The New York herald., 1870-04-25
THE BENNETT" MYSTERY.

AA6 0GNNG44
The BOY Return. Home. \. ~ the Mystery
Not Cleared Cp--IIis Narrative OF tnc Cnso--
How the land Pirates Treatca H'm-A
Letter from tho DunGeon-Ninc DAP . Ia
Disraai Den.
shortly after ceyen o'clock on Saturday nigfl
young Fred Bennett walked into hts fathers house
az Lafayette Bergen City, aua the scenes tnat fol.
lowed may ne easily piclhyed 70 the minds OF every
body. The poor boy had 6een almos gwen UP fer
lost. The father, who had been previously suffer-
ing from Illness, received shock, from tho
effects OF which he WIN not soon recover,
And the mother-she was In ecstssies over
her sons return. Wnen the first iu,puse Of
Joy had passed away It was considered advi.eple 10
allow hm rest as soon as D0ssibe as the sudden
excitement might prove too much Tor aim. Iesoon
lapsed into state OF half conscousness the eect3
OF the drugging to which ne had been euolected. A
crowd OF frYends'and neiehpors called TO SEQ linn
yesterday but ne mas not become sufficiently COL
lected to reiaie anything positively OF his suenes
The strain on mis- mental acultles has been so severe
thai the effects are likely TO remain for years 10
come. he has been attended by q physician slncs
his aud he is keot free fro any excitement.
The recolectiOns which ne mas OF the affair from
beginning end are vague and misty, arlSuy rom
tue effects OF opiates and from lne vivid inpfss.
slons Of irigntul ureans as wcii as ms continual
alarn and terror al the uncertainty or the late mat
awaited MIN. lie could not tell now long ne was
nmurei. lie Kept account OF the meals he re-
ceyed To the number OF sixteen Dut ~ utterly con-
fused WITH regard to the recoecuon OF The i5ces ne
saw. AS stated In Yesterdays HERALD, nc was
| kidnapped last THURSDAY wceH 30 that ne
| was confncd for nine days and hale
About eleven O'Clock OF the forenoon that day
| he entered the American Exchange i,aak corner OF
Cedar street ana Broadway draw u check for $3.50
on tehat OF his empioy ers, WHO do bnsines, at No.
| Is South street. ON entering the building hc
observed tail man standing on the sroop, VINO
| appeared to oe lntenily surveying every one WHO
passed in Fred arew the money, Tut his pan,s
| pocket and on coming out saw the tall IN front
| Of the entrance looking anxously as If In OF
sone particular place. Fred stepped quickly
| cut. ana was just &C the curostone. where
q coupe cab was standing, when he received
| tap on the shoulder. Turning around
he saw the talllndvidua again, wao said, Can you
G e ,e %ee nae hut ne nKs was So ess - red
pointed his nnger up broadway; tne stranger slipped
behind nun 20 note a,ienuyely ~, ne cSont,ng OF the
remembers nothing more TIL he found himself IN tho
dungeon. The supposlt,on IL tnat the stranger neld
d sponge or Dottie containing gome chemical COM
pound watch eAhaes powerful gas under
the boys face, and as !. took edec; within
and driven or In dungeon his only
companions were table formed OF TWO rough
poaras on uprignts, cnnir, stre.cner and pieoc
! OF lighted candle, whlcn euriousy enough was
| always very snort. Tue place was cold and damp
with rough stone wall ami musG nave been cellar
or underground story OF some building. lie was
| brought meals regularly thee times day bv two
rather tal. He has not a vesy distinct reconecton
! OF their features, yet they were not disguised.
| Tnay spoke bit IcW words 10 Nun, tell
ing him at time that he would get three
meals a day While he renamed there When
young Bennett lrst rea!ized his dreadul situation
| he awaited the coming Of ms attendant, aud then
| attempted to rush out. Tine bury fellow caught
him, dragged him back, and IN tue tussie winch
followed fred gave nm thrust OF his pocket knIes
| put cannot say whether ne wounded the man. rha
latter then told hlm II he did not keep quiet they
| would bind hm down. lie had The most horrible
Dreams cTed moanel and sobbed tili sieep relieved
bim at Intervals he was in n state OF despair.
] On SATURDAY evening" abOut hnlI-past nine O'Clock.
/. he aNDke stretching hauuS lald tneul
npon the cold grass. lie started. looked around.
saw lights but thinking 1t was but dream ne iel
| back aud was absorbed In thought for lew minutes.
lie then heard the unkiing OF the bens on ths
to his ieet. lie walked around. aud finding
he was In one OF the puolc squares of
rouud none. At the corner OF the square
he saw by the street lamp that 40 was at the corner
mace his way on morse the Desbrosses street
terry ana took the hai-Dast ten boat or Jersey CITY,
| he had twenty cents IN MA pocket low NO ot
| back 10 washington square IA mysterious al the
manner in when ne was spirited away IL Is not
surprising that HIS captors did uot look lor tue re-
| ward OF $500 offered ia tne HERALD. as the detec-
, | tives are on the alert.
ihe following Is copy OF the letter received by
| his employers last Monday:--
Doubtless you surprised returning from this
room, don't know .thsr is day or nsh! went 10 is
OF stoop and polcei cry in rrc.J
S sn Ga be % I %s Taere 20 eo"n,
hat ia all knew an,n founa nys.f this whore
| know whether Le Will. oh God have mercy. FRED.
| lam srk. ! suppose they will open this,
| don't know they took everything from ma
| what they going 10 do with mo.
| Who're this Ia mrled from there ara.
II is DARK don't how long have been here.
they gve enough 1t Is men they took all
the frms and my ana my studs and everything
Oh sick asking them what they going u
do vita and they wont tel Send one aztec
II they lind suppose they drngg1i when
telling them thrrs oUy passing just then
awful sick. only have candle tred to stick OF
them short time and IL bin. nnd then LIS tn
bes. OF he kne he said II did not keep sLi
, they would bind me. Try and hni uic.