Year: 1879




Miledgeville for Block Spring Church district.
which is tho headquarters OF tho region over which
the ..swamp angels" hold sway. Before leaving
learned that Mrs. Whdn the sister of tho Ray boys,
whose lives had been threatened. lying danger
ously i'll from convulsions brought ON by fright.
she having been at Robson's house when the burn
ing and shooting took place. also heard that Mr..
Barnes, one OF the Grand Jury that indicted the
Ennises for whipping the negro. Cicero had been
forced to take refuge In Milledgevc. though this
report lacked confirmation. The greatest excite
ment prevailed the outrages In the county and
the people determined that the outlaws should
bo taken. but seemed utterly without any definite
method to how the capture should be effected.
Said one:-


A CAMPAIGN IMPOSSIBLE


'.If we were to get up posse of 100 men, as We
could easily do in this town. and 60 out after these
men, we should have the most desperate work.
While there may not be over eight or ten men
actually engaged in this burning and killing they
have and reckless relatives who would not
them run over. An attempt, therefore, to overrun
the infected district might put twenty desperate
mon in arms against us, and even il succeeded
in whipping them out they would take refuge in the
swamps and we could never take them. They must
be taken steathily."


FRIGHTENED SILENCE.


AS left Milledgeville and rode out toward Block
Spring Church passed through rich and pros
porous country. thinly settled. but having con.
tented and quiet people. stopped frequently
the route and whore opportunity offered would
drop into questions to the outlaws. There
the strongest reticence manifested whenever this
subject was mentioned. Wherever could get at all
confidential the most Icould do was to get this:-


''See here now, stranger, don't know you nor
your amings but I've got family here and I've got
property and can't afford to get mixed up with
any of these troubles. so I'll be movingl" met
negro who working at q sawmill. and after some
preliminary talk asked him If he knew anything
about these troubles


.sNow. look here boss" he said. II didn't want to
come here to work nohow. but thars Fox told me of
would keep my mouth shut and not take no
trompin' around want gwine to get shot or whip
ped. and Pse gwine to do it."


BELEAGUERED HOUSE.


As rode up to DR.. Robson's house ! felt that
wonld at last get ut the heart of the matter
paralyzed every tongue in half . county. saw the
less desoate '.bg house in which the doughty Doc
tor lived. As approached the door half dozen
men appeared on the piazza and looked at me with
curious eyes. one-legged man. with o brown
mustache and pleasant face carried o Winchester
rae-a perfectly useless precaution as far
purpose and stated that I would like to
look the premises and talk with DIR.
war. of distinguished gallantry, was Mr.. J. A. Rob-
son. of Washington county. and brother of the be-
leagucred Doctor was invited into the house, aud
was introduced to several gentlemen. who were
relatives connections OF the Robsons, and who
had come over to assist in holding the fort. They
were all heavily armed, and justified tho impression
that they would be able to hold the house against
regiment Of outlaws. There ladies in the
danger. All the valuables had been taken out OF the
house. the piano. silver. &C., having been moved to
place of safety. The premises stripped for .
siege which had been hourly expected.


THE sHADowED MAN.


DR.. Robson himself was the opposite Of what
| had ted a aya md
frank hospitabe manners, that did not suggest the
bloody work he had been through during the past
few years. While perfectly brave man. he had
evidently had enough OF the outlaws, and was
luctant to say or do anything that would provoke
renewal of the hostilities His brother said to


''It Is enough to break q man down to be in
slant dread Of assassination; to be able 70
out without feeling that assassin s couched be-
hind each bush and that bullet may be sent
through his head at any moment. Besides this my
has Of Sss nars as IS
stock aud houses. or course they cannot burn this
house down while are In it, for we stand guard
every night but tho very night we leave it they
AN AMBUSH PLANNED


"what do you'propose to doY" asked one Of the


ave do not know. Our Arst purpose was to hunt
these fellows down aud kill them wherever wo found
them, My brother. you see. saw one of the men who
shot at him the night they burned his gin and cot
ton This fellow s % was Us not h twenty steps on and IN
and will swear to him positively. He took deliberate
aim and fred from behind clump OF bushes.





of this man. and that was all we wantcd to know.
We knew who this fellows gang were. and we
We got twelve men together. myself and brothers.
tho Ray boys and some others. and went out to
We had then only shot guns ana pistols and were
waiting for rides. As soon as wo got there we de-
termined to 20 and surround the house Of an old
man at which several of the outlaws lived and lay
in wait till some OF them came in. when We would
rush in and take him. We were all ready tor this
raid when Judge Sanford. tho Ordinary OF the
county, persuaded us not to have any violence but
to wait ON the law and let 1t find the villains
punish them The Doctor agreed that this might be
the best course. You he felt that IL
in aud cleaned the crowd up there would be enough
It chafes him awfuIy to have to stand such things
but there seems to be no help for it,"


TIcKLIsn DETECTIVE


"You can't stay here aud guard the property all


"No. and we are thinking about leaving In short
time now. Somo of boys have gone already.
You 1t is known all through here that the Cow
has sent down detectives to this section. and
know who tho detectives are whore they are. II
they could only get their hands on the detectives
full You see two OF the men We suspect are tho
outlawed Ennis boys who killed Lumsden, the reve-
S @ M ss when ,hs dotsc.yss src sSo"t
would 20 hard with them if they were caught. Wo
don't look for trouble until tho detectives have
been spotted OF havo given up the case and lott tho


Dr. Robson said 81 propose to stay hero until /
sell out my property rent it, when shall leave
for place where my life will be safe shall Keep
nothing valuable In my house it help II. and
shall try and keep the torch away from it,"
riiE CICERO fEUD.


We asked him II there were any persons In tho
county who had grudRe against him. Hc replied. II
know OF only the n.en--the Enniscs, who hac fuss
with Cicero ut the camp meeting. and who aterward
whipped him. ! took MIN into my yard aud sent
them word to come there and whip him, IL they
dared. was instrumental in having the truo bills
sworn out and Cicero killed he riding to
court TO testify. My sawinill had been burned down
a night or two before this. do not know OF any
personal enemies that I have in the county"
MANS HISTORY.


There some persons who claim that DIR. Rob-
son has always been contentious man, and that
these assaults have been made upon him because Of
his overbearing temper and through his personal
enemies. This cannot be true. He is q
man of the most pleasant manners. Ho
ran short time since for Tax Re-
cciver one of the most lucrative of the county
Offices and barely missed election He Is hospitable
cheerful and has good word for almost every one.
II IL truo that he has had several difficulties, but
OF these could have caused the present troubles
CHARAcTKRrsTIc fTofT.


| 1872 he became involved with named