The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-09
Ante-BeZZun "Reminiscences
 ofEscan7bia County, Florida
By WILLIS J. MILNER

Most people living in the south who | have reached middle age know something of the notorious band of outlaws, headed | by John A, Murrell that existed in the | southern states during the thirties and fcrties of the last century, but very few know that a similar band, though less extensive, existed in the decade preceding the war between the states operating in
 west Florida and the territory con
 tiguous thereto
 They had captain and other officers,
 and were bound together by oaths to de-
 fend and protect the members of the fra- ternity, rendering them aid and assist ance when in need and affording them rescue when in prison or under arrest and generally promoting their operations. One of their chief operations was to entiee negro slaves away from their mas ters carrying them away and selling them. To accomplish this local mem
 Der would secretly get into communica- tion with some of the slaves near him. and having selected their victim, would promise to carry him to free state and thus secure for him his freedom. The negro was told that they would have to carry him away and sell him for cash In order to get funds to carry him to free state. Having thus obtained the negro's cooperation, the latter was con- ducted to the next member, who in turn conducted him to the next, and so on, until a safety zone was reached. The first man was thus enabled to return pi cmptly to his accustomed haunts with
 out exciting suspicion.
 In thin manner the camps of the rail- road contractors building railroads in F,scambia county, Florida, and southern Alabama were preyed upon and a mum Der of negroes carried away.
 The Pensacola jail was notoriously insecure as a place of confinement for members of the gang who usually made their escape promptly. At one time six of them. including their captain. Charlie Groover, were imprls- oned there. One evening. just about sunset their jailer came in with their supper accidentally leaving the door through which he entered unlocked. The prisoners rushed past him, upset l ting him, and made their escape dis appearing in the approaching dark ness None of them were captured at 1 that time.
 One of the most notorious of she | gang was Ferdinand McCaskill, whose | father was a man of respectable stand 1 ing. living near Douglas Ferry. on 1 Choctawhatchee river. The son was l a bloody minded desperado. having | committed number of crimes. ana de- ' fled arrest, always carrying a double
  entered an oyster saloon at Wooisey l and ordered some oysters. leaning his gun against the wall within reach. ! The waiter of whom the oysters were ordered, not moving to suit the desper | ado. he shot the waiter, killing him, and then deliberately walked away. | no one present daring to modest him. One little fact he overlooked, though, as it afterward proved, it brought l about his undoing. The little city of l Woolsey was on Uncle Sam's preni- ises. There was at that time young man by the name of D. w. Austin serv- I ing as deputy United States marshal | in that district A warrant for the ar
 rest of McCaskill was placed in Aus l tins hands with instructions to find | him and bring him into court. Austin ! followed his game for months and | finally, perhaps year or more later, i found him blowing in field in either I Texas or Arkansas. Then and there
 unaided. Austin walked up to him and arrested and handcuffed him-so Aus. l tin told me--and then brought him l back to Pensacola. It is probable that 1t was the first time McCaslxill who l was stout man. was ever confronted, I by determined, fearless man, who had l the drop on him, and he was paralyznd ] by fear. So often 1t Is that men like him show themselves to be towards when confronted with danger. I knew | Austin well i0 the pioneer days in Bir- ningham, where he lived
 lie died there few years ago. His son, Conrad W. Austin, is now and has
 been for many years prominent there in police and detective work.
 The judge of the United States court
 at Pensacola, being unwilling to risk
 the prisoner in the old jail, ordered the
 marshal to place him in the attic of the
 st. Marys hotel. which was then the
 tallest building in the city, to put ball
 and chain upon him and guard over
 him and make him secure from rescue
 | nave forgotten whether this was pend ing his trial of his execution, but the courts order was put into effect One evening while the prisoner was taking his supper, the window having been opened for fresh ar he. with the ball and
 chain hanging to him. plungea out of the
 window to the ground below. Nus ending in a most tragic manner his despicabie career. Austin's achievement made him louite famous locally. and his aid was