LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2609, 17 August 1882, Page 4

LITERATURE.

MOUNTAIN REGULATORS.

BY G >L, GEORGE W, STMONDS,

My first introduction to the Regulators was romantic and decidedly dime novelist. Although I had had considerable experience in mountain work, my acquaintances were chiefly “raornshlners.” I had heard much about the strength of the new vigilante order, but gave little credence to the marvelous stories that were told respecting the solidity, respectability and discipline of that famous mobocr ; cy which has ruled mountain Kentucky for the past four years with an iron hand ; which had commit'ed many outrages, made many mistakes, but withal rcnde>ed the mountain counties safe to live in, and driven out the desperadoes and outlaws.

Ihe agent for my division, ejrly In the month of June, 1878, sent me on a mtrsion of importance into one of the rioh blue grass counties, which oonnty, by the way, boasts of more pretty women, fast horses, fat Barbaras and fine whiskey than any spot of like size in the world. Reliable information had bean received at the head quarters of the Secret Service In Washington City that an extensive gang of counterfeiters had opened a mint not far from the famous Blue Lick Spring, and were manufacturing at wholesale the most dangerous character of * queer ’ money. The rendezvous of the gang was not definitely Lotted, and I was detailed to ’spot’ their hiding-place. Accordingly, I went out on the Kentucky Central Railroad to tho little town from which I was to make a star), procured a horse and rode leisurely through the town into the open country. It was four o’clock in the afternoon as I left the hotel. Reaching the borders of the town, I spurred my horse into a gallop and tamed into the first road I came to, running In the direction of the setting sun. I had a theory—which afterwards proved a true one—that the gang were located in an isolated and heavily timbered belt of oount'y running from the borders of the blue grass lands out Into tho barren ridges of Robertson County. I was thoroughly posted respecting the roads, was provided with a good post-road map and a pocket compass, and had no fears of losing myself.

A lowering sly Indicated a possible storm. By nine o’clock a heavy cloud swept across the canopy of stars overhead and shut oat the feeble light of the young moon. There was a distant rumble of thunder, and the south-western sky was Illuminated by livid flashfs of electric fire. A few pattering rain drops warned me that the storm was close at hand, and I discovered that In the hurry of departure I had neglected to bring my gam coat and leggl' gs. I did not fancy a wetting, and began to look about me for a place of shelter. The night had grown intensely dark, and a solid wall of bl»ok encompassed me on every hand. This gloom was occasionally pierced by a fl«sb of lightning, enabling me to see objects close at hand. A particularly vivid flash, just as the rain began to fall in earnest, brought oat la full relief on the right hand side of the road the outlines of a gloomy-looking stone building, the of which was thickly covered with ivy, clinging in tangled masses from the ground to the tops of the former windows. I pulled up my horse and waited for another flash. It came and I Baw that the stone pile was a ruin and uninhabited.

I had hoped for a hospitable farm mansion, a warm supper and a comfortable bed, but the rapidly falling rain did not admit of indecision. Dismounting I led my horse through a gate, which I found after much groping, and guided him through an open doorway Into one of the rooms of the stone ruins.

Lighting a little pooket lantern, which I always carried, I looked abont me. The room in which I found myself was bare and without floor. I did not notice at the time that it had been used as a stable before. The floor above was Intact, and I was glad to get shelter from the rain, which was now descending In torrents Removing the saddle I tethered my horse to a projecting hook in one oorner of the room and started about on a tour of exploration. There were eight rooms on the ground floor, all spacious and in ruins, A broad hallway bisected the house, at the far end of which a dilapidated stairway lad to the upper story. The rooms on the second floor were in a better state of preservation, and one could not help being impressed with tho idea that the mansion must at one time have been a noble pile Two or three of the rooms contained odd pieces of furniture once rich and costly. _ In one of the best furnished rooms 1 determined to take up my abode for the night. Some shreds of carpet clung to the floor, the walls were hung with faded tapestry and the glassless window* were protected by heavy oaken shutters, fantastically carved and brightly polished.

A ponderous sofa covered with decaying haircloth occupied one comer of the room. I dragged it out to the fireplace, brushed away the dust, started a blaze on the hearth, and, lighting my pipe, stretched out at full length on the sofa to wonder at my strange situation, and marvel, between the whiffs of smoke, over the cause of the ruined grandeur around me.

I have neglected to say that I had had no sleep the night before, and the stillness of this old house, broken only by the patter of tho rain, and soughing of the wind among the trees, acted on tired nature with soporific effect A dozen times I sank Into a doze to be aroused by a crash of thunder. Finally the storm abated and the thunder died awry in angry and fast receding growls. A strange hush fell upon the honse, the pipe slipped from my grasp, and I fell Into a profound sleep. How long I slept I do not know, but awoke finally oat of a troubled dream to find the room brightly illuminated and crowded with strange, fantastic figures. Fltt ng climax to my dream 1 I started up and stared about me with wondering eyes Before I could express my astonishment one of the figures addressed me, and, in spite of the mnfified voice and feigned accent, I thought I recognised the familiar tone of my old Mend, Lance Worthington. The figure was clad in a long, flowing robe of white, which shrouded It from head to foot. Ctho head-piece of the mask was pierced with holes for tho oyoa, noso, and month. The others were similarly disguised, and I could almost fancy myself at the secret meeting of some knightly order In the Feudal Age. ‘Yon need not bo alarmed,’ said the shrouded figure; ‘ yon are amongst friend*, colonel. We mean you no harm, and we do not intend that you shall do us any harm. Yon are surrounded by Regulators. If you are ona of us make yourself known. If not a member of the order, onr High Priest will administer the oath of allegiance and soon make you one.’ * Yon need not disguise your voice, for I recognise yon,’ said I, recovering my selfpossession. * Yon are Lai e— 1 ‘Stop !' inteirnpted a dozen voices, and I saw the gleam of a dr zen pistol barrels under the folds of the white shrouds.

* You will consult your own safety and know no one here,’ said a tall fellow standing at the foot of the sofa. 1 saw that his pistol covered my heart, and was silent.

‘You may think this an Idle masquerade, bat I assure it is the reverse,’ said the figure which I thought Lanoe Worthington. ‘Wo are Regulators, and have met for business.’

1 Well ?’ I interrogated rather tauntingly. * We perfectly understand that yon are here by accident, and have no Intention of spying on oar actions. Nevertheless, selfpreservation la the first law of nature, and yeu must join our order.’ ‘Suppose I object to snob forced membership P ’ I ventured, and looked about for my pistols. They were gone I ‘ The order deals rigorously with all who disobey its commands ! * orled a muffled voice In my ear. * You do not mean— I’ I cried, starting

up 'Be quiet, old fellow,’ luterrupted the voice which I recognised as Lance Worthington’s. ' Let me advise you. This house In which yon have taken shelter is the sometime rendezvous of one of the strongest Regulator lodges of the State. We nnmbsr 250 members, and nearly all are present tonight. We are all armed, and your pistols are In onr possession. This meeting is accidental, but the rules of the order are Imperative, and you must become one of us.’ * Suppose I refuse ? * I said. • Then you must suffer the penalty of contempt I ’ cried the veiled figure at the foot of the sofa. ‘And that?’

* Death! ’ orled a chorus of voices. ‘ Gentlemen,’ said I, beginning to take a serious view of tho matter, * I am opposed to your order, and have so expressed myself a hundred times. If you force me to take any oath I shall not consider it binding, for I take it under protest,’ ‘ He who is once a Regulator Is always a Begnlator,’ wailed the tall figure at the foot of the sofa. ‘ You will never betray the secrets of tho order, ’

* Well then,’ said I, rising to my feet, ' sines I am forced to this thing, go ahead.’ * Let the High Priest administer the oath ? ’ said the voice in my rear and the tall figure at the foot of the sofa stepped forward.

•Hold up yonr right hand,’commanded the High Priest. I did so, and slowly repeated the oath which boned me to secrecy, which obligated ms in a hundred different ways, and which oath I faithfully kept until regularly released. After the ceremony was over several of the figures unmasked and disclosed old friends of mine. I was not deceived as to Lancs Worthington’s voice, and he was the first to congratulate me as a brother Regulator. In the course of our conversation he told ms that ths mined houas in which we were assembled was the scene of a terrible murder years ago, and had the reputation of being haunted by the ghost of the murdered man

It had not been occupied for years, and the Begulators bad taken advantage of the superstitious legends connected with the pile and transformed it into a place of rendezvous. They had no fear of interlopers here. He told me that horse and cattle stealing was so common In the country that It was necessary to organise some sort of association for protection. They had accordingly allied themselves to the new ' vigilante ’ order, whioh had been so successful in breaking up crime, and organised themselves into a lodge of Regulators. The captain of the lodge was one of the wealthiest young stock raisera in Kentucky, and the members were from the beat families in the State, ‘ We have an Important and painfnl duty to perform to-night,’ ho said In conclusion, ‘ and yon oan accompany ns or not, as you choose,*

I pleaded business and declined. * I know what you are after, I think,’ he said quickly, ‘ and If you will ride with ua to night, and, after our business is over, go heme with me, I will assist you. A man in my employ has been approached Indirectly by the parties yon are after, and ho knows enough of their movements to put you on their track. He is an honest fellow, and hns already taken me Into his confidence. Nov, ride with ns night, and 1 will ride with you to-morrow night,’ To make a long story short, I finally agreed to make my first trip as a Regulator, and was provided with a shroud eimi'ar to those worn by the ether members of the lodge. When I went down to my horse I found him similarly disguised, and oonld not help smiling at his weird and nnoanny appearance. ‘Yon will answer to the number Two Hundred and Fifty-Three,’ said the captain of the lodge as I was mounting. ‘We are known only by numbers when we are at work. ’ We rode In the direction In which I had come, four abreast, and the long line of white robed spectres, moving along swiftly and silently, were enough to inspire terror In the heart of the bravest man had we chanced to meet one during our journey. I learned afterwards that had we met any person they would have been forced to take the oath.

An hour passed In this way, and wo were fast nearing the shire town of the county. I recollected that I knew nothing of the object of this midnight rido, and asked my right hand companion for Information, *B- h 1 ’ he whispered, ‘you will see. We are nearly there, ’ To my dying day I will not forget the dual tragedy enacted that night ‘ by order of Judge Lynch I ’ A horrible murder had been committed a few months before In the county. The motive adultrous lust. A wife and her paramour were arrested, charged with the murder of a husband and friend. They were Intelligent, their social position was a high one, and wealth In abundance was at their command. In spite of popular indignation against the murderers and strong circumstantial evidence connecting them with the crime, it was very probable that the law—which la not always justice through some technicality would free the evidently guilty pair, to enjoy undisturbed their blood-stained lust.

The case was laid before the Regulators, and they gave it a fair and Impartial trial. Every mitigating circumstance in favor of the innocenoe of the accused persons was carefully considered. When the ballot was cast at the close of the investigation there was no merciful * white ball ’ dropped Into the box, and Judge Lynch bad pronounced sentence of death.

It Is needless to prolong this article by describing that night’s work. It la a matter of history, and the verdict of the world, after the first shook of horror passed, was, * Served them right I ’ Executions, be they legal, illegal, or semilegal, have a painful and horrid similarity. A jail was snrronnded by masked men, the jailer forced at the muzzle of a dozen pistols to give np the keys, a man and woman, whose hands were stained with the blood of a fellow creature, were aroused from dreams of possible liberty ; a confession of guilt was made by both, they were told of the fate in store for them j a few minutes’ time was given them to prepare for that final arraignment before the bar of a just God, and In spite of the sobs and prayers for mercy, and cries and lamentations, were ' banged by the neok until dead.’ It was stern and terrible punishment. * A life for a life! ’

At the edge of the town the lodge dispersed, the masks and shrouds were removed, and each man sought his home by the nearest and most direct road.

I accompanied my friend Lance Worthington, and we were safe in bed before sunrise. Neither spoke of the occurrence of the night, and both tried to forget it In sleep, but It was many long days before I could drive away the haunting faces of those two wretched beings, or forget the agony of their last frantic appeals for moroy and Ufo.

The next day I possessed myself of information which warranted me In serving out warrants against three noted counterfeiters before the nearest United States Commlssioner, and the next night, with the assistance of a posse of my newly made brethren, I BHOoeeded In overtaking the ‘crooks,’ In captaring their materials, machines, dies and manufactured money, and lodging them all safely in gaol.