Mr.. D. asked Mrs. Ross
to state all she knew about the killing ofI
her husband. ~
Tears trickled down her cheeks as abe
said: ''On the night of the I'd t1is
month, my husband was lying before the
fire on pallet baking his feet; he had
been sick all day, and just after dark,
perhaps an hour, q shot gun was fred
through the window and filled my hus-
band full of buekshot. He jumped up and
followed oh Lord am killed. and fell
dead upon the floor. / heard no one. II
saw no one. Only mYselEand two little
girls were left. My cries brought in
some of the neighhorSz from around in
the mountains. No, I denot know szho.
killed him. Well-Yes, two men were
G1ad dat him, they are Mr.. -4-A--- and
Mr.. ----,- but Mr.. -- and Ben
had made friends last August, and iftheg
have had any falling out since l do not
know it. I heard Mr. --<----- say he
would kill Ben, and know he tried to
on the night of 22d January last; that
night heard a rock hit tour house, and
report of i shot gun. opened the door.
Ben was behind me with his gun, then q
fash of q pistol, and . shotgun, showed
the mans face to me plainly-"he is the
murderer OF my husband ~ Yerally
believe"
Other things were stated from which
the detective found that if her suspicious s
we're right the motive was to keep Ross
from killing him or: to forever get rid of
a dangerous witness against himself, for
the murder of two othef men which
Ross knew IT, "a as
Thsn shSansf yoiuaaS Boas bid tie party
good night and they shot out into the
darkness and were gone.
Next day was fall of excitement, the
detective with Q ginsang hoe digging
alternately around on the places where
the parties t4hutted" that he wished to
see.The manpointed was to get Mr.. -,
the suspected party, away from home
after dark, or find If he could preYe an
alibi. Occasionally sthe detective would
he Aiac6yerad nv n hunter a voice WOULD