New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-01
MR. BUzZARD'S JOKE.
HUNTING AN OUTLAW IN A CAVE

T.. s.rrce manv refugee negroes. just before
the war; used find shelter from their eou'hern pa'
huers They came from virgnia ana tho siaSe-h"ione
counties Of Delaware and Maryland and amons the
Businesses Of these wild hills they found numerous nat
nral asylums into which net even the trained blood
hound could be nduced follow then The regisn over
vbch the shadows OF the Wech Mountains are thrown
h srkabe for It's impressive grandeur II Is at tho
junction OF three Pennsylvania counties. Lancaster.
berks and Chester. Frsm the top Of the highest hill
presented At ones feet standing there,
is the of wilderness Massive rocks gnreling
streams that plum down little precpices quaint gades
which vegetation holds in eternal shadow
acfty trees and thckets that defy the all cumpea
together upon little ridge OF bills AMI surrounded on
all sides with endless stretches OF level and richly cnt
yaed land combine the waste and the fertile soil Win
startling effect wilderness sis the bosom OF oui
tiv ated PLAIN.
About thirty negrses including o number OF women
secured hiding places In these mountains IL dino"t
to how they conrved to live during tho carry ps'
OF their exile. Want and exposure undsuotedy cl""ou
their ouoia Of victims after the war had ended que
colony Of sutcasts collected Ihey oecsWe ih"rsu
to hardshps and extremes of weather. They were gen
orally hardy. strong ysang fellswa The periIs
they had bsttled with In eneoting their
escapes had taught them cunning Dos
perste situations had brought ont their courage.
Of which the negro character is rarely destitute
Ignorant they we're ana often vicious. and disposed ~
result Of their bitter experiences to look upon the white
race 40 their natural fee.
At this time the only white maa who had ever success
fully braved the sterile and dangerous Businesses OF the
Wolch Moun:a,ss was an old fellow with herculean
fern and marvellousy evil face The tales that weat
about as TO his earlier history many and varied
Some Of those touched up with the NEST iurid
colors of There werc several cid farmers In
Berks County who claimed that he was indigenous 10
that SOIL and they gave him variety OF namos Hs nad
family Of several growing boys whs Inherited their
had rAnnfu tinn
was reported by those whs had seen her to be patient
looking sadfaced who engaged in following
out matrimonial injunction to love. honor ana oooy
under exceedingly trying circumstances Ne ono know
3ust people contrved to maintain
but from the old mans manner and appearance he soon
earned the nickname Of "Tne Buzzard" One had only
to look at him as walked along with slow. swinging
Cs,t with his head bent down and .tlcnng about nov
over this shoulder and now over that 70 sec now aP
was the psenionym. His every motion suggested that
of vuture and when his clawlke hands closed them
selves bundle OF provisions which he was car
rying his eyrie the mountain the likeness OF
the to the bird was startling.
Whatever may have been the old mans real name inc
one perpetuated to his sons was that which common
sentiment had fastened on their father They were called
the Buz2ard brothers, and they made no effort TO escape
either the the Odium attached it. Every cave
and tangled hicket the mountains as familiar 10
them the cleared yard back OF their log hut They
we're as wild and free the birds and as quick In .her
movements To them the refugee negroes were indebted
for MANY kindnssses. They showed them the darkest
hol underground. They brought them food and skins
Up on the mountain is a little blue lake. supplied from
eabaustble springs and here they shed like Indians
In the course of little while they secured over tho
negroes an almost complete influence.
The Youngest Of the Blizzard boys called "Abe."
and he possessed remarkable qualities His nerve
and courage Irresistible. and he was as conscience
los a,dc iIler ash e Wa Before
most boys are allowed to ont at night he had become
father The of the child attribu ed to him was
supposed to be of the coniraband The one perssn
or thing on earth to whom ABE" was tender and de-
voted was this little daughter. The younger negroes
who mad gown up the companions of the Buzzard
boys under the dominant sway Of Abe" and
II was not long before he farmers who lived IN the vcin
fly Of the mountains began TO suspect some such ALI
ancs First their stables were plundered Every now
and then fine young horse disappeared Occasionally
belated traveller along the road who was returning
from market with his purse filed with the proceeds OF
his traffic turned up I'm one Of the villages IN the "e'sh
porhuod with q weird story OF masked highwaymen'
Every little while bnrglaries occurred, and at intervals
the three counties dsmayed by the discovery OF
victim of maraniers. whose blood had pech the
price OF his resistance to their demands
Tbe.e CRIMES were all perpetrated with secrscy and
and they we're all ascribed by common consent
TO Abe Blizzard and his gang But 1t seemed TO he I'M
possible either to bring them home TO the supposed
bandits the to Its wOodsy retreat once
In his early beyhosd years Abe had been caught stealing
ccken and had been the Lancaster Jail to medi-
tate upon hi. depravity The lesson of is experience
appeared to have been well learned lie had teen seen
80 little that his appearance was almost Forgotten
All serts tales flew around the csuntry concerning MS
daredevil acts said that he had declared that no
one should see him and live He was invested with a
ruyt theological character. Tho local newspapers
were filed with stories OF his valoI aud wickcdness He
aud band grew mysterious as fhs eh'sy crew OF
Henry Hudson up the Catskills Gradually the area
Of his operations extended Within radius OF twenty
five miles all sides OF the mountain ns "ne felt secure
from his midnight raids. At last. after many half
hearted and iuef ctual attempts had been made to
cspture him. and after had terrorzed the three ceun-
ties for neatly fou- years. band OF young men was
organized sworn to fecure his body dead or alive
Twas Mt this time practising physician In little viii
lage near the mountains had graduated at Jefferson
College some years before md had out here to To-
cate Upon several occasions had bean called In 10
attend Abes victims had been bound and gagged In
ther bedrooms and whose systems hal become
thoroughly deporaized as a consequence one Mght'
inst after had retired. heard heavy knock at my
trent door hurried to the window and called out the
usual inquiry
"Come down. Doctor! De dsbbles to pay" man
called out "De Buzzard gangs made raid on old
Mist Bowdons place. an DO ole man am nigh dead wild
terror
Itunbled into nv clothes and hurried down. negro
man with tive horses already sadded stood at the gate
Jsprang on one OF them AMI of galloped When we
reached the gate Of the sng aiding the Bowdon
house nv compan MON stopped.
"Doctsr" he said, " aint gwine In VIII yo'. It's
time was back on do mounting Buzzard says fer yo
ter pull de ole fro an he'll give ys dat moss Du'
Of de ole dies. he'll call for de critter.
With that he loft me and rode away was uncertain
beber TO he frightened amused but rode on to the
house The old man had been shot in the leg. but the
wound net dangerous even to him attehneu 70
his wound and by morning he was comfortable. He had
been robbed OF nearly $1,000 In money.
When got back TO village told experience to
avery one met There young Methodist preacher
named living near me- astal"art athenc 'naa anu
.r TALKING tho IN tier over with hi m determined TO