The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1893-03-15
GRICE WAS BUNCH.
EHE FAMOUS TRAIN ROBBER AND
OUTLAW LIVED IN SCRINEN
COUNTY.
a Magnificent Specimen of Manhood, and
His Particular Life--The story of How
he Came to Locate Near Milien--A

H<s Came to Locate Near Milien--A
Case Before the Ordinary.
4 special from Sylvania, ca, says; Al
Ghe last court of ordinary, Mrs. AIce
Gnoe, of this county, took out letters OF
administration on the estate of her hus-
band, E. l. Grice, and thereby hangs a
most interesting tale,
Four or five years ago there came to
she town of Millen, in this county, tall,
POWERFULLY built man with long hair,
who rave his name as Grice and who
nailed from Missouri. He registered at
the hotel. spent the night, and the next
day went out into the country on aihunt-
ing ex pedition. He was gone several days,
during which time he met up with Mr..
James Ross, who lives several miles be-
low Millen. Near the home of Mr.. Ross
was small farm which seemed to strike
Che fancy of the stranger. 1t was Sc
cluded and quiet and yet within easy
reach of Millen and the trains. Paying
his bill at the hotel, Mr.. Grice left the
place, but soon returned and purchased
the farm. and settled down as a citizen
of the county.
The stranger at once became we'll
known and popular with the people. He
was flush with money, had fine horses
and guns, and kept room deliberately
furnished at the Millen hotel, where he
spent a good portion of his time. He
was pleasant and affable in hisim anners,
was intelligent and well-informed, and,
taken altogether, came up to the full
measure of a nice gentleman and most
agreeable companion.
He was of powerful physique and look
ed Ike man whom it would not be
healthy to fool with. 1t was noticed,
600, that he always went well armed.
So, while the people liked Mr.. Grice,
there was still an air of mystery sur
rounding him that they could not pene-
tyate, and that, of course, made them
talk. But not many of them talked
where he could hear it. Occasionally,
he would go off on trips to the west, to
be gone month or two, and then people
would surmise all kinds of things. Still
he behaved himself well, interfeneds
with nobody, was not close with his
money, ana no one could make any
changes against him. Only they could
not understand why he had come down
there to live. By and by he married a
daughter of Mr.. Ross, The gentleman
near whom he resided.
As was stated Mr.. Gice kept the finest
Kind Of guns and rifles at his house and
was himself a regular walking arsenal
a young gentleman of M,llen told me he
went in bathing one day with Mr. Grice
and felt like INNING when he saw the man
begin to disrobe He first laid dom two
huge pistols and then unbuckled from his
person a long bowie knife which he
placed by their side. When he took off
his garments further the young men who
lad come along were still more alarmed
by Seeing that his back was a netwo rk of
sears from old cuts and wounds. He
explained this to them by saying that
they were received in .he war in which
he participated on the union side.
Mr.. Grice would very often entertain
The young men OF Milen by telling them
Of adventures through which he had
passed, and the "hair-breadth 'scapes i
the imminent deadly breach" Getting
them out in a line on tae street he would
show them how stage coach on which
he was once travelling was held up and
the passengers robbed by a single man,
and Of thrilling train roOberies that had
takep place in the west and in which he
had been one of the victims
Thus matters went ON until the latter
part Of last summer when Mr.. Grice left
On another one of his trips to the west
and from that trip he never returned.
Not long after he left his home in Sore
ven the papers contained an account OF a
train robbery near New Orleans. A large
amount Of money was taken, and among
Che robbers was tall, powerful man who
was run down and killed. This man S
name was given as Captain Bunch, of
Georgia, and upon investigation it proved
20 be none other than the pleasant and
genial Mr.. Grice, of Screven.
Friends al Millen wrote the authori-
ties in,New Orleans and received de
scription of the murdered ro6ber. to-
gether with his photograph This was
Srece gnized at once, and when his wife
Cooked upon the familiar features she
fell fainting to the floor. The personal