Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-08-07
A GAVE In THE WOODS.
A NEATLY CONSTRUCTED DWELLING
WITHOUT A TENANT.
A Cave That Was Probably the Haunt
of a Sneak Thief-Evidences That Show
the Builder to Have Been Skillfai
acknowledgements of the Hut.


Mechanic-Conten of the Hut.
Saxton's swamp has its head In the
woods between Islip and Brentwood.
Whortleberries are plentiful in the vicin-
ity. George l.. Benjamin and Alexan-
der Combs were roaming carelessly
about in the vicinity and made discov-
cry that interested the town not little.
They saw smoke curling up as if out of
the ground and began an investigation.
They found fire and kettle over it in
which beans, potatoes and chicken were
simmering. There was no one visible IN
the vicinity.
The boys went to Bay Shore and spread
the news, and a score or more of men
went TO the woods TO see the surprising
sight. They concluded in advance that
the swamp was a thieves den, and some
of the men carried guns, others revolvers
and few hayforks. They found the
simmering pot and the fire almost out.
For the fun of the thing the men began
playing robber, and several shots We're
fired as part of the pantomime. They had
reason to conclude later that this was II
! mistake, for it served as a signal TO the
occupant of a cave in the woods to make
himself scarce. A man with a pitch
fork kept jabbing it into the earth and
detected hollow spot.
A little digging threw large sheet
iron tray up from under the leaves and
left exposed hole about two feet square
/ 1t had wooden sides leveled so that the
tray set in snugly. Over the tray were
! leaves, grass and brush in keeping with
the surroundings. Through hole in
! the tray was run piece of telegraph
wire, and at each end of the wire was
| fastened a nicely rounded stick which
served as handle TO lift up the tray on
the outside and pull it down on the in
side. The hole in the earth was four
feet deep and eight feet long under the
ground, forming an alleyway.
CONTENTS OF THE CAVE.
The earth had been carefully cut out
and must have been carted away, as no
evidence of it could be found in the
vicinity There could not have been less
than several wagon loads of it. At the
end Of the alleyway there was depres-
sion of two feet, running distance of
six feet and being five feet wide. The
roof was six feet high. This was the
| bedroom. 1t had bunk on each side
filled with leaves and grass and both had
been slept in. The walls were lined with
! logs, and the ceiling, so to speak, was
covered with muslin.
! There were two closets and several
brackets and fireplace at one end, with
a capped pipe running mp to the top,
which could be raised for use and lower
ed at will, TO prevent detection. Five
tin gutter pipes We're so arranged as to
admit light and air and enable the oc-
cupant TO observe what was going on
! about him in the woods. On one side of
the passage a post was driven down and
! into it a staple had been bolted, to which
was attached trace chain. 1t was Il
mystery what use could have been made
! Of this, and the belief is that it was used
to keep some person prisoner at some
| time
The cavern had undoubtedly been in.
! habited up TO within few hours, and {
| the men who went out TO see a sight had
not made fools of themselves instead of
watching the hole in the ground they
! would undoubtedly have discovered the
! tenant of the queer abode and perhaps
made an important discovery.
! y tub IN the farthest west corner of
the cavern contained salt pork, and sliced
| chicken meat had been put into the brine
TO pickle. \ silver spoon was found
marked "The Austral.' 1t was prob
ably stolen from the Austral hotel, at
Brentwood. Among other things Were a
muslin shirt, flannel shirt and pair
Of lawn tennis shoes, whichare supposed
TO be the ones stolen from Mr.. William
NJ Van Anden's house.
EVIDENCES OF ROBBERY.
No evidence was found that the cave
dweller committed the robbery in the
house Of Mr.. Glib. \ copy of the Bay
Shore Journal was pinned up against the
wall with mark drawn around an adj
vertisement offering $3.50 reward for the
arrest Of the butcher who killed John II.
Walls COW and carried away part of
the meat. Fastened to the paper was "a
slip giving an account Of the robbery in
Mr.. Wan Anden's house. Copies Of city
could be seen, had been occupied for
considerable time. 1t was constructed
by good mechanic.
1t may be interesting to state that soon
after Mr.. Wallis COW had been killed by q
thief who was in need of meat, hog
was killed in a pen on the premises of Mr..
Marvin and the hams carried away. A
few nights later dozen chickens We're
stolen from Justice Clock. The thief cut
their heads off and threw them on the
Justices back stoop.
\ colOred man known as Long Steve"
otherwise Stephen Green, was arrested
for stealing Mr.. Marvin's hog and Incl
dentally he was suspected Of committing
The other crimes. heproof against him
did not positively establish his guilt, al
though a boy who lived with him accused
him, but he had so bad reputation that
Justice Clock came to the conclusion that
the public welfare required him to be in
generated. and he was committed to the
county Jail at Riverhead.
Notwithstanding there have been no
vol. Il 8