Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1909-02-25

beniRhted horseman traversiug bis
way through chs then unbroken
country from ST. Mary's t. ST. Cle-
ments. at or near what's now Blali-
STONE Island. was Intercepted by
Indians and dogs about m'duight at
a place near what is now known as
/ Great Mills His mission I cannot
recall. but be was permitted to pur-
| sue his journey without further
molestation. That his business was
of urgency and Importance was evil
dent. aud perhaps Kennedy may
throw some light upon tho subject
further on.
Returning TO the subject proposed
in the beginning. have seen the
Hangman's tree or the tree called
such many times; know well its
location; have heard weird and fan
tastic tales concerning 1t, none of
which can be authenticated by me.
but that there have been repetitions
OF horrible crimes coincident to It's
| immediate neighborhood atinteryals
during the past century Is notori-
lous and calculated, In the absence,
of proof. to cause the Hangmans
| tree TO pale into insignificance, and
all being compared either with other
| In shorribleness of accomplishment,
renders that particular neighhor-
hood without a parallel. Should
one be superstitions and travel those
roads at midnight, imagine. did he
know the facts. sensation Of awful
| fear and horripilation, or hair stand
ing on end, would possess him.
About seventy Eve years ago a
| William, alias Bill. Milburn decoy-
ed his uncle, Stephen Milburn, who
was always supposed to have much
money upon his person intoa lonely
swamp, murdered and robbed him
| and afterwards fed to the then new
State OF Kentucky. Resisting cap
ture he was shot by officers In o
barn. Many years ago had point
| ed out to me lonely road leading
through dense woods ia distant
part of the county the beginning Of
the route of his escape from justice.
The woods have long since been
cleared away, and the road obiitera-
ted by continued cultivation.
i Some years later, about the year
1853, q. colored man, Robert Som
merville, was murdered at Beans
vile, In the same neighborhood, by
two other colored men. Nelson Bryan
and Joseph Lawrence. Both we're
committed to longterms of imprison.
ment in the Penitentiary. Bryan
died In prison, but Lawrences urviv-
ed bis captivity many years and for
aught ! know may be yet living.
The next tragedy was enacted
at only remove OF a few miles on
the three notched road. About tbf,
year 1857, Henry Mason, a worthy
and respected colored man. was
, found murdered, the crime suppos-
eddy committed at almost noon in
open day. The body was found with
an axe by its side by Vim. B. Bean,
afterwards Lieutenant In the Balti-
more Light Artillery. @. s. A., on
returning TO his home In early even
! ing from visit to his best girl.
This case was always shrouded in
, mystery, yet certain circumstances
as they afterward developed, pointed
) strongly to an objective, but Upon
} whom the curse OF Cain fell for that
J atrocious crime has never been re.
: yealed. Coming down to about the
year 1872. we find James SchoAeld,
a merchant, conducting business in
I the immediate vicinity of the Hang.
mans tree, indicted for the homicide
} Of Wesley Thomas. negro. Mr.
Schofield was acquitted but not many
months afterwards was himself the
> victim Of an incarnation Of horror
: a negro, Thomas jackson, who was
) afterwards hanged in expiration d
. that crime without a parallel in thu
. criminal annals of ST. Mary's County
j And now, MIR. Editor. while al
r these facts may not be pertinent to
I the interest attached to the Hang
: mans tree, yet In my Judgment
!. they bear striking afinity. II thii
will In any wise contribute to th,
edigcation or pleasure Of many
friends interested In the perusal o
Rob Of the Bowl, / shall b,
amply repaid. cannot write with
the elegance OF Dean Swift, or the
plain nervous style.of Southey. yet
have done the best / can. Recon
!, Affections render nae totally unfit fol
= literary tasks. and herein must hnf