Boon's Lick Times

From the Lexington Express.

THE ROBBERY IN RAY COUNTY

THE ROBBERS TAKEN.

Last week we published a short postscript respecting the brutal highway robbery which took place in Ray county on the 21st inst. Since our last paper we have learned more particulars concerning the horrible affair, and have the gratification of stating that the rascals have both been apprehended.

It seems the villains had been prowling about several days in different parts of Ray and this county before they made the attack on Mr. Long. They had been seen at several different places idly lounging by the road side, and in this place made some small purchases of liquor, powder, &c. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the 21st, Mr. Long met the robbers, three miles East of Richmond, making their way towards Carrollton; when he met them, we understand that some conversation ensued before they attempted to rob him. After a little time, however, they took his horse by the bridle, drew a pistol and demanded his money; he refused to give it up, and the pistol was drawn and fired at him, the ball passing through the fleshy part of the neck into his shoulder blade, and lodging against the skin.--The reason of this peculiar range of the ball was owing to the position in which he hung on his horse, having thrown himself to one side to avoid the shot. At the moment of receiving the wound he fell from his horse, [which we understand frightened and escaped] and was seized by the other robber, and struck over the head with a club. Mr. Long was not sufficiently stunned by the shot or blow to prevent him from springing to his feet and escaping on foot. In getting loose from the ruffians, his coat was torn off his back, and the money contained in one small pocket book taken with it, as it was in the skirt; the amount said to be about $60, in different bank bills. Mr. Long ran to his utmost speed, [the robbers following him a short distance,] for the distance of a mile crying, "I am shot! I am shot!" to Dr. T. Allen's where he was received, all covered with blood, and a spectacle of the most horrible kind. The ball was immediately extracted from his shoulders, and his recovery is now quite certain.

The robbers, after committing the above deed of blood, took the money and left the main road for the river bank, and followed it up to the Lexington ferry, crossed over, inquired the way to Independence and started up the river but instead of following the river far, they took a southern direction, and information having got ahead of them they were apprehended near Greenton, in this county, by Mr. J. H. Bullard and Mr. Luster, citizens of that neighborhood. The robbers were immediately tied and brought to this place and kept in custody until next morning [23d inst.] In the morning they were tied again and despatched under a strong guard for Dr. Allen's. While crossing the river one of them sprang from the boat with the purpose, as we suppose, of self-destruction; he was however, picked up by the ferrymen before suffocation. They were thence taken to Dr. Allen's and brought one at a time before Mr. Long, who on sight pronounced them the identical rascals who had attempted to take his life. They looked guilty but made a mock denial of it, when he told them of their crime.

The robbers are now in the Richmond jail, and committed for further trial. Their names we understand, are Patrick Shea and John Kerrins; both Irishmen about 25 years of age, and of rather small stature, but very well set. Their trial will come on the next term of the Ray Circuit Court.

Their Weapons.--One of the robbers had a small Massachusetts rifle pistol, with small calibre, and the other a large bowie knife, made of an old rasp, as dull as it well could be. The weapons prove conclusively, that their owners were but amateurs in their profession--they were in miserable order.

We have been more lengthy in relating the particulars of the above robbery, from the fact that a great sensation was felt in the neighborhood respecting it, and the consciousness that many of our readers are interested to know the particulars of the daring and blood thirsty affair.