Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-07-09

The police Of this city yesterday unearth-
ed one of the most horrible cases of crime
and brutality that has ever transpired in
Columbus, in which an educated and virtu7
Gus white woman was betrayed and cut
ragged by negro, who has succeeded in
keeping his victim buried from the knowl-
edge of her friends and most respectable
connections.
The woman in question is widow named
Mary Mcbride. Eight months ago she
came to- this city from Iowa for the purpose
of collecting some debts due her husband,
who formerly did an extensive business as
grain merchant at Winchester and other
points in this State. She had transacted her
business, and in company with several ac-
quaintances was about to 60 on to Iowa,
when she was taken sick at the Columbus
House, and her companions went on, leav-
ing her to follow when she recovered. She
remained at the Columbus House for some
time and then went to the Goodale, eX-
pecting to receive from her friends the
means to prosecute her journey. But
her expected remittances did not ar
rive as she anticipated, and her means be-
coming very low, she called upon
a hackman and requested him to convey her
to some cheap boarding house. The hack
man, who was negro, and we believe the
only negro hackman in town, took her to
the disreputable house of the notorious
"Pocahontas," and left her there. Mrs.
Mcbride soon discovered the character of
the house and Immediately left it. The
first man she met and to whom she told her
story, was hideous and villainous negro
named Henry Burns, who has already sery-
ed two terms in the Penitentiary for man
slaughter. This African villain eagerly
volunteered his services and promised to
find her just the place she wanted. He
then took her to his own room in frame
house near the corner of Third street. OH
the alley between Long and Spring streets,
where he fastened her in miserable cham
Der, and that night, by the use of drugs or
some other diabolical instrumentality eff
fected her ruin, after taking what money
she had left. The woman gives no explana-
tion of the means by which this was effect
ed, but makes it clearly understood that it
was done against her will. She was COM
pletely overwhelmed by the audacity of
the villain and her own shame, and Burns,
by a horrible system of intimidation COM
PEELED her to keep in the house, and refused
her all communication with the outer world.
The ferocious character of the brute and his
terrible threats that he would kill her if
she exposed him or any body who came
near her, terrified the sickly and weak
minded woman into subsection, and she |
has thus remained his prisoner ever since.
He subjected her to the most beastly treat
ment, and not only subdued her spirit but |
reduced her body to skeleton.
By some means not known to us, some |
one passing the house yesterday discovered |
the woman and the circumstances under
which she was confined, and reported the |
facts to the City Marshal and Captain White
of the police. They repaired to the house
and found realization of the story which |
at first they had deemed incredible. The |
woman was found in bed, apparently at the
pointof death. 1t appears that an abortion
had been attempted by the negro, or that
she had been delivered of negro child-no
sign of which could be found. She appeared
to be in mortal dread of the negro, and en-
deavored to conceal the full measure of his
crime, though she declared she had been
kept in confinement against her will and
was anxious to get away, and out of his
power. She appeared enfeebled in body
and mind, and her language was sometimes
wild and incoherent, but her conversation
evinced high. degree of education. She
mentioned number of respectable families
with whom she was acquainted, and claimed
that her own connections were of the high
est respectability. She said her parents
were abolitionists, but would revolt at the
idea Of amalgamation. There was nothing
about the surroundings of the chamber or
her narrative to relieve the affair of its
hideous and revolving character.
The negro Burns, who is as black, hideous
and ferocious monster as could be found
in the country, was arrested by the police
and lodged in the city prison, to await an
examination and a further investigation of
the horrible affair. He is sullen and re-
served, and evidently thinks that it will 90
hard with him if all the facts can be pro-
duced in evidence.