Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-26
IIus Svcle Son, The Tower, Cor. Second and Broad

,o,.+ q ron The bats in thousands
e,,,o rroed ont disturbed by the eXplosloh'
and extinguished several OF the totches'
Arother interesting cave. but one which
oor oplv he explored i'm midwlnter,
Is the rattlesnakes' cave near the hv"u
Of the SAN Antonio river. IL Is sina'S.
than the others and. has but shisio
chamber. 1t Is reached after traNelsIie
a narrow passage TO depth OF auou'
sixty feet and the chamber OF TINS oS'e
a. 1hout 6fteen feet wide and fifty feet
long the height ranging from yen "
thirty feet. In IL are many creNlces'
Who's interstices are the favsrite resorts
~ rattlers. In winter these reptiles are
torni1 and they crawl as far out OF sight
os nossible In summer, however IL Il
rash folly to attempt TO explore this cave
because then these serpeuts can DE seen
ord tho dread sound Of their warhlhs
rattles heard. not only In the cave ltsen'
but I'm the vicinity leading to H. ana y,
which there is no room to COMBAT anu
kin the deadly things. -.
There Is. no doubt that many o'noi
caves abound in and around the CITY,
which have never yet been uiscoFeteu
ar explored, but will be revealed uuilns
the progress of the opening or the sew
trerches I'm the northern part of the city
bouts IL the robbers Cave which
rs tho retreat Of the famous Pitts gang
of bighwavmen. who used II not only as
tbeir rendezvous. but as a storehouse lor
,hoir thunder that they acquired IN
tbsir MANY marauding expeditions. Ihls
cave which is located in the nelshoor-
hood of Leon Springs about seventeen
,,iIes from the city. has also a chamber
~ horrors that renders II comparable
% the mythical cave of Ali Baba ana inc
forty thieves In Il was found the poiy
Of Harris. one Of their many NlCllliis'
Nothing was left Of This tall staiWaIt
adventurer except the skeietoh' Ane
finding of this and the subsequent alIess
and trial Of relatives OF the Fltts sans
are still fresh in the memories Oh ni0S'
OF the residents of this city.
This cave was so spacious and one ot
the entrances to II so commOdlous 80
eor long time a church organ Wnich
nad been stolen by these desperadoes was
concealed within il. Whether the strains
90 the organ awakened the echoes OF the
80 and the chords were touched ny ire
deft fingers of any Of the fair sex VINO
may have been indicted into the mys1e-
ries of this uncanny cavern Is merely
matter Of conjecture. but It Is a fact tnat
the instrument reposed i'm this cave ior
many moons. and when it was touhd anu
taken out was in an excellent state OF
reservation and IS in use now IN one ol
the nelghborhood churches in the vicinity
of the cave. 80, Ia,
Another cave also made famous 10y
crime Is the one discovered at Van RauD
station by Wynee Andrews, and explored
bv him and members Of the Express stan,
In this cave was concealed the bouy VI
a man who was murdered by has rival
The rival brought the girl who was the
cause of the murder. and ignorant or MS
having been murdered, to this city ana
was about to marry her, when the Douy
vcas round by a party Of adventurous eA-
niorers The culprit was captured ana 10
now serving a life sentence, and the lhho-
cent cause Of the wicked tragedy, after
wearing weeds for the victim, mas long
AGO discarded him for bridal robes, ana
is now the mother Of several sprghtly
and robust offspring. The Justice OF the
peace Who. acting as the Coroner heid
the inquest, like the murderer, IS also
doing time in the penitentiary but LOT
M cory deed like that which stains the
hand OF the slayer.