The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-09

crossed the Panther Knob went down
Piney Ridge until the river was reached
and followed il until the mouth of the cave
was sighted, black against the perpendic-
ular cliff of the mountain side, with the
dead bushes and brush in front of it.
To their SURPRISE when they reached it,
they found tracks coming out of it. This
surprise was increased when they found
they were those Of a man, and Kitsmii-
lers beyond a doubt. He had worn a
pair of homemade moccasins. and the
peculiar-shaped tracks made by these
were plainly visible in the snow which
had not been disturbed at the place since
it had fallen. The tracks We're run to-
gether, crossed and recrossed on one an
other, as If the person making them had
GERS looked at one another, nodded their
heads, and pitied the mans wife ana
They followed the footprints which led
up the river, showing uncertain in the
snow, as if the one making them had
wandered along in a rambling, under
termined manner
1t was shortly after noon when they met
with the object of their search. He was
heard singing the refrain of q mountain
song around a bend in the river before
they saw him. and the way in which ii
was rendered confirmed suspicious. 1t
was Kitsmiller, but he might as wen
have been a wild beast. When the party
reached him he was backed up against Il
point in the cliff. with the broken-of
stock of his rife in his hands and his
eyes glaring with the expression o. "a
wild beast His cap was gone and rs
hair was matted over his head. Hardrick
spoke to him, only to be answered with
fierce maniacal curses, and when he APP
preached closer Kitsmiller knocked him
down with his dubbed rifle barrel, cutting
a deep cash in his forehead. The others
closed in and soon had the man securely
bound, although IL took a fierce fight to
subdue him. He fought with the fury OF
a mountain non and seemed frenzied by
the presence of his captors. He shook
with fear and rage and it was with awe
that the members of the party noticed
g. hafF xfbf lob, frsrf, ,1a,r
before had not shown a silver streak was
marked with broad patches of white
Bound hand and foot and struggling
fiercely, Kitsmiller was held until ssug-
out was brought from Lie Fosdick's
cabin, on the river bank, a mile and a salf
away, and he was lifted into this. From
there he was carried to the point across
Panther Knob. He was then half drag
ged, half led, up the steep path across
the mountain, and so taken to his cabin
on Elk river 1t was gloomy party or
men that led the demented hunter iRsn
the home which he had left in good health
and spirits only two days before
Mrs. Kitsmiller had expected the truth.
and beyond a few means she only silentnS
watched the men tie her husband down to
a bed. Kitsmller did not recognize her
and when she approached him grew SO
fierce 1t was thought better to have her
kept away.
A physician was brought to the cabin.
but beyond administering some fopiates he
could do nothing. and he acknowledged
it. He stated that the case resenbled enc
he had met with once before and iN,l,io h
was incurable. 1t was that of worne n
who had been crazed by waking m at
night and discovering a rattlesnake IN her
bed. She had lain in mortal terror ali
the night. with the reptile coiod near
her head, afraid to move In the morning
the snake glided through a chinK in the
logs near the bed. from where ii had
come but the woman lost her reason
and never regained it. Her case, The doc
tor said. and that of Kitsmillar were
strangely similar
Occasionally Kitsmiller appeared TO
have lucid moments, and during these
Hardrick would stand at the bed and
ask him:
'sTell us what yer seed in the cave
Hanse, and mebbe 1t will help yer Tell
US what yer seed. Yer knoY we is Oh
yer friends"
once he looked about him as If trying
to recollect, and half muttered:
Il have been i'm the h hole itself
Their wuz a place full Nv rattlers, and /
tried ter keep EN- Off"
This was all that could be gotten from
him, for the recollection of this appeared
to have bad effect on him, and he had
fits of terrible madness, during which he
almost broke from the bod.
Several reasons are given for the pecu-
liar effect of the cave on persons onter-
ing it. One of these is that the madness
is caused by the presence of thousands Cf
rattle snakes, which the mountalneers
claim at this time of the year enter il TO
spend the winter il is thought that the
terror inspired by their presence il such
great numbers drives person crazy. or
perhaps il is the smell of the renfiles
More than once blush sort Of yapJr has
been seen coming from the mouth Of the
cave, and mountaineers happening a. pass
up Gauley river in dugOuts a sucn tunes,
have been made deathly sick by it.
A scientist from Washington. some
years ago in Webster, advanced the the
ory that the cavern contained q poison-
Gus gas, enanating from the bed of
some mineral, which was responsible for
the effect. He had too much respect. how
ever, for the stories told him of the
place by the natives to go into IT, and
so the real reason has never been ex-
planned.
About seven years ago a party OF reve-
nue. officers, on the hunt for Hfnoonshine''
way they were led TO believe that the cave
was the resort Of the "pine-top chaue "
and two Of them made an inspection
much to the delight Of the mountainecrs.
worse than that OF a rattlesnake. Tho two
officers went inside. and only one ever
returned He was raVing mad, and il was
supposed he and the other, in their mad
ness, had attacked one another, and the
oe who had disappeared had been killed.
The cave stands back from the Gauiey
river about 80 feet II enters the almost
perpendicular mountain Side which rises
level with the river bank The entrance
is somewhat chOked with stoneF THAT'S h
from the fact that years ago mountain
GERS went on top ~ the ridge. as close a.
the edge above tho cave a. they dared
and pushed the roc ~ over with The hope
81 completely hilug the entrance. but
the attempt was not Ruocoaaful ghc
mouth ~ tho cave "a hidden by these
rocks which DEE in front ~ it n d about
scFan in width. Short distance BE- ia
cave makes sharp fufn, aUd lf 81 q
liuqNu fHct that when anybody hHs