The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-05-06

MASTERING TANGlPAHoA FOR A MAN HUNT.
the forces which made for law and order
and the band of cut.hroats and villains
which had for years terrorized the vicinity
Things went from bad to worse. Murders
became almost a weekly occurrence.
The leaders of the lawless band are the
Gill brothers, Monroe BaInber, Peter
Coleman and some fifty or mere oonfed-
crates. They made their headquarters in
and about GiIltown. The ID of the crowd
is In sight. This region is noted for its
yellow pine. The Banner Lumber COM
pany purchased a lot of land and about
seven years & established the town OF
Kentmood and erected q mill. TIL gang
of outlaws began to make wal on the 400
employees of the lumber company.
The establishment of the Banner mills
meant the distribution of much money in
The ~neighborhood Of Kentwood. They
would give employment to the young men
and afford a market for the wares of the
elders and the women. Stores and dwell
ings houses were built, and a little village
of 800 inhabitants soon sprang UP.
Then trouble began. The first foreman
of the mills was q Michigan man named
Preston. He was apprehensiye lest the
fact that he was a northerner would
arouse prejudice against him, Possibly
1t did, but it wasn't his fault. He treated
che natives with great consideration-too
great, some people think. He gave them
the preference in selecting hands, and even
Kept men who were objectionable in order
to avoid trouble.
AS one man who is familiar with the
situation puts it, HE catered too much
to the muzzle loading element, and they
got above themselves"
1t is related that he even kept one man
employed who boosted that be had slain
nine men.
Finally Preston asserted himself and
essayed to run the mills In his own way.
He was ordered to get out Of the country.
He didn't go.
One night a bullet sspinged" by his ear.
He still hung on. He got another notice
to leave, which he -disregarded. Then it
got to be q regular thing for him to be
made a target of at night. He stuck it
out for O few days, then concluded he had
done enough to show that he WASH afraid
and departed.
William McGee succeeded him n had
trouble of various kinds. Being unable
to get reliable white labor, he put negroes
in the mills. That was too much for the
natives. They harassed MCGEE, and final
" he was shot from ambush. he was Sc
yereIy wounded, but recognized the men
who shot him as the two Gill brothers,
Alonzo and Aleck, Otto Bamber and
Peter Coleman.
The sheriff of Washington parish lost
his life accidentally in the search for these
crafty fighters. The Banner Lumber COM
many shut down it's plant, and its entire
force of $50 men, aided by scores OF others
who loved and sought peace, was turned
loose to scour the country n bring this
bloodthirsty gang to Justice. They failed,
although the odds were 100 to ! in their
favor. The best they could do was to treat
with the gang and beg them to surrender,
promising In advance that they should be
tried in another parish.
The most intense feeling prevailed IN ev-
cry quarter. The men who did not take
sides in the feud were very few. When the
Banner Lumber company's searchers, Win
their b~loodhounds, would return at nlgnb
on their log train, tired, hungry 7 inua-
dy from wading swamps and ciimpans
hills. the friends of the Gill-Bamber fac-
ton would taunt them and ask:
Have you got enough!
"No." they replied; 1--WE will never
have enough till these men are either Kill
Day after day this programme was re-
peated.
Have you got ~enougha"
"No."
And still the search went on. -Four hun-
dred men were hunting four, but they
could not find them. It was morally GER
tain that they were within shouting dis
lance Of Gilltown. In fact, they were seen
AZ one time by a small searching party,
INT ~ tho time re-enforceinents reached
the scene they were gone. The ellis and
their ASSOCIATES were being protected by
their relatives, Of whom there are many.
Every mar who entered the neighDornooa
M considered spy. Human life was not
safe near GilItown. -a...h
People with the interests Of the parlsn