Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-06-18

much to do with it's unsavory reputa-
ton. For many years the Bynums,
whose log farmhouse of "two pens and
passage" was the only human habita-
tion in the small valley, had acted as
eo-between for the illicit distillers on
the mountain and their customers in
Harmony valley. In consequence OF
this, the cove had been the scene OF scv-
Crnl encounters between the revenue
officers and the moonshiners; and al
though the Bynums had usually main
tanned an outward show of neutrality,
there was little doubt that they had al
ways given the secret aid to their
ncighbors on the mountain. 1t was
during the life of Col. Latimcr's father
that the Bynums had first brought
themselves within the pale of the law.
\ revenue officer had climbed the steep
road leading to the cove one afternoon,
and the next morning his dead body
was found at the foot of the dcclivity
with bullet hole in the skull. Old
Squire Latimer was justice of the
peace at the time and he was especial
" active in pushing the inquiry which
finally fixed the crime upon one of the
Bynllms. AS the evidence was mostly
circumstantial, the murderers got oil
with life sentence; but for the
spuire's part in the prosecution the
Bynums declared war upon the lati-
n.er family, instituting series Of per-
secutions which eliminated in the
burning of the manOr-house in the val
Icy. The cx-Virginian was a law-abid-
ing man, and, although there was lit
tie doubt as to the identity of his enc
mics, he refused tn retaIiatr in kind.
With each fresh depreciation he re
doubled his efforts to obtain proof
which could be produced in court: but
his prosecutors were shrcwdand crafty,
and he was never able to get conclusive
evidence against them. After the
burning of the manOr-hOuSc the squire
built "'rhc LaurrIs" on the plateau OF
Murphy mountain; but he did not live
long to enjoy his new home. The
plateau farm was reached by road
which climbs the face of the ascent
from Trcgarthcn. Beyond the Lati-
mcr estate it skirts the brow of the
rountain, following the line of the
cliffs and doubling around the head of
MrNabb'S cove. One morning when
the squire was riding along this road at
a point whcrc it comes out upon the
clgc Of an abrupt prccipce command
ing view of the cove, Il
rtlc-shot rang out. and the fright
cncd horses calloped ridrrlcss back TO
"Thr Laurels." When the scarCh"rS
found him a short time afterwards the
squire was quite dead; and before noon
John Bynum was in jail at 1rrgar' hen,
charged with the commission of the
crime. At this distance of time there
appears to be at least a reasonable
doubt Of his guilt He was seen in the
village, and in fact was arrested there,
within two hours of the time when the
murder was committed; and while the
distance from the head of the cove to
Trcgarthcn by the road leading past
"1he Laurcls" is only three miles, it is
six by the way he must have gone to
avoid meeting the searching party.
This, and other facts, III ght have been
brought out in trial. but the Bynums
were unpopular and their fcud with the
Latimcrs was we'll known. The news
of the squirc's death spread rapidly
through the valley during the day, and
at night an armed mob broke into the
jail and secured the hapless prisoner,
who was hurried to the scene of the
murder and hanged to the nearest con-
vcnient tree.
With the death of John Bynum the
feud smoldered for several years. His
only brother, Jed, who was absent at
the time of the lynching, moved to
Texas short time afterwards, and
there were left only the widow and her
four children on the small farm in the
cove. 1t is to be supposed that the
woman, who was Bynum by blood as
we'll as by marriage, did not fail to
teach her children the catechism of
vengeance; but, however this may be,
hostilitics were renewed as soon as the
boys were old enough to follow i'll the
footsteps of their elders.
Col. Latimer, the squire's son and
NclT, llncTllcu lltllc Ol tllc )eacc-loNlllB
temper of his father. The first time he
found his fences thrown down and the
cattle in his fields, he armed himself
with heavy riding whip and went
about nursing his wrath till his oppor-
tunity should arrive. Meeting jeff
Bynum in the street of Tregarthen, the
indignant colonel proceeded to metc
out to the younger man such measure
of chastisement as he thought the case
demanded, paying for his satisfaction
n few DAYS later with a broken arm,
shattered by the bullet of an ambushed
enemy. This incident was conducive
to another interval of peace, for two
reasons-it taught the colonel that un-
less he were willing to adopt the un-
scrupulOus tactics of his antagonists he
was likely to lose his life in an unequal
contest: and the Bynums were re
strained from further immediate aG-
prcssions by Il fear of some such conse-
ouenccs as had overtakcn their father.
Col. Latimcr was quite as popular IN
his way as had been the squire; and
there had been omnous threats or an
other outburst of public Indignation
after the breaking of the colonels arm
threats which were loud enough to
cause the elder Bynum to disappear for