Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1891-01-29
Highway Robbery.

Oh w CohCouuy uiSHt Va Ids
week there occurred one of tn,
boldest highway robberies il
the lower part of this county
that has ever disgraced the his
tory of the county. On the
night in question, while Will
liam Virden, a peaceable, quiel
citizen, was riding leisurely
toward his home he was sudden
ly confronted by three high.
waymen who sprang from be
hind trees near the roadside
one of them seized the horses
bride, while the other two turn
ed their attention to Mr.. Vir
den; one of these two struck a,
V. with a club, but missed his
aim. The second one, however
who was also armed with a
stout club, struck V. a fearful
blow on the side of his head
which felled him to the ground
where he was beaten senseless
and robbed of all the money in
his pockets-$4l. This occur.
red about one half or one hour
after dark. The moon was
shining very brightly, and from
remarks dropped by Mr. Virden
in the last few days, it is sup.
posed that he recognized al
least one, if not two, of his AS
sailants. He is naturally a very
reserved man, slow to express
an opinion or cast a suspicion
In fact a man who keeps his
own counsel and talks but very
little. All that ye reporter has
been able to learn that Mr..
Virden has said in regard as to
whom the parties were is this;
"One of them Was a smaller
man than me, and he wears a
heap better clothes all the
time than | do. One was a
pretty large fellow who does not
hurt himself at work."
From these expressions ii
appears to those who under
stand Mr., Virden's natural re-.
serve that he knows (or thinks
he does) two of the criminals.
This assault and robbery oc.
CURED on the public highway
being about one mile and a.hal1
from the Judge Woodtin farm
also about one mile and a hall
from Thomas Clubb's farm.
Mr.. Virden is still in q very
p1ecarious condition, his heat
having been beaten in a nor
rib|e manner, and it is feared
that brain fever or erysipelas
viii ensus'.
As vet there has been no of
i'cial action taken in the matter
The reason why for this is, WE
ascertain, that the proper Of.
'icials have received no official
notice Of the crime. However
ye scribe predicts that the rob.
hers will not celebrate the
Fourth Of next July with as
much freedom as they did the
last Fourth.
This robbery, coming so close
|y upon the heels of the murder
Of Jacob May. and it occurring
SO Immediately in the vicinity
where ;he parties who are in jail
charged with the May murder
lived, has led to all kinds of
speculations and predictions,
these having been heightened
by the burning of Henry Kill.
lian's residence last Sunday.
Some think that there is a regu-
larry organized clan in that
part of the county and that
there wills be more lives and
property dstroyed, and that real
estate down in that section will
become almost valueless for
home purposes.
TO one at a distance. and who
does not understand the situa-
ton it is, indeed, anything but
inviting, and looks as though
"The Old Scratch" had turned
himself loose down in that Sec
ton, at least among some of his
disciples. Interviews with the
best and most reflective citizens
of the neighborhood have failed
to develop any cause for the
outbreak of lawlessness with
which the community is afflict-
ed. 1t is a veritable, hidden
mystery which refuses to un-
fold it petals to the invitations
of the showers and sunshine of
intelligent investigation. All
are at a loss for a cause. There
is no light on the subject. 1t
may be that the outbreak was
prccipitated from the reading
(by the outlaw element Of either
yellow.back literature or a
Sample Copy" Of the Cape
Girardeau Democrat.
Certain it ia that there are q
great many uneasy people in
that community, aud many a
door is now locked at night that
was not three months ago. Many
an old iirearm is now loaded
and polished that was not a
short time ago. There is many
u little trip or chore now either