The Portland daily press., 1872-04-09
Kidnapping in Cincinnati.
HOW A RUSTIC oUTwIrrED AHAcKMAN.


From the Cincinnati Gazette, March 23d.
few nights ago, after an incoming train
had emptied its load of passengers in the c.,
ii. d ID. Railroad depot, tall scrubby look
ing ruralist, armed with a wilted carpet sack
in one hand and jaded looking newspaper,
evidently country production in the other,
stepped up to one of the modest haekmen
outside the depot and expressed desire to be
put on scent that would lead him to the /.
d G. Railroad depot. The hackman looked
at him calmly for a moment, mentally calcu-
lated the amount of knowledge of city affair
the possessed, and then, gently insinuating
his arms under the rural gentleman's shoul-
ders, he quickly bundled him into his hack,
and, jumping into his seat, lashed his horses
into furious rate ofspeed. Hi
This summary proceeding utterly unnervsd
the countryman. He was chilled with hor-
ror. He fancied that he was a victim of kid
nappers. But what could they want of him.
Manifestly his carcass could be OF no value,
except as a subject for a Cflssecting room. A
cold sweat exudsd on his brow as this contin-
gency Soourred to him. Was there no method
OF escape from the horrible fate impending?
Yes, bold heart and accurate Judgment
would place him beyond the reach of his kid
nappers. His plan was to crawl through the
rear window of the carriage, and by bold
plunge when well under way, clear the vehi-
Gle, and then trust TO his leg, for the rest
He worked at first cautiously, proko down the
hangings of the window, and then carefuny
crawled into the opening thus made, ripping
up one of the cushioned seats with his steel
shod shoes in the effort. Then, gathering
his energies together as circus performer
does in leaping over horses, he shot out, and
landed upon his knees in mud three inches
deep. The sudden stop he made threw him
on his back, but in an instant he rose to his
feet, and, ,femitting yell like the howl OF
Comanche, he rushed off on the back track,
his heart humping with gratitude at his for
tunate escape.
The hackman, all this time unconscious of
the torments his victim had been experience
ing, drove to the depot, when he reached it,
alighted from his seat, and cheerfully crying
81. & c. Depot, yer honor" opened one OF
/ the doors of his carriage in order to let his
passengers out. But no passengers appeared.
| Jshu repeated his salute, and then inyestiga-
| ted the vehicle in search of his man. Of
course his search was vain, but he found the
broken window and torn cushion, facts mel
ancholy enough in themselves to keep him in
No. swearing humor for the next hour. He
waited around the depot for long time, and
at last wandering into the eentleman's sitting
room. There curled up in dark corner and
stunning observation, with his clothing be-
smeared with mud, was the countryman.
The hackman was SO enraged at the spectacle
that but for thcr timely intervention OF police
men he would undoubtedly have annihilated
his victim. As it was, he was compelled to
swallow his diseomforture, and the only exc
PLANTATION he could obtain from the country
man as to his conduct was that he imagined
he was being kidnapped. The officers tried
to reassure the fellow, and dispel the belief
that such arts were practiced in the Queen
| City, but he only shook his head, and re-
marked that he ''knew thing or two If he
| was iayhawker" t. 30. Re H.