Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-11

convinced at this time that the Blue
Ridge Mountains were rich in precious
metal--and took long journeys among
the wooded peaks.
After a fof2 weeks at Sandy Hook
the party moved to a vacant farm
the Kennedy farm-about miles
, above Harpers Ferry on the Maryland
side of the Potomac, where they made
an excellent impression among the
neighbors Smith was regarded as a
man of stern morality. greatly devoted
to the country church nearby. and the
others OF his party as amiable young
men.
Many anecdotes were told of Smith
in the neighborhood of the Kennedy
larm. He was regarded as a man of
considerable wealth. while most of the
neighbors were desperately poor.
Whenever he killed a sheep for his
own use he invariably sent some of
the meat TO the poverty stricken neigh
bors. Despite his stern demeanor. he
became very popular with the children
of the neighborhood.
He was regular in his attendance at
church. Once, it is reported. large
crowd OF country people had gathered
In a log schoolhouse to listen to an
itinerant preacher. The clergyman OBJ
NlOuSIS WIS an llllLeTdle man. his
sermon was very poor.
Did you ever hear such trash be-
fore?" one of the countrymen asked
the bearded old man as they left the
schoOlhouse.
Sir. came to hear the word of
God and not to criticize the preacher"
was the answer. II recognize the Mas
ter. humble as the servant may be,
and I reSDect His word "
Thus passed the Summer in the
Maryland mountains while the man
known as Smith and his companions
established themselves as reputable
prospectors and farmers.
** ~
IN the night of October 16, a little
~ after 10 o'clock, one William vii.
liams. a Waterman on the railroad
bridge across the Potomac. was set
upon by about 20 armed men, who had
appeared Unexpectedly from the Mary
land side. They forced Williams to
go with them to the front gate Of the
Federal armory, where they dealt sim
Harry with the solitary Waterman.
Samuel Williams. the father OF their
first prisoner. The raiders then took
possession OF the armory and detached
party 10 capture the Government
rifle factory, half mile farther up the
Shenandoah.
All this was carried out without
alarming the townspeople. The first
intimation that anything was amiss
came when Patrick Higgins. another
railroad Waterman. arrived on the
bridge a t midnight to relieve Williams.
Failing 10 he met by the other guard,
Higgins called out to him in the dark
ness. TWO men suddenly rose out of
the fog before him and iabbed their
rifle butts at his chest. They started
to conduct him to the armory. but
Higgins unexpectedly drove his fist
into the face of one of his captors and
fed Several shots fired at him went
wild. He made his way to Fouke's
Hotel. in the town. where he told
his story.
An hour later an eastbound Balti-
more & Ohio express train was stop.
ped at the bridge, but finally was al
lowed 10 proceed just why is a mys
terry. The telegraph wires had been
cut.
The people at Fouke's Hotel. where
Higgins had carried the alarm evil
IDENTITY did not know what to do They
had no Idea as to the identity of the
bandit gang. They waited develop
ments and did nothing. Later in the
morning. a negro was sent out to
reconnoiter he bridge. lie was chal-
lenged failed to halt, and was mortal