The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1910-08-04
"A CHAMPION ROBBER.
]. 7. Hare's Career When Pickings We're Good.


Hare met two men from st. Angus
tine and one from Charleston, S. c.,
to whom he introduced himself as an
Indian agent and in this manner was
able to find out that they would be
worth holding up. One OF them had
trade for Hare's horse. To which
Hare answered: mo sire; my horse
would run more to my advantage
than the watch, but not SO long time
without winding up in the wilderness,
where he could not get proper food"
He returned to the camp, got his
companion, and again came up to the
travellers about thirty miles away.
Having painted themselves like In
dians, they stopped the men in a
brake, took away their arms and then
helped themselves to their valuables.
One of the sufferers said that he
deserved better luck because he had
got the money by an hours hard fight
ing on a privateer, but that this place
was too quiet and mournful to put
up fight in. Hare gave him back
some of his gold pieces.
II never felt more strong and hearty
in my life," Hare says in speaking OF
this period. Il felt as IL could over
come any savage that walked the
wilderness. Indeed, was strong nat
urally, for had whipped the bully of
New Orleans, one William Marshell,
that was much feared there, in a
pitched Matte"
A negro trader from Natchez, whom
Hare attempted to hold up, shot at
him, and on account Of the smoke
thus caused Hare missed, and the
man got away, but on the way back
to camp he met another man from st.
Louis. When they came to spring
this gentleman incautiously leaned
his rife against a tree and stopped
to get drink. He asked Hare to
have some brandy and water, where
upon that every-ready wit replied
that he would have some water after
he counted up the st. Louis mans
money; that he never drank brandy
or spirits, as he had enough spirits
of his own, and that If he (the st.
Louis. gentleman) did not Immediately
hand over whatever money he pos
sessed he would get something better
than brandy "He was very much
alarmed and trembled worse than l do
now under the gallows." Hare took
$2700 in gold from him.
L
enough of wilderness life. They want
ed to go back to the settlements and
spend their money. So they went first
| to Nashville, where Hare bought
negro boy and two horse gig.
Then they went on through Knoxville
and Lexington to Louisville. Here
Hare snapped his gig and horses for
"a black boy and a gold repeater"
and they went down the river to New
Orleans, where they stopped with
an Irishman who ran a gambling joint.
They shook dice, played cards, bill
lizards, and curious game called
United Stabell," which was played
with thirty-two figures of different
colors In this way the robbers man
aged to get rid of most OF their
money.
They were forced to pay $1,000 to a
French gentleman who suspected one
of them Of robbing his trunk, the
man in question having been seen in
the Frenchman's room. One of these
men limited at cheaper and quicker
way of settling the matter. But the
stern moralist rebuked him severe
ly.
81 told him murder will out; that
God never forgave murder; that no.
body ever led a quiet life that had
anything to do with a murder. told
him stories from John Wesley's Mag
azine about the punishment Of murder
but he said they were old women's
stories
They decided to take to the road
second time. At Baton Rouge they got
three horses and located themselves
in . cave eight miles from Pensa-
cola. They had to enter and leave
by a ladder made from grapevine
Deer, turkey and wild game abound
ed in the neighborhood, also alliga-
tors.
After time his men went into Pen
sacola for ammunition and fingered
to dance the fandango with fiddle
and tambourine," but they brought
back the comforting intelligence that
a rich Spaniard might be expected
along in ten days. When this man
and his party did come along the rob-
bers painted themselves up accord
ing to their custom, and, after riding
past the company of 'Spaniards along
the road, suddenly wheeled and rode
back upon them, taking them COM
pletely by surprise. Hares share OF
the robbery amounted to $3728.
They found wolf in their cave
when they returned, and couple OF
well directed bullets soon finished
him. Several other parties passed
along the road during the next few
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