The Fulton County news. (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, November 09, 1899, Image 5

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    !ON COUNTY NEWS.
in nii: COUNTRY.
iin hnullnpr In tlic buckwheat
,ai the lit'lil uiion uic ii 1 11
the MVolli-n xtrrutn U rimt-ing
U v t!io limn above uio mm;
Tlic ripened nut it ore. fallintr
A ml the liunjiry peacock's call ins:
he breaUfu.it thatthe gander yrb-.
cm! n) .
While llic'i"lri'el(4 gayiy chatter
A." it nothing were the mutter,
And the jrcildiler's getting flitter
t ; I ; very day.
ult. are In the imsturo
t!n cows wind O rr the leu:
' jhc swaying limbs lire uaked
V' '-. the jrtveti leaves used to he;
i l ti. .....,, M..u if.. nil it. flutter.
!i in in ... ... ...... - ,
S' ilH the bubbling; ti i;ile-buttcr,
the wond sitinke In her nostrils
bid her eyes;
. Ou the line the witsh is (lenniinp,
(jOm the steps the ilot; is drcainin;;,
,s 5 And, above, u lutwk is sercainiiif;
il As it (lies!
;'t I Tii lia r's lot is htippy,
4 Ihr fiirmer's dream lire sweet,
I it c'm money in his poekels
j I his bins me full of wheat
1 il'ree from nil the eily's clamor
I.v live defy in;; tri-iunninr,
)ie leaves Unit fall serve not to
c, like him Slid!
Having: cleared ll) llll his labors,
l'Varilrigr; niuiyht from ships or su
kbr. .-i,.
'1" ys checkers w ith his neighbors,
W; j- And Is jrhuJ.
"'i Is, 1HE ROBBER
1 1 i iik they desisted from their dia
bolical purpose.
It was also the, boast of Lewis
that he took only from the rich
and gave to the poor "that he
was not a robber but an equaliz
er. " There are instances relat
ed of his generosity to the needy;
sympathy for the distressed and
of his responding to the claims of
friendship and of gratitude.
Tiowis has been compared to
Kob I toy, the groat Scottish out
law, out of whose deeds and life
Sir Walter Scott lias woven such
an interesting story. This com
parison is not without force.
and that he was an excellent j any fruit. He went occasionally
teacher and a gentleman in his to the taverns in Hellefonte for
manners. The various roles he sport and amusement and finally
assumed and his success in them concluded to embark in the ca
Would require a man of consider- j reer of crime, which ended ouly
able ability, one. who had knowl- i with his death. The reason that
edge of the usages of society, a
certain air of refinement, self
poise and possession and a ready
and pleasing' address. His ob
servations on political questions
and criticism on the prevalent
corruption and extortion of office
holders, his advocacy of the free
school sytem to prevent illiter
acy, to which ho attributed the
induced him to do this is stated
by him in his confession as fol
lows: "I here discovered through
the medium of the newspapers
and other sources of information,
that the people of the interior
had resolved to establish county
banks, and from the number
which then existed, young and
ignorant as I was, I foresaw that
while such u measure would term-
FALL AND WINTER.
s.iurce of much crime; and his
Physically they possessed the : opinions and views on many of I inate in the. ruin of society, it
same characteristic which lends the current questions of the day j would tend to facilitate the views
color to the doctrine of predesti- would indicate that he had some j of counterfeiters, and open a door
educational advantages before he j for carrying extensive scheme
nation. As they were destined
to be robbers a long reach would
be an advantage and it is related
that standing erect, the arms of
each were so long that the hands
started on his career of crime.
At the age of seventeen Lewis
stales that he ceased to work for
the neighboring farmers and
of fraud on the ignorant and
weak part of the community. -About
this time he mot one of
those tin peddlers or aukoo ceeded in our flight more than five
reached to the Uncos. Kob Koy ; trying several occupations finally ; C art Men, running all over the i miles before discovered from her O
also avoided cruelty and unnec- j enlisted in the United States j country at that time to deceive ' agitated manner, herstilled sighs, '
ossary bloodshed, it is said oi -nny. lie committed some potty ! and defraud 'the unwary, who ; and suffocated breathin". that she
showed' him a quantity of coun- repented of the rash step she had
terfeit bank- hills which he had ! taken. A dead silence prevailed
obtained at Burlington, Vermont, j and neither of us spoke one word
He was persuaded to accompany ! for at least half an hour, when all
the tin peddler to Burlington, j at once she suddenly, burst into
He was introduced to this manu-, tears, threw off her bonnet, tore
she togainher heart's choice but OOOOCOOOOO CO OOOOOOOOOOOCOO
to lose mother, home, inencis ana
boeomo an outlaw's wife.
They realized the gravity of the
situation and the dangers that be- j
set the successful carrying out of
their plans. There were two in
centives to a diligent search an
escaped prisouer to be recaptur
ed and an erring daughter to be
reclaimed. It tested till the re
sources and tact of this young
criminal to land both prizes his
freedom and his bride. He was
in a strange country and the
younggirl,butsi.'Veuteeu, at times
was overcome by remorse at leav
ing home and, unused to travel,
became footsore and weary. This
scene, enacted that night in the
darkness on some lonely by-road, :
shows some of the obstacles that
he had to meet, and it is describ
ed by Lewis; "We had not pro-
REIS nERS o"v
him that "he was a kind and gen- j offence, and its the sergeant want
tie robber, and while he took from 1 ed him "Cobbed for it" he de
the rich was liberal in relieving eided to "Jump the service."
the poor." This character gave ; Some months afterwards he en
him the sympathy and aid of listed in Capt. Wm. Irvine's Coin
many of the Highlanders. Know- pany of United States Light Ar-
AND OUTLAW.
History and Romance.
tin
.he ItrV resident e of Mr. Jumes AV.
ing perfectly the region in which i tillery, at Carlisle, with the ob- i f.icturing
he operated, when pursued I. toy i joot in view of getting the bounty
would retreatinto the inextricable and again deserting. He had
j Misses, morasses and natural tasted of the pleasures of sin and
strengths of the Highlands, whort! dissipation and wanted the mon
he could not be followed. ey to gratify his vicious appetite.
Lewis carried on his operations This was his first step in crime
in much tho same manner. He j mid had he but stopped on the
was not only a robber but a sue- j threshold looked over tho abyss
cessful counterfeiter as well, land have seen the end tho course
While he pursued his advoea- ' of life he had entered upon would
(ion !') a short time in New York i bring him to ignominy and
he might
following; puper was read be
e JClttoehtinny Historical Ho-
If Franklin eniiutv. bv Joshua I
1' I'1 Ini-iie; l''.so.. iliii iixr a session ! CitV iiud State and stoimed it few
. I ' J l l ---r. j t .
! death in u felon's cell-
t;lShuml( rsbury, and pn
, lopiiiiori. A romanti
s i-il .. ' ,
I have hesitated for
liblished ill
omantio interest
pg; centre around the name of
'' Sth Robber, and wo feel conli
Lori jfct the republication of the pa-
0111.
days at Princeton College to
breathe in that classical attnos- j ..Wp ,.e not wol.st ut mu.f.. Ull, (.oll,,S(.
phero and till out his purse, the I of evil
greater part of his operations j HeIus so slowly, and from such Kligrht
wore confuted to the Cumberland
ilton County Nkws:
gratify the- many renders of i Valley, and tin? territory lying!
between and including Somerset,
Centre and Mifllin counties. This
was a niountaneous region,
sparsely settled, wild and rugged
all.
l, i fj before t ne Scotch Irish-
nd ijinvadod tho Cumberland
Ltholro was a noted Indian
ding through tho pass at
g Gap, eight miles from
e, f Uumborland county.
la.K tins trail at tho loot of
tr,,v uuy.iMouutain and follow
Siin;findiiig path that leads uj)
Rmtaiu side you como to
as iaimi of a cavo under a
m "g rock, close by a running
t can still remember
v,;, tingfi that took possession
ho ir'u'Q. uiy oarly boyhood
made my first visit to this
)0 s it; was tho cave of tho
() j.j.jjtla.w Lewis thoKobbor.
i,l(ih.g imagination had
floiA tales of tho exploits
l goNdeods of this noted
no when 1 looked mto
Ij instinctively shrank
tfljmy childish fancy tho
Lojwis might still bo hov
u?ld and I quickly, ro
il Vf'y ft(-'lH to bo under tho
SPg fare of my older com-
lotr'T 4s j0W's in'J'if-'d on
I at 'Ptions on rather an ox
oft. m tllu Cumberland
joa'lil ruut lx) of ititerost to
elistory and character
onld lst;""td bandit of his
vitli ,pl"ylvilui;l-
vAxh not an ordinary
l,.lt rfbb(r nor did ho pos-
ftl t'S(,f 'di:iruct(r which
"" r :lsslKri;lt with that
j"1- fHio robber and burg-
' .hS is vicious in charac-
'"J 1,5 l. l:..,...
r ? """'"i ueiiuis in
o and on tho slightest
on does not hesit.nte to
murder. Not so with
h?s confession ho stat-
rdi always determined
stain my hands with
HIl V Oil I hYf'iOif in
4 My natural dispo-
f by no moans cruel; and
out of
.'t v
)W."
y y
Will')
once'
able
licli ii.
ut pi'.i
l Still-'
or in
ic.e, '
lectin:
to ri'
Kr is
nation
ustaii
thor f
of pe
lie pi
it i
ople
nowH!
tho
frco '
and with its caves, roclcs, dense
thickets and underbrush abound
ed in hiding places.
Lowi.s knew intimately this
whole region, and his favorite
hidiug places in tho mountain
fastuesses and was oa tonus of
intimacy with many of the simple-minded
mountaineers, who
looked upon him as their friend
and on titled to their protection.
They warned him when danger
threatened and tho officers of tho
law were hot upon his trail and
fed him when in hiding.
Lewis was of athletic build,
muscular and iossossed of great
agility; was skilled in woodcraft,
shrewd, quick-witted and re
sourceful; was inured to danger,
hardship and exposure and, ac
An Infant's hand mirht stem the breach
w ith day.
r.ut let the stream grow
philosophy,
Ajje, and religion too, may strive
vain
To stem the headlong current."
association, initiated j her hair, aud uttered tho most O
into all its mysteries and became frantic expressions, exclaiming O
skilled in making counterfeit repeatedly, Omy mother, my oor O
bills a knowledge that ho made mother, what will become of my j O
good use of in after years. He poor mother!" 1Q
thou made his first attempt to i Finally she recovered in part
puss counterfeit money but found j her composure and they coutin
tlio Vermontese soil of credulity j ued to travel for some hours
Hut Lewis was thwarted in his
purposes and tiriug of the ser
vice, ho concluded to try tho
"quirks and quibbles of law,"
and gain his discharge by reason
of his being a minor. The "quirks
aud quibbles of law" played him
a sorry prauk, however, for it not
only refused to release him but
discovered his identify and the
fact that ho was a, deserter. A
general court martial was order
ed at the Carlisle Barracks to try
him on tho charges of desertion
and double enlistment. He was
found guilty and his first offense
came near being his last for ho
was sentenced to bo shot. Ap
parently ho did not much relish
the sentence or receive it with
too difficult for him, a green
hand, to cultivate and he shifted
to a more promising soil and
went to work Now York and
Pennsylvania. I will give his
reason for this selection in his
own words to avoid having my ve
racity impugned by Mr. Foltz or
Mr. Maurer. "I knew that in tho
latter State (Pennsylvania) a
grout portion of tho population
1 : .i .1 .. e r ...1
wider and consisted oi Hermans, who, wnue
they are upright and honest
themselves, are unsuspecting of
the villainies of others."
In New York State ho met with
success and became so confident
and bold that he laid caution aside
aud found himself landed in the
customed to being hunted, his j lMi'lect equanimity lor in his con
faculties aud senses were trained I Session ho says "young in years
to ha-flle his pursuers. Possess- I imu y'n ' crime, tho sentence
ing these traits, combined with n ! of death was not communicated
kv 'Wither read ou
in story of Cain killing
6... .A t I i
fVU(,b when i was yet
I'ipuo an impression on
"Ud tender hoar t which
traced."
"lt this resolution, for
lY )f his many years of
"! .stained by a single
f hich his hand shed
,buey
It in
rsary.
:ir ok
ways
lo win'
havo i
ar h
Cllobc
and ho ruf rained
''-h'cumstaucoN.even
4' wipture. Ho not
It ililt tilkn lif- 1, .IP
- . v uv in m enjij.
f ullovv it to bo taken
id, on more than oho
outod his compan
who wanted to mur
Ijiin because "dead
jdes" by Informing
5'nplisli their pur-
havo to bo over his
Jd as ho v'as tho
'ir stood in foav of
wonderful endurance, it wtts a
difficult matter to run hiru down
when ho onco entered the moun
tains to escape pursuit. His cap
ture was effected several times
but when he was entirely off his
guard, except ou tho occasion of
his last capture.
Tho history of Lewis is frag
mentary in character. It is com
posed of tradition and his own
confession and both are unsatis
factory. Tradition lacks authen
ticity andhis confession was made
while lying in jail awaiting death,
from ii wound ho had received a
few days before, in tho attempt
to escape from being captured.
Of necessity, the confession was
made hurriedly and under the
4
constraint and fear of death. Un
der these conditions his memory
would forget many things aud in
cidents and his coufession there
fore lack's fullness and complete
ness and omits much of his life.
David Lewis was born in Car
lisle, Cumberland county, Penn
sylvania, ou the 4th of March,
17K0. His parents worn poor but
respectable aud ho came of good
family connections. His father,
soon after his birth, removed to
Northumberland county, whore
he was appoiuted Deputy Dis
trict Surveyor, but lived only a
few years aud died leaving a wid
ow with a largo family of chil
dren and no moans for their sup
port. Lewis states in his confes
sions that ho grew up illiterate
and worked among tho farmers.
Tradition says that before ho
started in his career of .crime
Lewis taught school in the lower
end of Cumberland county and
some very respectable citizens
said they wont to school to hint
to mo without producing tho most
agonizing sensations, arising out
of a fear of an awful hereafter
aud the love of life. Besides I
had an aged mother, to whom I
was fondly attached by the ties
of natural affection and it pained
mo to the soul to think that the
ignominious death of a beloved
son must embitter tho evening of
her life and bring down her gray
hairs with sorrow to the grave."
His mother came on to Carlisle
from Center county, Judge Walk
er having loaned her his horse
and written letters to some of his
frieuds in Carlisle to interest
themselves in the case of Lewis.
Eventually after much effort, he
was reprieved aud his sentence
committed to imprisonment. He
was then thrown into the guard
house, fettered and chained. Af
ter tho end of a week the irons
were all taken off save a heavy
cliain, which was fastened to his
ankle and to which was attached
a cannon ball weighing between
thirty aud forty pounds. By the
aid of a barlow knife which ho
had hacked ou tho bars of his
window, he sawed tho chain aud,
eluding the guard by strategy,
escaped. Ho lied to a largo cave
on tho banks of tho Conodoguiuet,
a mile aud a half from Carlisle,
and entering it about sundown
remained until near midnight,
when ho began his journey across
tho mouutaius aud safely reached
tho home of his mother in Ceutor
county after experiencing, as ho
expressed it, "many a hungry
belly and sleepless night."
llo remained , with his mother
for some time aud had inclina
tions towards a better life, but
those uever got so far as to boar
jail at Troy for passing counter
feit bills. It occurred in this
way. Ho had mot a tJen. Root
who was on tin electioneering
campaign. Ho invited Lewis to
drink it bottle of wine with him to
tho success of his candidate, Gov.
Thonipkius. Lewis fancied and
then bought ouo ol Knot's horses
and paid him principally in Bur
lington notes. Not expecting de
tection so soon Lewis retired for
the night in snug quarters. Root
attempting to pass one of these
Burlington uotes tho same even
ing, was arrested and being a
stranger would havo been com
mitted for trial had not a citizen
witnessed the sale and gone his
bail. Lewis was found after a
diligent search aud lodged in jail.
His escape from tho jail was
unique; While in tho jail he no
ticed a young womau from the
hou -'o opposite, gazing frequently
at him through the barred win
dow and was apparently deeply
interested in him. She was a
friend of the jailer's daughter
and, through her, an arrange
ment was made by which the
young woman met him in his cell.
Ho pretended to her that his ar- j
rest was an outrage, as he was1
entirely innocent of the charge
and that it had been made bv !
Itoot out of revenge, as he had re
fused to support his candidate.
She believed his story, asa mat
ter of course, and a fooling of pity
for him first took possession of
her, and as ho was handsome and
plausible winning aud pleasing,
this feeling soon dovohrpod into a
violent case of love. Quick to see
an advantage and to seize it, ho
saw in this young woman's devot
ed affection for him an opportun
ity of escape. Ho became engag
ed toiler, and together they work
ed ou tho feelings and sympathy
of tho jailer's daughter to such au
extent that the young girl prom
ised to aid him to escape. Tho
opportunity presented itself.
One Sunday e7ening the jailor
and all of his family, save this
daughter, and most of tho town
people went to church to hear a
new minister. The daughter
brought the usual evening meal
into his cell and went out, forget
ting inadvertently of course,) to
lock the door. Lewis quickly left
his coll andjoiuod tho young worn
an, to whom ho had plighted his
love, at a corner of a stroot and to
gether they set out for Albany
ho to win freedom and a bride
further when, her feet becoming ;
blistered and she uttoriy exhaus- j
ted, they stop ted in an outbuild
ing. She slept for four hours on
a pallet of straw ho had gathered
from an adjoining stack, and
awoke greatly refreshed. At,
daylight they resumed their j
journey aud at a slow gait and,;
following circuitous roads aud '
unfrequented paths, reached Al-;
bany safely in the eveniug. j
Lowi.s immediately weut for a ;
minister and they wore married
that eveniug. As a foe, for the'
service rendered, Lewis, by mis- j
take hauded the minister a ten
dollar Burlington bill, but, fortu-!
uately for the minister's wife, he j
considered the foe too large for j
one in Lewis' apparent circum- j
stances and declined to take it, !
when Lowi.s gave him two dollars j
in silver coin. j
Tho next day Lewis revealed to
his wife, in part his true charac-
tor, but kept concealed from her
his most criminal deeds. The in- j
formation imparted by him was a i
great shock and source of grief to
her.
Lewis entertained the greatest
respect for his wife, Melinda by j
name, aud often lamented the i
fact that she was wedded to one I
who was so unworthy of her. In j
his confession ho says, "The. fact
is, I entertained for Melinda as j
pure a passion as ever warmed
the breast of man, the lovely girl
had not only won my affections
but she had completely secured
my gratitude aud gained my con
fidence. Although vicious my
self, I respected and admired
virtue in her, aud had I only fol-
lowed her excellent advice, and j
profited by the instruction which
repeatedly fell from her lips, I ;
would not bo languishing in jail j
upon I no ueti oi ileum, as i now i
am, ashamed to live and yet afraid j
to die." She died in FhiladoLl
phia, leaving two children, while
her bandit husband was in the 1
mountains of Pennsylvania, re-!
liiainiug faithful to him to the j
end. Ho subsequently re-mar- j
vied and tho second wife survived i
him.
CoxTm-iu) Nkxt Wkkk.
Wc arc now prepared to show
our Friends tlic Largest and j
Best Selected Stock of 9
GENERAL MERCHANDISE 1
171 IT TfM OAIIMTV V
(a claim that is bein.tr. extensively made.) Satisfy your
self about that matter. We will show you the
LARGEST LINE OR
that Fulton county has ever had in it, and at prices as
low as is consistent with perfect floods. The range on
Plush capes 2,50 to $13,00. Cloth capes as low as
1.25. See them. Jackets, 4,00 up. We have the
prettiest line ot
Ladies' SkJrts
to show you from 20 Cents to $2,00.
Dress Goods in Stacks.
A good Wool Suiting for 1!) cents, well worth 117 cents.
See our stock of
o Ladies' and Men's Neckwear,
Lots of new, nice things.
A matter of interest to all is good warm UNDERWEAR,
for cold weather. We have it.
We have a case of down of MEN'S SHIRTS and
DRAWERS, at 40 cents apiece, that lots of people won't
be slow to ask ."() cents for. They are perfect in make and
tit, and in every way acceptable, Of course wo havo lots
cheaper, and several linos of Underwear at fide., 7."c. and
1,(;, and up; Ladies,' from I'Oc. to 1,00. Children's 10c.
aud up.
o
6
LEWIS SHOES
RESISfERS'J
V 1
ml
ik- dM&y fill
WtlRtaraEh V'A flh
OP EVE RYPOCKSTBOOK. I' '"k fcAv' y.li?
AlAOtr BY ruf
Up to Date.
A Word about SHOES
lu.c.f.i.i:....., ..r?.. .1. ..'.!- nii v-.i
i l. J VI I1I V IT L V (I lilll'fS III j . S II I II 1 I llllll I'HM V NliniiL- 1 h'l 1
Marketman Well, little girl, ! will stand against anything anywhere, price considered, for
diiit will you have? j w tit, and wear, and appearance A general lino, including
ljen s, noys , Hulies' and Misses', that will stand against
any hue, wo don't care who produces them, or their price.
Wo are selling a very fair Children's Shoe,
A first rate Oil Urain Shoo for women at !)so.
as low as 1.50. A Very good one.
wh
Little (url 1 lave you got any
horseless radish?
Ti:kms or Count.
The llrst term of tli Courts of Fulton coun
ty In the yt'iir hn ouimmMice ou tho TucmIuv
tiiUowiuK On? ki.'ooiuI AlouUny ut Juuuury. ui 10
uVkioli A.M.
The second term ooinmenoes on tho tlilnl
Monthly of March, ut i o'clock 1. M.
'I'he thiril tt'iin on the Tuesday next follow
Iuk tlm hccouiI MoiuUiy o.' June ul ID o'clock
A. M.
The fourth term ou the tlrst Mouilav of Octo
ber, lit i o'clock 1. M.
h-Il' at mc.
Men's Hoots
County Offilkuk.
President JuAxe lion. S. Mn( Swnpo,
AnNoeiutu JiuI,:ck-Lemuel Kirk, 1'elcr Mor-
ton.
l'rolhouotury. &o,' -Frank H. Lynch.
lMMrlot Attorney leorm, H. Uuululx, i
Treasurer- i'heo SIpeN, j
Slierllt -Dnnlel Sheets. j
lfc.puly Shotltf -.luiues Ituuiel, '
Jury i;iimiiilN,louei'-liuvicl Uotx. Sumuel II, ;
lloekcuMullli. I
AuitUoi -.lolm S, HurriN, H, II. Myern, A, J, !
l.ttiultersoti,
'Commwslom ri L, W. Cimriiuiihum, Albert
iMKKini;er, John friluakurtl., ' 1
Clerk -8. W. Kirk. .
Coroner-Thomus Ifliit. '
t'ouiity Surveyor - Joiiuh LukH,
County Suiicriniendeut I'lcm CheuM.
Attorueys -W. Scott Alexiimler. J. Ncbon
Sipes, Thonuis K. Slouu, i' MoN. Johnston,
M. K. Shucuur, tlco, II. lIumilN,, Johu 1'.
Sipes.
Clotliing.
Ready-made
A larger stock tiian you
will lincl any wlicre else in
town. We know the prices
are all rmlit , every time.
oooooooooooo ooooooooooooo