Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1894-08-02

Cn6 house, SoaTcu0u IL CuOTOuS NY
locked the inmates in their rooms and
put guards in the halls. It was thus
impossible for the doctor to inform
Hendricks Of what was going on, and
the next morning he was astonished to
learn that four stragglers had been
picked up in the woods, brought in
and searched and q large quantity of
gold taken from their persons. They
refused to give any account of them
selves and were shut up in an upper
room and guarded until they could be
sen4 to Covington. In the course of
the day two more were brought in and
five hundred dollars In gold taken
from each of them. The doctors
nervousness over these proceedings
can well be imagined, especially as he
could not communicate with Hendricks,
and the shertf's remark, under any
other circumstances, would have had
a flavor of humor. W have struck a
| bonanza" he said; ''the woods are full
of them" He then sent to Covington
, for reinforcements and secured the
whole neighborhood, making his head
quarters at the Laran house until he
had got to the bottom of the mystery.
The next day in attempting to arrest
two tramps one of them vas chased
far down to the southwest and sud-
denly disappeared. lie undoubtedly
reached the Bayou house and COM
municated with Hendricks, who i'm
mediately suspected the truth, and,
making up a party OF twenty-five
mounted men, headed them himself
and started off In the night for a re-
| connoissance. They were out two
nights, and on the first afternoon over
took and killed the chasing party of
two that was returning to the Laran
house. They then went north, picked
up one of their own men who had man
a2ed to esc2ne from the ssnita1inn- and
learned that Clip Davis was systemat-
ically bagging the returning men and
had possession of the house.
AS it was above all else necessary to
protect the return of the men of his
regiment, and as the sheriff was on the
point Of arming the country and pre-
venting it, he determined to make
short work of him. 1t was not a diff
cult job with his facilities. lie got to
the Laran house in the night, disposed
his men in the woods so as to intercept
reinforcements and then picked off
the sheriff's men as they appeared on
the grounds or balcony. At the first
| SnOJ, Two o. LQcIn TtiSLcu OUT anu were
killed on the steps, Clip Davis knew
instinctively what this meant. He
barred his doors and stationed himself
at a window and succeeding IN killing
one of Hendricks, men and disabling
another. His idea was 20 gain time
and wait for his reinforccments. The
doctor, who saw from his window in
the room where he had been locked,
I xx-hn% T~0S 0n}nn on Gf1PnPPHPf IN
breaking out and went straight to the
shaft. In twenty minutes he had ten
men in the house. The captives Were
liberated and a rush made upon Clip
Davis who, received them with all the
fire he had and was killed at the
window.
Hendricks kept this work up with
vigor, intending, if possible, to prevent
the escape of a single soul who would
report the discovery of the gold upon
the men. Before two hours were over
he was master of the situation and
then waited quietly in the house 70,
the reinforcing party.
The result was a cruel and success
full one. The posse of only six mer
rode up to the gate unsuspiciously and
had no sooner got upon the Enclosure
of the lawn, than they were received
with a murderous volley from The
house and another from the wood. II
a moment the lawn was strewn with
their bodies.
Hendricks knew very we'll that al
this meant war and he faced it with {
vigorous military energy. He con
verted the house into a fortress ant
barracks and began moving all tina
was valuable into the cave.
AS the affair was reported TO the
governor of Tennessee, it looked Xix,
, ian organization of robbers who hat
| taken possession Of the Laran hous,
for their headquarters. He therefore
/ appointed a new sheriff and placed tht
Memphis Tigers eighty men) and tn
J.. Crockett Fuseliers Of Paducah (sixtv
/ four men) under his orders with in
: 'structions to proceed at once to Tipto1
t county and arrest the gang. Adjt
| Gen. Luscomb met part of the troop:
: and the sheriff of Marshall and pro
t ceeded overland with them to Laran.
The sanitarium stood upon a rounded
j knoll Of about ten acres, corresponding
D to another and larger knoll which Hen
b bricks had by measurement Xed upon
as the crown or root of his rotunda
The ground sloped gradually 10 tn,
8 road two hundred feet away, whicl
road marked the valley between thf
s hill and another slight but EXTENDED
excavation that began on the othe
z side and stretched away eastward int
the wilderness.
K To the west there was a clearing ant
the stables and extensive outhouses
" and beyond a heavy timber belt tina
I ran with occasional Freaks almost t
Marshall. 1t was from this direction
that the troops came. They surround
ed the house in the early morning an
the adjutant general, on a fine whit
horse in full uniform and gold epau
g lets and cooked hat and sword, rod
a upon the lawn and In an impressiv
e voice called upon all the house to SUI
e render.
'r A voice from the house replied
% "'This is private property. If the con
l. handing officer will come IN, / wi
II confer with him"
" There was a consultation on horse
d back. the sheriff and the geners
leaning over and evidently comparin
tviews.
l. While thus engaged Hendricks mad
d his appearance upon the balcony.
% General" he said, cit is my desii
2 to avoid bloodshed. If you viii ste
1t inside we can probably arrange ma
y tiers. I pledge you my word that I
: treachery will be attempted"
The general and the sheriff move
4 their horses up to the steps, and Il
! general said, with much pomposity:
i .s'Do you know who / am. sir7 re,
4 resentsthe outraged dignity of the SO
-leFeign state of Tennessee. l commar
sIyou TO give yourself up instantly, t
gether with all your -spnfederates ar
belongings. That is y4haonly way