The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1910-05-12
The Tragedy of "The Forest OF
Rocks"

- >AA~ past oSS thSAS iiao WI
IDENTIFY been gigantic subterran-
can upheaval that has pushed hun
dreds of big limestone rocks out
of the ground tie varying heights,
from one to seven feet. These
boulders are of different sizes,
some mere spinnacles and others
from 6 to Is feet in diameter.
The singular appearance present
ed and the regularity of these
boulders have led to the name of
Forest of Rocks" and by this
appellation this place is generally
known in the country round about.
About twenty years ago a bloody
feud tragedy was enacted here
that has served to give the place
more prominence. The circum-
stances of this tragedy, as related
by an old citizen of the communi-
| ty, are substantially as follows:
One day in the spring of 1889
or therea bouts man named Jim
Sisk was driving a wagon and
team along the old settlement
load that then led through the
rocks. In front Of the wagon
about 80 steps rode man named
--. When about the
center of the rocks shot gun
pealed forth from behind some of
the big boulders. Jim Sisk raised
up and fell back into the wagon.
but as he fell another shot was
fired by the hidden assassin, but
the buckshot went wild. How
ever the first shot proved fatal,
one of the buckshot penetrating
Sisk's throat and severing the
wind pipe. The horses attached
to the wagon started to run but
the wagon got hung against a tree
and stopped them. The man rid
ing in front saw. a man running
off from behind the rocks with
gun on his shoulder. He went to
the wagon and found Sisk dead.
There had been deadly feud be-
tween Sisk and a man named 10
Rhear and the latter was arrested
on suspicion but he proved an al
ibi and could not be convicted.
Years rolled on. An old negro
who liued near the scene of the
tragedy was taken i'll and grew
worse until it became evident that
death was near at hand. When
the old negro became certain that
his hold on life could be measured
by few hours, he asked that
messenger be sent at once for H.
a white man who lived near by in
whom he had always reposed
great confidence. The white man
came at once. The old negro,
upon whose brow the damp of
death was already gathering and
who could scarcely speak above
whisper, seemed greatly relieved.
"Massa H." said he; Il know
I'm going to die and I'm not will
ling to leave this world until l
tells you something. It's been
bearing on my mind for years and
| must tell it."
He then began strange story.
He said that on the morning that
Sisk was killed he had gone COB
bier hunting. A shower came up
just as he was passing an old
abandoned cabin in the woods.
The old roof offered some protec-
ton from the shower and he went
inside. While there he saw
white man slipping through the
forest, his gun under his coat, go
ing in the direction of the 'For-
est of Rocks Soon afterwards
he heard the two shots and when
he heard about the killing knew
that the man he saw did the work.
But he had kept the fact hidden
until now, fearing to tell anyone.
He gave this mans name and it
was nor 10 Rhear. the man who
was tried for the killing. Our in
formant did not give us this man S
name but said he had long ago