Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-11
Woodbury. Press.

Woodbury. Press.
The facts Of the finding Of a strange mare
hitched up in the woods, signs of murder,
blood, etc, were given in former issue Of
the Press, ard the opinion was almost
unanimous among our citizens that murder
had been committed, until, on the 4th
inst, the whole mystery was solved by The
owner Of the mare coming after her.
Below we give the facts connected with
an event that has caused such universal ex-
citemens throughout our county:
Some time last spring a man, well
dressed, Of good appearance, and evidently
possessing a good store of information,
fluent in conversation and well skilled in
the art Of winning the confidence Of those
with whom he came in contact, made his
appearance at Readyville, seven miles west
Of this place, and claimed to be looking out
the most practicable route for an i'm
pOrtant railway. He in a few days
succeeded in so pulling the wool over the
eyes Of several Of the mOneyed men and
landowners Of that vicinity as to make
them believe he had decided upon Ready
vile as a fixed point Of the route, and that
the company he was representing would be
certain 70 locate the road according 70 his
survey. This touched a tender chord in
the bOsOms Of our Readyville neighbOrs,
which vibrated in dulcet tones; and, in
order TO contribute to the success Of the
enterprise, they took great pleasure in loan
ing the engineer several hundred dollars, to
be RENTED to them as soon as he reached
Cincinnati. de gave them a hearty shake
of the hand, and babe them farewell,
leaving them so elated at their railroad
prospects that they could hear in imagina-
ton the shrill whistle Of the cars on the
new railway. They have not heard Of him
since, nor have we had the pleasure Of
taking a ride in the new cars that were to
be Cd in a short time.
About the 10th Of last month a man
filling the description Of this accomplished
swindler, and thought to be the same,
made his appearance at the house of Plum
mer Harris, in Wilson county, and intro
duced himself to Mr. Harris as a man Of
the old school Democracy Of the true grit
This was sweetest music to the ears Of
Mr.. Harris, and the stranger st once made
himself very interesting company in the
family. He was furnished with the best to
eat, choice wines TO drink, and cigars Of
the best quality TO smoke. lie readily
made Harris believe he was very wealthy,
and revealed a secret to him. He had been
involved in a difficulty with, and had shot
and killed, United States revenue officer
in Kentucky; and he gave a full detail Of
the circumstances, etc, and proposed 70
give Mr.. Harris an imported FLY, for
which be had been offered six thousand
dollars, if he would go up into Kentucky
and accomplish something for him about
the case, but Mr.. Harris was not swirl TO
be his dupe and declined to 90.
He ascerained by some means that Eos
ter Doak, Esq, who lives eight miles south !
Of Lebanon, was q neYer-failing friend, |
politically and personally, Of the lamented |
Andrew johnson, whereupOn he left Mr.. !
HaTTis's and went TO Mr.. DOak's. He soon |
won the confidence Of Mr.. Doak, and made |
him, too, the custodian Of a secret Of fear
fui import. With bated breath he told Mr.. |
DOak that Andrew johnson, Jr., youngest |
son of the ex-President, had shot and killed |
a u. 5. Revenue officer in East Tennessee:
that ne had young johnson with him try
ing to assist him in making his escape into |
the mountains Of Georgia: that he had the |
young man concealed at the house Of !
Plummer Harris, etc. They had narrowly |
escaped an arrest in East Tennessee and |
had not time TO get money to bear eX-
penses; and he had called on Mr.. DOak. al 4
the request Of the ex-President for money, |
saying it would require a thousand /
dollars to make the trip, and they only /
had two hundred and seventy five. His /
narration Of the event, like electric FIRE,
thrilled every nerve and warmed the gen
erOus but too cOnfidiEg heart Of Mr.. DOlk /
His personal and political associations with !
the ex-President in the past were called |
afresh to his recollection, and, without hes |
itatiOn, he said, ayes, you can have that /
much, and more if you need it, he also |
wanted a good travelling horse to aid him |
in his escape with young johnson. Early |
next morning two fine horses were saddled, |
and by sunrise Mr. DOak and the railroad |
man were knocking al the bank door in |
Lebanon. The money was at once drawn |
out by Mr.. DOak and handed over to the !
adrOit schemeT. The money, a fine mare,
saddle, bride and fine talma were freely |
turned over to him for the sake of young |
johnson, and he went his way; and Mr.. |
DOak rejOiced 10 think he mad conferred |
favor on the son of his former true friend |
and associate.
The thief, by travelling a circuitOus route |
of about eighty miles in tWenty-fOur |
hours, found the animal exhausted; and, in |
Older to make his escape, tied up the mare |
in the WOODS in this county, and lefl signs |
indicating the murder of some one, and !
made his escape on foot through the forest. |
The finding Of the mare, and the conse-
quent excitement and mystifcatiOn Of our
is an old story and needs no Tepe-
titIOn here. Mr.. DOak now has his mare
and equipage, which he received at the
hands Of Mr.. Fuller, and has returned
home wiser but poorer man; and We
hope justice will soon ogertake the smooth
tOngued villain who has so egregiOusly
dnnad him.