Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-21


~ fifty miles.
Crimes in this particular section OF |
the West were of almost daily occur |
renee. The Mnrshficld train robbery |
was tho sensation of the hour. II had |
been perpctratcd by the Reno gang |
only n few weeks lpfore and had |
aroused the people To n sense III their |
duty. AT no time during or lmmedi- |
ately following the Clvll War had
there been so much excitement among |
law abiding athens. They were now
fnlly awakened to the existing condi' |
tions. and were quite ready to htar
a hand to adopt measures for check
ms the avalanche OF crime that seem
ed To be on the Increase. The
churches of every denomination were
enlisted In the cause. Hence, the
necessity for religious gathering. Il
step that was Viewed as one of thcI
hest means for bringing about II
change.
Bounty jumping had been succeed
ed by counterfciting and robbery
Nearly half of the money in circula.
ton in that part of the country was
bogus. Since the local officers up
nenrcd to he unable to enforce the
law. the people were determined to
net themselves. That which followed
III the way OF dealing out summary
Justice to the leaders Of the Reno
gang and Others undoubtedly had Its
origin Mt this gathering The people,
becoming fully aroused to what wax
going on around them, were ut once
inbued with spirit of resistance and
were determined to enforce the nat
ural law of lex talionls. There was
also an eventual feature connected
with this church gathering. that
thought them still more fully to Il
realizing sense OF the necessity for
taking immediate action The meet.
ing was pretty warm affair.
Among the speakers who were
there to assist In the shaking up was
Mher Billings man who had ap-
pcared In the adjoining village In the
early days of the revival. He was
travelling w'th his wife about the
country In II spring wagon. His mis-.
sion WIS to distribute religious tracts
ana offer for sale religious work
of some popularity. This elder was
man of seeming grace and striking
mold, nearly six feet IN height, erect.
and broad chestcd There was an ear.
nestness in his manner that was quite
: impressive. lie was invited to take
pnrt in the exercises going on ut the
grove. Here his fine presence and
we'll rounded, far reaching voice ut
tracted much attention. AZ the light
bcaming from HIS steel gray eyes
gave mellow aud enchanting In
spiration to his well chosen words.
many people bowed their heads In
reverence. Not one OF the many we'll
known speakers appeared to mako n
deeper Impression upon their listeners
than did this stranger brother.
N The Detectives Suspicious.
AS Il result of this excitement TAX.
ing place In the immediate vicinity
of tho Marshfield train and express
robbery, u number of detectives were
ut the meetings; among them GOV
ernment officer, who visited that
point partly out of curiosity and part
~ for the purpose Of II chance d,s.
uoyery in his line The Government
detective Went about tho grounds
questioning the keepers OF the lemon
ade and pic stands, and soon learned
that there was Il great amount OF
counterfeit money arloat. lie was
told that number OF counterfeit two
dollar bills had found their way into
the contribution box. large collec.
ton was q welcome feature of the
occasion. Much of this good fortune
was attributed TO the persuasive
force of Elder Billings. This goodly
man did not seem to set much value
on affairs of worldly nature. conse-
uuently he gave little heed to the
kind of money that was taken in. His
plous mind seemed ever far away.
and he appeared quite oblvious to the
sorsiid things OF this earth.
The Government detective. who was
attending the meeting was evidently
the lookout for business. In the
course of his walks about the camp,
he by chance met n man whose face
seemed familiar Asuspcion crepi
int ohis brain that he had seen the
fellow before and that he ought to
be looked after. Detectives are nj.
ways looking for something to turn
Zip In their line. Hence the suspected
zone was followed from point to point, |
until ne finally stepped into the inner
circle of the revival near the speak |
ers' stand. The detective took n seat |
near to and in front of the platform. |
Looking meellly around. the better to |
impress those about him with his sss,
certify of purpose. he cast his eyes to |
the front Just In time to see Brother
Billings rise and begin speaking.
The detective now felt AT ease and |
was able to look sQuarcly into the |
face of the speaker Peerng at him |
for n moment. he raised his hat In |
front of his breast Bowng his head |
"a little. he reached into his inside |
cont pocket and drew out n photo
i graph. which he. without attracting
attention, placed In the crown of his
hat. The picture was that of heav-
lily bearded man; lat il bore II stnk-
ling resemblance to the speaker. who |
was clean shaver. The detective now