The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-27
DESPERATE WILL WALLIS
he TERRORIzEs THE SETTLERS IN
The MOUNTAINS


Of and Flogs Els Neighbors-The
Head of Daring Band Of Moon
sinners and Hunters-Cf1cers Unable
TO Locate Them and Slow to arrest
Them-Thelr Outrageous Depreda-
tons go Unpun.shsd.
CATAULA, GA, Oct. 26.-"Wnl Wa lis is
| coming"
| What terrible announcement to those
/ back woodsmen and mountaineers. To tell
them that ths heavens were falling could
not I'll their souls with greater dread.
The sound OF his name makes them shud-
der. and his presence causes them 10 flee to
the mountains and hide like wild beasts.
Wallis is an outlaw.
desperate OF the deepest dye and his
deeds are well known all over this section
and far iAto Alabama. He has hurled
many soul into eternity and his evil do
ings are not finished. He is just 50 years
old, and if he mows as wide sward in the
coming years as he has in the last few, be
will be the equal of the Jameses.
He has never been restrained, never
checked, and he has grown so powerful in
his evil doing, that nothing except death
will stop him. Wallis is as strong as a
giant and as cunning as an Indian. He is
as true with rife or as sure with a dirk,
as practice can make him. He believes in
himself and counts ever body his foe He
slaughters without mercy and plumbers
without fear. When came up into these
"digglngs," every body was talking about
the desperate fellow. 1t was all Wallis He
had just made an incursion into the SCI tie
ment, and he made Rome howl, long and
loud. The women few to the woods, and
the men lodged about in the mountain
gorges like foxes. The greatest feat
that Wallis has ever done is
shooting the mustache Off Of a preacher.
Eve ybody knows this, and when
OLD settlers discuss Wallis they refer to this
feat. This is reputed to be the truth, and
however ''snaky" it may sound, old
residents put on a mighty sober face when
they tell it. Wallis was one time deceived
and arrested for killing MAJ, be broke
jail and MD In the mountains. During this
time an old colored man alluded in his SER
mon to the taking away of the citizen and
said that Wallis sJul would burn for it,
1t reacl ed the ears Of the outlaw and he
encountered the old preacher some tine
afterward and charged him VITA preaching
his soul to hell. The old man was afraid TO
sdinIt g truthfulness of the charge and
Wallis made him get ON bridge and repeat
concluded, Wallis put a cigar in the
preachers mouth, and before the old man
had smoked it., Wallis shot il out, and after
ward shot the old mans mustache off. He
then made the old man run, while the out
law peppered the ground around him.
That is the only time that Wallis has
ever kno wn to have been arrested. 1t was
not known that he killed the citizen who is
said to have been found before his door. cut
literally into fragments but There was a
strong suspicion resting upon him. The
court ordered his arrest, but the officers did
not give the warrant the attention usually
given 20 bench orders, and Wallis remained
unframed. Finally a month or two ago.
after court adjourned, the outlay amazed
and frightened the citizens by marching
into town and laying his weapons at the feet
OF the sheriff, and saying that he was
ready to go to trial. The officer informed
the outflow that court was not in se sion.
and the trial could not take place at that
time. AS Wallis insisted, and the officer
laid trap for him, he agreed to give the
outlaw hearing. and in the back part of
the store the trial was supposed to be going
on. Wallis was questioned, and when he
got up TO make. his statement, two strong
armed citizens Jumped in the door behind
him, and seizing his arms, held him tight
unit the officer tied him hand and foot.
This was the manner of the arrest. Wallis
die not remain long In prison. One morn
ing when the officer went down to feed
Wallis, after he had been confined about
two days, he found the door open, and
Wallis gone. They began then to suspect
that Wallis had q band, aud it is known
now that the outlaw is the head OF a banc
OF as brave, daring and desperate fellows
as himself. They are hunters aud illicit
distillers, They reside in huts, along the
side of the Chattahoochee river, in the
vicinity OF Pine Mountain, and Wallis
lives at the south foot of the mountain il
sort of defile of the mountain. 1t i.
unfrequented, except by the outlaws band
Several years ago an old resident wa.
out fox hunting and he discovered a small
hut to the south of the mountain, in ar
almost Inaccessible spot, and approaching il
he found the outlaw skinning a COW. Thi:
was during " allis' early days, and he only
looked amazed at the visitor, but did not
| disturb him.
! The old hunter rode back to town. anG
the news spread like fire Everybody know.
about the outlaws hang out, and il would
be easier to make a citizen run through
n than to go through tht
settlement south of Pine Mountain. Old
| residents say that the outlaw is tall, wei
built, with eagle eyes and 'bar barous cas-
OF countenance." He seldom wears coat
Ills apparel in summer consists of loose
sulTC tuu OSudUurK LrO iSSerS. tie wears
soft brown hat with brim like q parasol
In winter this costume is exchanged for
flannel shirt, jeans trousers and an over.
coat. Whether in winter or summer, Wallis
never makes incursions into the country un
armed. Besides carrying rifle be is pro
vided with two heavy Colts revolvers aud 6
dirk. lie uses one as well as the other Hit
work is as surely executed with {
dirk as with a rife. On one occasion
Wallis and one or two of hi
band were rowing the country when they
met two lone travellers. They forced the
men to give up their possessions and Wallis
drubbed them until they were unable t.
walk. He jumped in the buggy then and
drove away, leaving them on the side Of
the road. 1t turned out that these traveller.
were Illicit distillsrs fleeing the officers auc
they eluded pursuit by this means The
| officers chased Wallis out of the settlement
on this account He remained away con
siderable time supposing that be had killed
the travellers. Settlers began to br eathc
free, thinking they were rid of the outlaw
but Wallis turned up the following New
Year. 1t was announced that the
outlaw had returned and was up to more Of
his deviltry. Late in the afternoon wheI
night was about to put an end TO the merry
making of the villagers, a neig Dor rode
through town crying "Wallis is coming.
That is the custom. When the OUTLAW
plumbers one settlement, settlers dispatch il
to the adjoining settlements and q general