Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1898-10-06
COPYRIGHT, lso4l
CHAPTER xvII.-CoNTrvuED.


But Clip Davis was not a man to
settle down comfortably under any of
the amenities, lie took possession of
the house, searched it thoroughly,
locked the inmates in their rooms and
put guards in the halls. 1t 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
sent 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 sheritf's remark, under any
other circumstances, would have had
a flavor of humor. I'VE have struck q
bonanza" he said; "the woods are full
of them" He then sent to Covington
for reinfOrccments 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 was chased
far down to the southwest and sud
denly disappeared. He undoubtedly
reached the Bayou house and com
municated with Hendricks, who i'm
mediately suspected the truth, and,
making up party of twenty-five
mounted men, headed them himself
and started off in the night for 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.
aged to escape from the sanitarium, 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
nrotect 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 diff
cult lob with his facilities. He got tc
the Laran house in the night, disposed
his men in the woods so as to intercept
reinforcements and then picked of
the sheriff's men as they appeared on
the grounds or balcony. At the tirst
shot. two Of them rushed out and were
killed on the steps. clip Davis knew
instiuctively what this meant H'
barred his doors and stationed himsclt
at window and succeeding IN killing
one of Hendricks, men and dlsa olln9
another. His idea was TO gain tim'
and wait for his reinforcements Ih'
doctor who saw from his window II
the room where he had been locked
what was going on, succeeded II
brealsing out and went straight to th'
shaft. In twenty minutes he had Tel
men in the house. The captiveS wer' ,',l
liberated and a rush made upon Olii
MIS- Who. received them with all th'
e. he had and was killed at The
window. ...,
Hendricks kept this work up witt
viror. intending II possible to preven
tbe escape Of o single soul who "oui'
report the discovery Of the gold upol
tbs men. Before two hours were over
be was master Of the situation an'
tb.n vaited quietly in the house 10
the reinforcing party