Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-04-16
! WORD More About Martin wygand.

.N
We fnd.that some persons are still disposed 10
entertain painful suspicious in regard to the tate
of Martin Wygand and express the opinion that mat
he never left Stanton For the purpose OF re-
lieving the public mind from any such impress
sion, we publish below several letters, when,
taken in connection with other facts, prove most
conclusively to our mind that the missing man
did go down the Valley as far as Winchester. Z
Mr. A. P. Abel, the stage agent at this place.
informs us that few days previous to Wygands
disappearance he came into the Stage once anu
INQUIRED the distance from Stanton to a point
near New Market. and Mr.. Abel feels assured
that the place was 'Moore's." Let this fact DE
borne in mind. The next information i'll regard
to Wygand was obtained from Mr. Taylor, the
driver of the Winchester stage, who stated and
still states that he met Wygand a1alking down
the McAdamized road, about nine miles from
Staunton, just about the date of his disappear
ance. A few weeks later Mr. johnson, OF Lew
isburg, well known in this place, stated to
persons here that in passing through Winches-
ter. he had seen the name of Martin Wygand, or
something very like it, registered at the Taylor
Hotel in Winchester. Letters were Immediately
written to the proprietor of the Hotel, giving an
accurate description of Wygand, and here is Mr..
Gilkeson's reply .se
MANCHESTER, March Is, 1856.
Dear Sir Yours of the 18th is before me, in
reply to which will state that a man answering
the description given by you was here on the
21st February have cut his name from my
register, which | now enclose. My impression
is that his name was registered by man who
was with him, who registered his name John 4.
Dixon, Greenbrier The handwriting of the two
names think is the same. feel confident he
is the man to whom you allude from your de-
scription. Respectfully yours eg g
W. D. GILKESON.
Attached to this letter is the signature clipped
from the register. 1t is "lNarti Waeiktejust
the way in which a stranger would be apt to
write the name as pronounced by Wygand.
In answer to another letter making further in
quiries, Mr. Gilkeson again wrote as follows:
WINCHESTER, March 81, 1856.
Dear .Sr:-Yours Of 9th, making inquiries
relative to Martin Wygand, came duly to hanf,
and amidst multiplicity of business was over
looked. In reply to it will state that he came
here in the Staunton stage on the Dist February,
arrived some time in the night, and left here
after breakfast with the intention of going on
the Cars, which presume he did. | have not
the waybills for the month of February, and
therefore cannot tell whether his name appears
on it or not. saw notice in some paper re-
Gently stating that he had been seen IN Balti-
moro. Respectfully yours,
In the meantime Mr.. Abel wrote for the Way
Bill of the date at which Wygand was register
ed at Winchester, which was received and on it
was registered the name of Martin Wygand,
one seat from Moore's to Winchester. Moores,
it will be recoected, is the place about which
Wygand inquired of Mr.. Abel before he left
The Stage Agent at New Market, also wrote to
Mr.. Abel us follows:
New MARKET, April l, '56.
Mr.. ABELL, Dear Sir: Il recOllect very well
of having entered German on the bill, who got
on the stage at or near by Mr.. Moore's, and sta
ted that he had walked from Staunton in an I'M
usually short time. and complained of his legs
being very tired; | do not recolect the time he
walked from Staunton in, but it was five or six
miles per hour, lie did not stop at Mr.. Moores
but was overtaken by the stage. He seemed TO be
in very good humor, and seemed to be perfect
ly rational lie could speak but very little Eng
fish is why recollect him. Did not say where
he was going nor for what lie was going, but
paid his fare, took dinner, and left on the stage
Very respectfully,
+. II. sTONESIFFER.
Upon such testimony as the above, no man
can doubt that Wygand went down the Valley
to Winchester. What became of him afterwards