Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1872-09-24
DIAROAICAL OUTRAGE
4 PetersburgPr Assaulted by
Burglars and Forced TO take
POisOm~A Startling Mar
rative.

Last Friday (says the Petersburg
Progress) Mr.. j. S. Spivey, whose
family resides on Battersea. in this
city, arrived home in a most pitiable
plight, utterly unable to talk, and
bearing about his person the indica-
tons of a violent and murderous as
sault. At the solicitation of our re-
porter Mr. Spivey furnished the fol-
lowing statement in writing, which
reveals one of the strangest and most
demoniacal efforts at human torture
that has ever come within our knowl
edge:
I had been engaged sometime in
the store of Messrs. Tingen & Ashton,
at Weldon, but finding myself unable
to attend to my duties on account Of
a disabled foot, | went to Mrs. Sum
merville's, about three miles from
Weldon, for the purpose of remaining
until my recovery.
On the evening of the 9th instant.
having an early supper. walked with
some ladies down the lane about
quarter of a mile, and on returning
was seated with one of them at the
parlor window. when | discovered
white object moving about the bush
es. | directed the attention Of the
ladies to this fact, but as it did not
appear again, they came to the con-
clusion that must have been deceiy
ed by shadow. / slept in the par
Tor during my sojourn in the house,
and after a short time the ladies left
the room to me. | then undresSed,
blew out the light and retired, but
| had not been in bed many minutes
when | heard noise at the window
to my right. and raising my head,
preceived a large man coming to-
ward me. | reached to my side for
my revolver. but before | could
spring and fire it was seized by two
men from my left, who chOked me so
that | could not speak, while the
largest of the three graspcd my mouth
and forced Some-unknown To me-
poisonous substance in it. which | was
prevented from swallowing by the
choking. At this point l heard the
ladies calling me from up stairs The
ruffians then opened the passage door,
but hearing the noise up stairs imme-
diately turned back upon me and
choked me again, barely escaping
through the window as Mrs. Summer
Vile opened the passage door. She
called me, but | could not speak at
all, though in about five minutes after
| was able to speak, and told her that
some one one in white had chOked me
to death. In ten minutes after i
could not speak at all, and have not
spoken but eight words since
The doctor was sent for, but did not
arrive until the next morning, He
was unable to tell what was the ma
ture of the poison, but ordered the
white of an egg and milk for me-
Last Wednesday / took out large
piece of decayed flesh from my throat,
and on the same day large lump
passed into my stomach. Two days
afterwards another lump passed into
my stomach. and extracted several
pieces of decayed flesh from my
throat. My throat is now healing
rapidly, and think in few days
will be entirely we'll.
As the ruffians were masked it was
impossible for me to determine wheth
or they were white or black, though |
judged by the feeling of their hands
that they we're negroes. One was of
extraordinary hight. seeming over
seven feet, while the others were
about FIVE feet eight inches each
Their intention must have been to
murder the entire household, as [ can
conceive of DO reason for the attack
upon me.
My treatment at the hands Of the
Summervilles, as well as the neigh
bors. was of the kindest character, to
whom, together with Drs. Gee and
/ Pierce, | return sincereSt thanks.
j. S. SPIvEY.