The cave became a lair for pirates who pillaged flatboats on the river and who murdered and robbed travelers. Later it was used by thieves as a tavern and gambling house. They used whiskey, cards, and prostitutes to entice travelers in off the river, then they would beat, rob, and sometimes murder them.
It was an ideal place for their exploits. It had a partially masked entrance and a good view of the river. It is very deep and had a level floor.
In 1800 it was turned into "Wilson's Liquor Vault & House of Entertainment" with a sign along the river's edge that caught the attention of travelers by river and land. It soon became a rough spot, known for its hard cider, strong whiskey, and shameful women.
The gang that Wilson started were the first pirates on this part of the river. They would murder the crews of boats on their way to New Orleans and take all their cargo to be sold. Before to long the news of their crimes at the tavern was well known. The public's fury prompted the authorities to do something about the situation. A lot of the pirates were arrested and some were killed or took off. Wilson was killed by his own men when they found out about the reward that was offered for him. There were over sixty bodies found in an upper part of the cave.
Samuel Mason was the next to inhabit the tavern, he called it Rock Cave Inn. Things stayed pretty much the same, he used woman and whiskey to attract weary travelers. Mason's prostitutes would stand on shore and pretend to be stranded. When a boat came by to help, the pirates would rush to the boat, taking the cargo and killing the crew.
They had other sneaky ways to draw boats near. On rainy nights lanterns were put along the bank of the river to bring storm-tossed boats ashore. Just before it would get to the bank, it would run into a sandbar or a line of rocks rendering it helpless. Mason's reign of terror soon ended after the United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France. A reward of $10,000 was placed on his head, dead or alive. One of his henchmen, Wiley Harpe, wanted to gain control of Mason's criminal activities. He killed Mason and cut off his head then took it to the judge for the reward. Unfortunately for Wiley he was recognized and captured. He was hanged soon thereafter. This was the end of the gang and all his men disappeared.
Soon after that most of the outlaws and pirates were scared off and the history faded. It finally was turned into a recreation area and a tourist attraction. Travelers along the river say that they hear the moans of spirits coming from the cave, probably those who were murdered throughout the bloody past of the cave.
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