The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-31
UNRAvELLING A MYSTERY.
MURDERS OF NINETY YEARS AGO BROUGHT "a
LIGHT.

From the Philadelphia Herald May 90 1871
KSowLASD, Pa, May 20, 1870
In 1890 Sir william Putney having placed in the mar.
ket his vast possessions In what Steuben county
Now York. hundreds Of emgrants from tho East locked
the section ako up land Ono 70 the Putney
patent passed through Pennsylvania and tho old
ruined road this place part OF the route.
About that time Frenchman, named Pierre Latou.
rete, built log tavern the above road two miles
west OF this place In his employ another French.
man, named Pcpow, and his wife. The location Of the
tavern such that IL became favorte stopping
place Of cmigrants Iatourctto an old French sol.
dcr and his disposition such that he very I'M
popular with his guests He had been long in this
before stories OF ugly became current
among the emigrants Many OF Thorn were robbed al
the Frcnchrnans OF money and vauabes. Cattle left
In his enclosures ~ night would be missing in the morn.
ing and could not be found until the owner paid La
tourcttc Tor looking them up, he claiming that they had
escaped and were roaming In tho woodA II was also
alleged that men stopping Al the tavern had mystic.
rousy disappeared and were never heard Of alter.
ward.
Some months after the Frenchman put up hIs inn
man named Vail, with his wife aud two children, wN
among party OF emgrants on thor way 10 the Put
ncy property Noticing that the Frcnchman was
grinding landlord and only patronzcd from necessity
he conceived the idea Of building house near by, ON
tho road for the accommodation OF cmprants Hc Sc
cured some land about three Of mile further
west and erected tavern. This took nearly all tho
Frcnchman's business away. Three months aftcrward
there was temporary lu in the travel The tide soon
started up again, and one night party stopped al
Wallis. bot found the house closed Returning 10 La
tourettcs the emgranis were told that va haa be-
come red Of keeping tavern and had gone on 70 Steu
ben county
Nothing was ever seen or heard Of Vail or his family
aterward however, and was generally believed that
Latourcte had murdered YAH and his family and pill
laged the house Latourette remained Ia tho tavern
until emigration had almost ceased, and grow rich.
Pcpow died on the place. and his vito continued 70 live
with Latourette. AZ the breaking out Of the war OF
1917 Latourette sold his property and departed IN
company with his late assistants wc: Tho old log
tavern was demolished years ago. and the site Is nov
occupied by farmhouse
The above "reminiscences Of a century ago have been
recalled by startling discovery mado lew days since.
A hoop pole cutter named Hon Was walking IN the
woods about two mies from the site Of the old La
tourettc tavern In clearing away q thicket At the
OF ledge Of rocks be came upon largo nat stone
standing upon its edge against tho rocks. Out OF idle
curiosity he pried aud was surprised TO that
feet in circumference Hon crept into the Opening on
his hands and knees and found that gradually grew
larger. He went in several feet, when his hand came
In contact with hard. round substance He brought
out into tho light ana astounded lind that il
was human skull Hon dropped the skull and hur.
red 10 another part OF the woods, where two other
choppers were ut work They returned 10 inc cave
with him. One OF them lighted a pine knot ana
crawicd into the opening, followed by the others
They found where they could sta nd unr,ght
and about twenty feet In circumference Nv the rlsrs
OF the torch they discovered Jour human skeletons
lying on the noor or the The men hastily re-.
treated, and came TO this place. and told Of their
discovery Several repaired 10 the spot ana An
attempt was made TO bring tho skeletons ont entire
but they fell 70 pieces on being disturbed Dr. Ken.
nedy examined the bones and said they were the remains
OF three males Zone full grown and OF ono female
they we're Drought 10 this place, and, after being
viewed by hundreds OF people, were buried.
All tho old stores connected with tho T.atoursifs
tavern which have been handed down for several rcn
crAtions were al once set aoaL There Is no doubt r.,
we minus OF any that the skeletons those OF tho
years ago. VI -