The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1891-05-23

some U feet 1t meets the earth. !
Overhead, near the entrance, is an
opening in the rock some three or
four feet square, by entering through
that hole one gets into the real Cave
IN Rock. Of course, we could not en-
ter, rs there were no means OF dong
50, ven had time permitted us.
Cave in-Rock was tile hiding place
OF i band of outlaws and murderers.
who held the most northern fort of the
celebrated outlaw, John A. Muirel,
who with his thousand followers
wandered Owen Southern Kentucky,
Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas,
Mississippi and Northern Louisiana,
having sccrethinin places in tledense
forests AMI impassable swamrs If
those States. Murrell'> men hesilatcd
at no crime. spared neither man nor
beast, to accomplish their desires
Highway robbers. they ii the same
time We're gamblers and counterfeiterS.
At Memphis. Nicksburgh and N2tcliez
they had their %llannts, d~efSing al law.
fearing neither Gud nor man.
When 4 boy | had often heard old
men relate heir experiences when
floating their boats down the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers, and returning home
Oh foot. They had a Aoly fear OF
MurrelI- men, aud often would lay
by for days waiting for Il calm TO eua-
Ute them 70 float ~ the haunts Of
hose outlaws without being blown
upon shore AID compelled to anchor
rear them. On their return they
tst r--,4I H., ,.., 49, D.
then tool, the public roads touching
the river 1T Bayou Sara, Naiclnz,
EIcksbursh, aud then to Nashville
Tennessee, thence To Louisville and
Loile. On thes" journeys Of 100 miles
they had 70 early provisions and YES
SEES to cooE them, 10 stand guard al
night, and be on the lookout by. day
for MurrtFs fleebooters, to wade
~ amps. build RATS to cross oyeI
%riveis, and to endure har;l>Itips that
one now living camnoJ imagine.
These outlaws had raised a wall Of
loose stone III tie mouth f the Gaze
lh-knck So that the passing stranger
would not SUSPICION that there Was
any hiding place behind il When
tile river WAS Ai-h hey drew tllyii
coats within, aud if pursued. would
sink them aud climb M into the den
above, wi h rope ladders, and dian
lns them within, eladed discovery and
capture. As time passed they were
often driven Int, their retreat lui
their den escaped tie eye Of the most
earnest pu 3 g. iEet wouid often
20 Oh board 1T rassiag fiat boats, help
themselves 10 sneh provisions as their
want demanded, force the Owners to
give up tiielr money, which Was gene
rally not much IN fatlioatbeA did nos
carry funds with them, on then South
ern voyages, and then row asiiole,
leaving tile boats cttw happy with
their lives spared. About two miles
below their Cen was the the only ferry
over the Oaio River, httNeen louis
vile and PadueaIl. a distance Of nearly
400 miles. A great maty eHIj9raui.
from Moth Caroiin and Virginia. seek
ing homes in Illinois and Indiana
passed that way, .and used Ills ttir.
to transport. themselves tlttir team
and baggage over the river.
On the Kentucky shore was a good
Hotel, ut which tile food for man ana
beast could always be had. Emigran's
halted there for some days to rest, to |
wash their Clothes, to have their
horses stotl, anG recruit strength to
ii iish their longand w~tar,some mare.
The proprietor of this Hotel, was on.
OF the Murrel band, and by skiifui
questioning always ascertaiEed from
the unsuslecting travellers about how
much money they had ID if enough t. |
be an object, lie notified his friends 1T
CaNe-ln-Rock. when the journey
would be renewed. The emigrants
crossing the river, and invigolated b,
Their rest, rejnicilg that their travel
ling was neaiing To Il clos moved off !
with light hearts, through the forest.
But they would make Int il few |
miles when the fretbouters issued from
their deI, would meet them, aud COM
pei them TO give up their money and
IT they had good horses to make au
exchange for the poorer ones, Of then
~despoilers. In the meantime Tie
country WAS settling mp and these
highway robbers aroused the people, un-
I'll II day they pushed thcr"bbels 80
close that they discovered their hiding
place. A fire SOON smoked them oa.
of their den and Case-in.R Rock was
no longer All object Of terror. As the
Diana moved down the river our old
fiIend pointed out to us tile raviIie in
which tile hoIel proprietor had hidden.
when the people, having learned tile
part that he had iaken were pti.ttiag.
and wien tie refused t. come forth.
Lis pursHers shot him to death.