Hide Article Text (OCR)
A SOCIETY OF ASSASSINS.i IOOHFBSSIOH8 OF MEMBERS OF TH8 . BAND OFMUBDEEBR8 IK FLOBI0A.* - 4Banded, Together to Kill Pcnont who Incur TheirEnmity—The A§sa**tnation of PosUnatter AbbeEight of the Ken in Jail. Vboo• Ain SgirlsAto.COU!Awhs22.in anenBraidentown, Fla,, Tan,rhe murder of C, E. Abbe, postmaster and United States Land Commissioner, at Sarasota, Flo., and the subsequent discovery of the existence of a society organized for the purpose of removing by assassination all persons objectionable to the organization, as already detailed in special dispatches to the Sun, continues to ' be the reigning sensation in that part of the state.Mr, Bid well, the storekeeper, made,it is reportod, an unsuccessful attempt to commit suicide by taking morphine, Charles Willard, who fired the shot which killed Abbe,after eluding his pursuers for almosttwo weeks, has given himself up, being driven to it by hunger andsuffering. After making his escapefrom Yonge’s house he . took. a southerly course. He was followed almost to Pease creek, and while beating thruugh the bushes his pursuers came upon his camp. He heard them before they discovered him, and fled, leaving behind his coat, hat and shoes. Leaving two men to watch for ^ him, they took . chargeof his clothes and returned to Manatee. He eluded the two left behindhand made his way to what is called Shepherd’s Camp, where he gave himself np. At that time he was so weak from loss of sleep and lack of food, and his feet were so sore, that he was hardly able to stand.. He was taken to Pine Level jail, where he now is. Willard is a member of one of the most influential families in the state, being abrother of A. E.' Willard, proprietor of the Suwanee house, Cedar Keys, and great efforts will undoubtedly be made to release him.It is now known .that the murder of Riley, a respectable citizen of Bee .Ridge, committed some {six months ago, was also the work of the assassination society. Riley had been condemned to death, and four men were appointed to do the work. He was shot while riding along the road, and was then dragged from h is horse and his throat was cut. Nothing could be foundto indicate who did the foul deed, except that it was shown that- therewere two assassins./ -There were■ p • •two rpads leading from the po$t.pfr, fice to Riley’6 house,' on one' of which Tom Drymon and Lewi. Cato, and on the other Dr. Hunter and Joe Anderson, were stationed.Riley took the road on wiiich Drymon and Cato were in ambush, and when their victim approeched they did their work thoroughly, Drymon shooting him and Cato cutting his throat. In like manner did Willardand a confedetate watch for Mr. Abbe, and it is supposed that his throat was also cut after he was shot, as great clots of .blood were found where he fell.It is notknown that the society’s prescribed manner ' of. death was three.loads of huckshot fired into the .victim, and to make assurance doubly sure, the throa t - was to be cut. Persons never suspected havebeen found to belong to the gang.Old men with grey beards, men in their prime, and beardless boys1. 1 I. • 1 . al I.A his;comdrinEwas Nas his :Fin IS AwasGa.Alyinby 1AfoutHeFothlt;dantionOgerdoll.for;jlt;negbraifle.cidtascrantheAs!useedstaiwoWguiha!AIdeiteryeitheS'*theCase^teiwiedcu* *prlt;bri'Al\Vaftw!toiwlt;litbeanedA.have been known by,the cabalistic initials S. S. V. V. C., which, beingL;cc£cswreinterpreted, means,- Sato Sota Vig ilance committee. ' ':;Dr. Hunter’s confession has been supplemented. by those of Ed. Ba. con and Joe Anderson, who have revealed more of the secrets ol the gang. Dr. Andrews is shown to have been a ringleader. He claim-' ed to his associates that he belonged to a similar association but west, where mercy was shown to none, even, women and. children, have been sacrificed, when husbands and fathers could be reached in no other way. He approached Mr. Bid-well, and (the two.formed the nucleus ot what seems to be a power ful organization, spreading,to manygarts of the state. Andrews and Tidwell were .appointed judges and Alford of Sarasota Captain. ' Themanner in which they approached all the members .is hot known, but the stories of two,. Dr. Hunter and George Tyler, agrpe In every particular.George.Tyler, little,more than a toy, Went to his lather last nightand.toldhim 'the whole istory. Hewas approached by' Alford lastsummer, and invited to join a secret society whose object' was mu-, tual protection. He was-told that many rich nndinfluential men be* longed .to if. It cost nothing, and~ *#‘ * V- ...... t there, was nothing wrong. In fact, it was represented as an association resembling the Masons tfn many particulars. He attended; one of their meetings, wai'initiated and was ho longer free. Hunter’s story. ! | of the Inducements held out to. him ’1 fully 'corroborates1 this; Mr. Lowe,an old man, and a minister was sentenced by. the S. ?S. V. C.to bewhipped, on account of two misunderstandings between him and bis stepson, Xohis Gatb, George'Tyler wis.adihted Tby’ the Captain to do the whipping, but stoutly refused. Thb Question ' was againdebated ahd the old mah spared- * .•oloihClcli41I1ding to Dr. Hunter, Tyler first meinber'fo rebel Hedid not joinuntU'afteft the Riley murder, and therefore Was Inno-cent of all Knowledge of that crimes It is intimabnv -that the organizationhis chnptersin other.places ih .thenow? I Hunter,Uanabe Jait They are,-Mr. Bartholomew, , j
Newspaper Details
Athens Banner Watchman
Athens, Georgia, US
Wed, Jan 28, 1885
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 23 Apr 2019
Other Publications Near Athens, Georgia
Athens Clarke County Courier
Athens Banner Weekly
Athens Banner Watchman
Athens Banner
Athans Athenian
