Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-05-18

Sui oho tiiuu OilC llOuoC WAC dCUudlly
On fire. While hesitating between
,he awful alternative of remaining
within to endure a certain death by
ire, or ofbraving outside the scarce
y less fearful fury of the insurgents
who continued to discharge repeat
I'd shots, and to threaten an instant
destruction to any one who should
attempt an escape from the devoted
habitation, they were most provid-
rescued by the arrival of a
party of military, who had seen the
conhagration from a distance, and
before whom the rebels took to i'm
mediate fight.
The next morning, upon a search
being made around the house, in
order, if possible, to obtain some clue
to those by whom the outrage had
been perpetrated, a gun was found
at short distance from the front
which had evidently burst in the
act of being discharged, and in the
grass close to it, were discovered
upon further search, two manglet
fingers of a mans hand, no less
evidently blown off by the explosion
These were Immediately seized, as
supplying, in all probability, the
first great link in a chain of circum'
stantial evidence to lead to the con.
viction of one, at all events, if not
of several, of the assailants. A
party of military were at once sent
off to explore the neighborhood in
quest of the owner of the fingers,
and were returning in the evening
somewhat dispirited at having been
unsuccessful, when, as they were
passing the very gateway of the
burned and now tenantless abode, ii
was casually observed by one of the
party that they had not searched
there as yet.
To this it was at once replied that
the occupant was a faithful and
valued servant Of the owner Of the
place, and that it would be absurd
to enter it for such purpose. II
was, however, decided that they
might as well look in. Upon en-
tering and inquiring for the man
of the house, they were informed
that he was absent, and were about
to depart, when one of the soldiers
bethought himself of looking into
an inner chamber; and there, to his
no small surprise, he saw the miss.
ing servant in bed. The room was
accordingly entered by the entire
party. After much unwillingness
and several muttered excuses upor
his part, the man was obliged tc
exhibit his hands; one was bound
up, and the accompanying magis'
trate not being willing to take his
word for it, that he had been wound.
ed while working in an adjoining
quarry, the bandage was removed
and space was discovered for the
fingers, which they fitted with an
accuracy that left no possible doubt
as to his share in the transaction OF
the preceding night. The guilty
betrayer of his masters misplaced
confidence was removed to the jai
in the county of Cork; the testi
mony Of an approver from among
his lawless confederate was, err
long, offered and accepted; and
when tried before the judges at &
special commission, which was is.
sued shortly afterwards, it was prov.
ed that this man had been the lead.
CT in that as in many a similar out.
rage, and was actually the recogniz.
ed chief of a numerous band of in.
by whom several atrociou'
crimes had been perpetrated through
the district. He was accordingly
sentenced to be executed upon the
lawn in front of the desolated home
Of which he had been the ruthless
destroyer. Nor was this all. In the
interval between his arrest and his
trial, the shattered hand, after a per-
iod of in tense and protracted suffer
ing, assumed symptoms Of morti6ca-
ton, insomuch that it was found
necessary to amputate the arm; and
il was with a frame emaciated by
disease, a mutilated limb, and 9
countenance upon which guilt and
shame were traced in haggard char.
acters, that the writer then a child
we'll remembers to have seen him
otherwise man of attractive anC
respectable appearance-borne OF
amidst the glittering of bayonet'
and the tramp of cavalry, to meet
his deserved but appalling doom.