Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-27
FUGITIVE QUARTET
CROSSES MOUNTAIN
Four Sought as Bank Rob-
bers Believed Heading for
Isolated Cove.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch TO The star.
WOODSTOCK. Va, July 27.-The
trail Of the bandit quartet. two men
and two women. believed TO be from
who held up the Mount
National Bank Monday. took
a new twist today. indicating that
the fugitiyes have succeeded In cross
ing Old North Mountain and are en-.
deavoring to penetrate the Businesses
of Second North Mountain, northwest
of here, to seek the aid Of relatives
believed to live In an isolated Sec
ton known as Wilson's Cove.
Tiny heel prints, the teil'tale marks
of women's shoes suited only TO city
standing out as clear as
nrint to the eyes of the mountaineer
posse about 10 miles from here, In
dicated that the bandit band retraced
their steps, doubled hack across the
Virginia lire and are heading for the
refuge Of the lonely cove.
Roads Are Pieketed.
Main highways leading from the
North Mountains have taken on the
aspect of Civil War times. Little
knots of armed men. directed In Vlr-
ginia territory by Sheriff b. NJ. Borden
of Shenandoah County, ana In west
Virginia by the Hardy County autnor-
tiles, are maintaining day ana iiEh1
picket of the roadways.
sheriff Borden expressed the opin-
ion this morning that the quartet Is
still in the mountains, although ne oid
not hesitate to say that II was possible
that the fugitiyes had slipped across
the fields and were hiding.
No automobiles have been stolen In
tba vicinity and without a machine
tbs bandits could not go far from the
neirhborhood. Their descriptions, fur-
rished by c.. I. Dellipger, bank book
i.eener. who accuses his cousin. Kirby
De1linger. Of being the leader or the
hand. has become familiar to natives
of this region who are aiding IN the
search.
Plight Seems Desperate.
The fact that the footprints indi-
Gated that the bandits turned back
from the foothills, penetrating deeper
into the mountain gulches. indicates
that their plight Is becoming desper-
ate members of the posse explained.
sheriff Borden stated that reports
from his posse, now numbering ABOUT
40 men. Indicated that the fugitive
four were attempting to make their
way across the peaks in an EFFORT TO
gain the cove.
The coves Of the mountains hold
MANY secrets and the possemen, VINO
know the ways of the mountain ana
the mountain folk, do not believe tnat
starvation will force the bandits to sur
render.
Many Would Give Ala.
rharo are too many scattered
groups of moonshiners and other fugi-
tiyes from justice who, in the dead or
night. when travel on the mountain ID
uossible only to those who know every
gulch, would give the outlaws neces-
sary food. In addition to those VINO
would make common cause with the
fugitiyes against the posse there are
other isolated cabins, besides those In
wilson's Cove, believed to house KIM
folk of at least one of the outlaws.
In the mountains, even the COM
paratively small peaks OF this region,
the ties of blood bind deep. Some OK
those who might be INCLINED to aid the
bandits are themselves artful dodgers
of Sheriff Borden when he Is cam
paigning against the moonshtners.
But except for these scattered few
sympathizers every mans
hand is against the four.
Sheriff Borden places his CHIEF re-
lance on the early capture or the
bandits On the physical rigors OF the
chase.
Devil Gardens" Help Law.
1t is we'll nigh impossible for city
bred folk to cross the mountains. BY
this time their clothing must be torn
to tatters, twisted and torn by every
bush. Even the berry patches ana
stones Of the mountain are aiding
the law. Many dense bare expanses
Of boulders, some Of them as big az
a house, known as ''devil gardens"
mar the green Of the mountain side.
Physical hardships and CHASTITY
spectacles constitute the day ana
night environment Of the outlaw fouv.
The toll Of nature, exacting pay.
ment in physical WEAKNESS and men
tai fatigue is expected to force thetx
AS Sheriff Borden. q conservative
man, esteemed by his constituents !
said this morning:
I'VE may get them any minute. u
would not surprise me bit Il wo
catch them today. Again-tt migh4
be a year."
But the natives Of this region hay1
saying that past experiences have
proven to be true.
1t is to the effect that the mountain
protects only its own.