The Democratic press. (Eaton, Preble County, Ohio) 1860-1865, 1861-05-30
the HORSE DETECTIVE
BY DR.. 8 SMITH.

ping for a while with a planter
friend, whose extensive cotton fields
stretched along the west bank OF
the Boque Chitto, whore thatstream
after travsrsing Pike county, in the
State of Mississippi, crosses the
State line into the Parish of Wash.
ington, Louisiana. The plantation
lay wholly in the former State, bnt
its southern limit was formed by
the highway that led westward
ftom the Pearl River to the Mississ-
ippi. This road lay directly ON the
surveyed boundary Of the two
States; 80 that two neigbors, meet
Ing in their morning ride, could
shake hands from their saddles, and
each in his own State-the Mississ
ippian and the Louisianian standing
each ON his own soil.
One morning business made il
necessary for me to ride to Frank
linton, the county town of Washin-
ton parish, and the weather being
unusually fine, my friend proposed
to accompany me there.
We had reached the State line road,
along which our route lay for a lit
tleway, when, on nearing a thicket
on the northern side of the path, our
horses suddenly shed to the right,
and evidencing great alarm, refused
to pass the spot.
Dismounting, and throwing the
rein of my bride over the pummel
of my friends saddle, ! entered the
thicket, to discover the cause o.
their unusual excitement.
I perceived in the dust of the
road, the appearance Of something
heavy having been dragged through
1t in the direction of the bank of the
bayou, and following this track in.
to the dark shadow of the clump,
was Mortified at the sight that met
my eyes.
Before me lay the body of a large,
well-dresssd man, who had been
most inhumanly murdered, for be-
side q pistol shot through the head,
| the throat was cut from ear to ear.
and the embroidered vest and fine
linen shirt bosom were slashed and
dabbled with qouts of blood, from
wide knife-wounds in the breast and
side.
The man had but just been MUIR
dsred, for on lifting one of the arms
in my hasty examination, I OBJ
served that it was yet purple, and
scarcely cold. Beside the body lay q
pair ofleathern saddle.bags, which
Fad been riAed, and portions oi
their contents were scattered about
the ground.
NY exclamation of horror at the
bloody spectacle had attracted the
notice Of my friend, and hitohlng
the animals, he was soon at my side
He Immediately recognized the
man as Esquire Hendricks, a law
yer of standing in one of the neigh
boring counties of Mississippi.
While occupied in the examina
ton of the body and the surround
ing locality, violent suorting and
tramping was heard close at hand
and my friend, leaving me for al
instant, returned, leading by tn
broken bride . noble and great,
excited animal, which he said wa
the horse of the murdered man.
he was . beautiful thoroughbred
bay, known to every one In tina
portion Of the country, and notet
for his remarkable intelligence.
The horse, on being led to tn
Spot, exhibited the utmost excite
ment, and trembling In every limb
almost fell to the ground with ter
ror. As he stood thus, with hi
fore feet braced forward, his lon,
neck and head stretched toward th,
mangled remains Of his master, hi
name standing almost on end, an'
his eyes glaring wildly from thei
sockets, Ike balls Of fire, I though
he presented the mott perfect an
sublime picture of terror I had ey
or looked upon. For a moment th
faithful creature stood thus gain
upon the fearful sight, and the
| gradually approached the body, an
aftcr smelling 1t, ae # to remove .