The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-03-31

The Wilmington On. c. Post of the
25th inst publishes the following account
Of Il successful and long-continued decep-
ten and youchcs for the entire truth of the
narrative, John Jones was the Oldest of
five grown brothers, all Of whom enlisted
in an infantry regiment during the war,
and were as good soldiers as marched un-
der the flag Of the Confedcracy. They all
lived in the same neighborhood in one of
the eastern counties of this State, and were
comfortably Off though owning no slaves.
The entire family lived in as good repute
as any IN the otatc--paylng their way, in
dustrious, and many Of them exemplary
members of some branch of the Christian
Church. John himself owned consider
able tract of land, was married, and had
seven or eight children. He had for years
been a member in excellent standing of the
Methodist church. About year before
the war ended John became entirely deaf.
1t was supposed to have been caused by the
malpractice of an assistant surgeon, who
was said to have poured Cro;on oil in his
ear for local irritation. John was detail
ed for light duty of some description, and
remained with Lees army until it was dis
solved by the surrender at Appomattux.
He returned home and resumed work for
livelihood with diligence. He continued
to be deaf, and carried Il little slate and
pencil, on which communications to him
were made. He still had perfect command
of his voice, and was Il lively companion.
II good neighbor, and frequently prayed in
meeting. About two years after the war
was over, in giving directions to his sons
one day about some work, he found that
they paid no attention TO him. After re-
peated efforts to tell them his wishes, it
was found that no sound issued from his
mouth. He had suddenly and unconscious
ly become dumb
This additional misfortune produced no
change that was percep,ible, except that
Jones had to use the little slate as well as
those who communicated with him He
was as hard working as ever, alw Us had
money, owed nobody, and was regarded by
all VINO knew HIM rs the last man in the
world to do mean or dishonest action
In the latter part of May, 1871, IL mule
was olen from him, but his brother fol-
lowed the track so hotly that the animal
was rescued, and the thief, who belonged
to Il well-known gang, taken red-handed
One week after the loss of the mule, on Il
Sunday afternoon, Jones informed his fam
| lily that he was going into the woods to get
some whortleberries, left home, and did
not return. The ncighb became
alarmed, the woods were secured for four
teen days by parties numbering sometimes
a hundred, but no traces of the lost man
were found Conjecture was rife rs to the
causes of his disappearance, but it finally
settled into conviction that he had been
spirited away by the coniederates of the
mule thief ami murdered.
About II month after Jones disappear
ance young woman, whom we will call MARY
Smith, who had been living several years
in his family, but who after the misfortune
had returned to her parents in the neigh
borhood quit her home, leaving no clue to
her destination whatever Some suspicious
persons endeavored TO connect the two
events together, but it is an evidence OF the
high esteem in which jones was held that
but few credited it. In December, 1871,
Mary Smiths mother received letter from
her daughter, saying she wasmarried and hap
Ply, and lived in cuunly in the c,ntra part
ofthe State. In II tew'days after the rccep.i
OF this letter J0nes returned to his family
and friends. His strange account was that
ON the Sunday evening h. l0it home he
was assaulted by two wiite men and n ne
gro, and as he could not cry for assistance.
they ovcrpowered him, pu; him in a COW
cred wagon and carried him about thirty
miles beyond Raleigh, and kept him in y
cave for seven months. At length the Ku-
klux got after his jailors, who had to run
away, which left him free, and he used his
liberty to get back home as quickly as pos
sible,
A gentleman, however. had taken the
letter Mrs. Smith received from her daugh.
ter and written to the place it was post
marked instituted inquiries, and Jones soon
found that discovery was imminent. He
sold some land aud again decamped none
of the neighbois taking any p,ins to find
his body this time. In the meantime the
investigations were pushed and it was found
that Jones and the woman Mary Smith had
been living as man and wife in J-Coun.
~. Jones was the same person in his new
home as he had beon--a hard worker. econ-
omical, judicious, but could hear and talk
as well as any one. On his visit to his old
home lac went oft mysteriously as before,
and his new friends had been dragging A
! river and securing the woods for the impos-
tor, Upon his second going away steps
were taken to institute criminal proceed
ing against him, but he got wind OF il and
went to another state, taking his woman
with him aud this is the last we have heard
! of this singular man.