Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-11-20
A STRANGE STORY.


riously disappeared at Burning Springs
Within the last few days suspicion fas-
tened on a person named Robert ).
Steinway as the murderer, and accord
ingly he was arrested. Since his arrest
he has written and published the follow
ing extraordinary statement in the Par
kersburg Times, of Monday last
EDS. TINES: My object in writing this
communication is to lay before the pub
lie the fact attending the distressing
death Of the late Alvin c. Temple, of the
city of New York, as | have just been
arrested here on charge of being ac-
cessory to, and the cause of it. | am
here without friends or acquaintances,
and must go to prison for want of bail
| hope, however, in the course of few
days, to exonerate myself from all sus-
picion of any completely in the death of
my friend.
The deceased and myself were both
residents of New York, and had been
acquainted nearly ten years about the
middle of September last we left home
together on tour to the oil regions of
Southern Ohio and West Virginia. We
came first to Marietta, Ohio, and visited
the oil wells of Duck creek. We then
visited successively Horse-neck, Sand
Hill, White Oak, and Burning Springs.
We arrived at the latter place on the af-
ternoon of Friday October 26. We
spent Saturday in visiting the various
oil wells, Sunday morning we started
ON a ramble to make some observations
as to the nature of the country. From
this ramble Mr. Temple never returned,
and upon this circumstance | have been
arrested. ! hope the public, after hear
ina my statement, will suspend its judg'
ment urtil ! can offer moro proof OF my
entire innocence. Mr.. Temple, being
something of a geologist, carried a
leather sack, suspended by a strap over
the shoulder, to contain the specimens
collected, and in his hand hammer,
with handle three feet long, such aS
is commonly used by geologists. We
crossed the Burning Springs run at the
mouth, and climbed up the hill on the
rnner side. About three-fourths of ths
way up we discovered an opening in the
rocks, caused probably by some convul,
s;on of the earth. into this we found
that we could crawl some fifteen feet
when further progress was stopped iy
the. fssure becoming narrower.
Temnle, by thrusting in his hammer,
ascertaiued that the passage soon
widened again, and that by removing
some of the pieces of rock we could 90
on We procured a sapling whlch we
found on the ground above, and which
we used as a battering ram. we coui9
hear the pieces fall as they were pushed
inward, and from the sound knew the de-
scent could be but few feet went tlrst'
when he had opened the way, and de-
scended by letting myself down by the
hands, Temple followed. Lighting a
match and a piece of paper, we found
ourselves in q cavern about tgelye teet
scnare in which we could stand upright
Pieces of broken rock, varying in size
from an egg to q barrel, covered the
ground Temple collected some spsci'
mems. principally sand rock and feldspar,
which he put into q sack TO be examined
at leisure. Our progress was very dih,
cult on account of the loose aEd Jagged
stones. Partly feeling our way, and now
and then lighting match, we managed
10 ascertain what have related, and also
10 discover q hssure nearly opposite
where we entered, some three feet IN
width at the bottom and grad
ually narrowing toward the top
Crawling into this, We found it made a
considerable descent until il opened into
a snacious cave, the Dimensions Of gbieh
cannot state, as il was not thoroughly
evnlored We found here the same chaos
OF broken rocks, and were continually
bruising ourselves in climbing over and
through thea. Proceeding some thirty
vords we saw light oa oar night, which
1roved 10 be caused BY q split IA ihe
rocE Looking through it, we could see
the hills on The opposite bank OF the
Kanawha. but could not open our way
nut Leaving this on our night; Se pro-
ceeded 10 make what explorations orr
limited means would allow. After gong
perhaps ffty yards, ne we're surprised az
hnding a small lake, or pooi, az petr RA
| can judge, some sixty ieet IN iehgen =!
twenty feet wide. Its level was some
three feet Selow the ground on whicn We
stood, Temple inserted his hammer INTO
this neo!, ami found thai instead OF water
h was oil-petreleum. / have not time
~ describe our kaEsations on this DIS
covery, which promised untold yealih-
After discussing the matter for ieE
minutes, be attempted TO try the depth
With The handle of his hammer. He got
a. near the brink as he could, and was
sbout execsting his design, when the
loose stones on whick be stood suddenly
eaved in with him. He sunk, ross aga'H-
struggled q moment, and saw MN 10