Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-12-08
A MYSTERIOUS A g
A Young Man Abducted, Shot, GRaked,
and HUNG Up In swamp.

A Youns Man Abducted, Shot, Gastod,
and Hung Up In n swamp.
On Saturday last, we published the
particulars of the disappearance Of Reu-
ben Henry Bateman, a young man, re-
siding at Hoag's Corners, in this coun-
ty, and his suspected murder by another
young man, his rival in the affections of
one Of the fair daughters of the village.
The Ease was, IS reported, mysterious
and exciting; but, without being a muir
der, the story, as narrated to us now,
exceeds in frightful interest any Of the
tragic details which belong exclusively
to that description of crime.
Batemsn disappeared on Thursday
night, a little after IL o'clock. He re-
joiced the hearts of his parents and of
his lady-love by reappearing on Satur-
day evening-pale, haggard, wounded,
and crazed for affecting insanity by the
terrible ordeal to which the hatred and
passions of his enemies had cruelty sub
jected him. The first that was seen Of
him on Saturday night was his Keeling
form entering the unsavory precincts Of
q neighbours barnyard. The neighbor
observed him fall, and went to his as
sistance. The poor fellow bore in his
hands q rope and a hideous looking in
strument, commonly denOminated a gag.
The neighbor raised him gently to his
feet and bore him to his house, where
restoratiyes were given him, and such
assistance rendered as his unfortunate
condition demanded. That he was very
much Frustrated, and wounded by knife
and ball, was very evident. The kind
hearted neighbor rushed off to gladden.
the parents of the young man, by con-
veying to them the intelligence of his
temperance. A carriage was arrang-
ed, and the bleeding and almost insen-
| sible youth was taken to his home
that home which all believed he would
never again bless with his beautiful
| presence.
Arrived home, he a%rticulated with
difficulty this narrowing and tragic tale.
Soon after leaving his companions at
the crossroads on Thursday night, or
Friday morning, he suddenly beheld two
men Jump over the fence directly in his
pathway. He drew up his gun and at
tempted to discharge it, but the cap
harmlessly exploded. In o moment,
and with an oath, the two men, dis
guised with masks, were upon him.
He saw the CLEAN of blade in the gilt
tering starlight, and felt its 1.-THE knife,
not the CLEAN nor the starligbt) sharp
point enter his side near the region of
| the heart. Fortunately, it was a glanc-
ing stroke, and the skin only was per-
forated. "We will kill you now" said
the ruffians, and knocking him down,
they gagged and dragged him to a dis
tant marsh. Here q rope was produced,
one end was adjusted into a moose and
| placed about the neck of the youth,
while the other was thrown over the
limb of a sapling, and he was drawn up
| until his toes barely touched the ground.
The gag was now secured in his mouth
by fastening n handkerchief tightly
across his face, and his arms were pin
toned behind. In this horrible position,
young Batemsn says he was left by the
monsters; but before they bade him an
| affectionate adieu, one of them drew a
revolver and fred its contents throug
his cap; the other stepped off a few
PAGES and discharged another pistol at
him-the ball striking upon the fore
piece Of his cap and slightly grazing his
| forehead.
After they had gone, Bateman deter
mined that he would not oblige his tor
mentors so much rs to die in that very
horrible way, and u~npinioning his arms,
| he was able at last to remove the gag
from his mouth, the halter from his
neck, and secure life and liberty at the
same time. But it may be imagined that
the cruel persecution to which he had
been subjected, the fright and the
wounds, completely Frustrated him
and they did. Friday and Saturday,
raving in mind, blind with pain, he
| sought to guide his lettering footsteps
to his home. At last he reached the
goal-or rather a neighbours barn-yard
and like one risen from the dead, he
was welcomed by crowds of people who
came to hear his wonderful story and
congratulate him upon his miraculous
| escape from o horrible death.
Such, substantially, is the statement
of Reuben Henry Bateman, of Hoag's
Corners. If it is true, it is the most
horrible affair that has ever happened
in this county; if it is not true, young
Batcman, it is only charitable to believe,
is the victim of a monomania which to
him is only a little less horrible than
would have been the reality itself. We
are free to say that it has n most i'm
probable look upon its face, and yet we
cannot believe that any sane person
would have concocted it, and s~elf-infict-
cd the punishment which young Bateman
evidently has received, for any Interior
purpose. Altogether, it is a very singu-
lar and mysterious affair.-Ttoy IN, ~
Times, Nop. IL.