Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-08-27


the recovery Of child, which had been
seized and carried into the woods, ~ a
hostage for the success Of the boldest and
most beartless and desperate attcmpt at
exiortion. ever heard of in This communi.
~. Ihe details involve the family rela-
tons Of respectable physician. which we
do not feel IL our privilege 10 make moro
public than they are already in the know.
ledge OF ewry lnhshitsnt oil Mobile. The
facts. go Tar as we think il right TO repeat
them, are as follows, and few win denv
that they form case OF hardened yillaiuy
OF which, happily for the world. the exam.
pies are few.
The gentleman in question, French
man by birth. is 10 the possession Of We.
~ considerable fortune. and the father Of
an infant boy, of five years ofage. He has
also several brothers who came to this
country number Of years ago. What
are their ideas of his obligations towards
them, we do not know. - but their conduct
or al least that Oft two Of them, in the pre-
sent case, shews resolution 10 despoii
him OF a large part OF his fortune at once.
| Their plan was bold aud bloody in deter
Ininasion, and insolent almost beyond be-
lief. 10 The exhorbiiance Of its exactions.
| On Monday evening, day before yesterday.
one Of them stole the infant child. and car.
ried i off into the woods. Notice was then
given to the father by letter, that unless
the sum of thirty thousand dollars, should
he furnished within certain time, tho
child shouii be murdered. and the muir
dercr did not intend to escapr. but would
commit suicide. Another brother remain
ed in town TO receive The price ofthc life
Of the child. II is proof Of the estimate
formed in The community, Of the dcspersss
and proigate character OF this man, that
after this was made known. ia the manner
we shall presently speak OF. no one doubt
ed that he was capable OF executing his
SO thought, too, the unhappy father, for
with the extortion as speedily az possible
and so little did he expect, that any thing
but the money would save his child's life.
that he took no counsel, and had he pos.
sessed the whole sum in cash to pay at
once. il is probable that the conspiracy
would have completely succeeded. He,
however, had eighteen thousand dollars, or
Whereabouts in bank, and undertook early
next morning TO borrow The balance. To
one Of those TO whom he applied. he re-
vealed the cause of bis Distress. Hecould
have obtained on his credit. almost any
amount in reasonable time. but tho urgen.
cy OF his feelings. the consciousness Of
what he felt TO be The dangerous position
Of his child, and the terrible agony Of its
mother, whose life was endangered by tho
excess Of her fears, pressed him 10 close
with the terms OF the ruffisDs without an
instants delay, and he 10 short timo
made deposites in The Bank Of Mobile, TO
within eighteen hundred dollars OF the
sum. The agent 10 whom the receipt Of
the sum had been entrusted, had already
received his check for thirty thousand dol
lars, and was awaiting for the amount 10
be made good. Impatient to receive 1t.
he went out and obtained from his brother
the necessary funds, and returned TO 70.
ceive the checks on New Orleans for the
whole THIRTY THOUSAND dollars, that be!
ing The mode ofpayment, for which he had
stipulated. Thus far, vilIainy appeared
successful; but, in the mean time, eveHts
out OF doors changed its prospects. Ru.
mours were abroad concerning The tran.
sactIon. A vague impression was created
in the Bank that there was something
wrong in the transaction. The last sum
brought in, consisted Of specie altogether.
or large part OF IT, While II was count
ed, the person was recognized. and On &C.
count brought 10 the Mansion House, that
The Bark was then paying the check in
specie. There, Gre company was as
sembled, who had just returned from
fire, and we're then discussing what was
proper 10 do. They we're IN the act Of
dcspatching depuiaion TO prevent the fa-
Their from acceding 10 the terms, and had
resolved 10 sally out and arrest the ruffian
conspirators and search for the child. On
hearing that the coDspirators were so near
accomplishing their object. they turned
out en- Dasse. ard committee ofthem, in
stantly proceeded to the Bank, and arrest.
ed The villain al The counter. He was arm
ed fully, but made no resistance. Two
other brothers. supposed, we know not
how correctly. 10 be partners ln the iniqni-
ty, were seized Immediately after. and un-
derwent strict and efficient. though soms-
what extra. official examination. All this
occurred about 10 o'clock The stubborn
ness Of The principal offender 81 last gave
way. His conncxion with the plot was
soon established, and at last, full admn.
sion OF the conspiracy was obfslneo Dut
il was long time before be could De Drot
10 aid 10 The discovery Of the place where
the child was kept. He told various stc.
fies, aud seemed apprehensive That on the
I intelligence OF the failure TO get the money
or 4 n attempt 10 arrest him. the other ruff
| Gan WHO had the custody Of the little hos
taee. would, in ftof desperation destroy
1 il and himself The streets, and especial
| " Cont street, in the neishborhood ofths
Guard House, we're, during ell this time,
throngcd with anost excited multitude.
and on every corner was a knot q enger
quesfoaers. There were hundreds ready
20 seoar the country 10 every d'recticn.--
AT last. il was determined 70 send COM
mittee ofcilizens to place which the pris-
oueY had nointed out.