The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-06-28
UNRAVELING A MYSTERY.
Murders of Ninety Years Ago Brought to
Light-Latourette's Cabin In the Woods
Disappearance of the Family Of a
Rival.


Disappearance Of tho Family of a
Rival.
In 1890 Sir William PuItney having
placed in the market his vast posses
sions in which is now Steuben county,
N. Y, hundreds of immigrants from the
East focked to the section to take up
land. One route to the Pultney Patent
passed through Pennsylvania, and the
old ruined road near Knowland was a
part of the route.
About that time Frenchman named
Pierre Latourette built log cabin In
the above road, two miles west OF Know
land. In his employ was another
Frenchman called Pepow, and his wife.
The location of the tavern was such that
it became favorite stopping place for
immigrants. Latourette was an old
French soldier, and his disposition was
such that he was very unpopular with
lis guests. He had not been long In
this tavern before stories of an ugly na-
ture became current among the immi-
grants. Many of them. were robbed at
the Frenchman's of money and valu-
ables. Cattle left in his inclosure at
night would be missing in the morning,
and could not be found until the owner
paid Latourette for. looking them up,
he claiming that they had escaped and
were roaming in the woods. 1t was also
alleged that men stopping at the tavern
had mysteriously disappeared, and were
never heard of afterward.
Some months after the Frenchman
put up his inn, man named Vail, with
his wife and two children, were among q
party of immigrants on their way to the
Pultney property. Noticing that the
Frenchman was grinding landlord, and
only patronized from necessity, He con-
ceived the idea of building a house near
by, on the road, for the accommodation
Of Immigrants. He secured some
land about three-quarters of mile fur
ther west, and erected tavern. This
took nearly all of the Frenchman's
business away. Three months afterward
there was temporary lull in the travel.
The tide soon started up again, and one
night q party stopped at Wallis, but
found the house closed. Returning to
Latourette's, the immigrants were told
that Vail had become tired of keeping
tavern, and had gone to Steuben county:
Nothing was ever seen or heard OF
Vail or his family afterward, however,
and it was generally believed that La
tourette had murdered Vail and his
family and pillaged the house. Latou-
rette remained in the tavern until imml-
grafton had almost ceased, and grew
rich. Pepow died on the place, and
his wife continued to live with Latou-
rette. At the breaking out of the war
of 1872 Latourette sold bis property, and
departed in company with his late assist
ants wife. The old log tavern was de-
molished years ago, and the site is now
occupied by farmhouse.
The above reminiscence of nearly a
century ago have been recalled by a
startling discovery made few days
since. A hooppole cutter named Hof
was walking in the woods about two
miles from the site of the old Latourette
tavern. In clearing away thicket at
the foot of a ledgeo rocks he came upon
"a large fiat stone standing up on its
edge against the rocks. Out Of idle Gu
riosity be pried it over, and was sur
prised to see that it had concealed an
opening in the ledge, some three feet in
circumference. Hoft crept in the open.
ing on his hands and knees and found
that it gradually grew larger. He went
in several feet, when his hand came in
contact with o hard, round substance.
He brought it cut into the light, and
was astounded to find that it was
human skull. Hoff dropped the skull,
and hurried to another part Of the
woods where two other choppers were
at work. They returned to the cave
with him. One of them lighted pine
knot, and crawled into the opening, fol-
lowed by the others. They found a
cavern where they could stand upright,
and about twenty feet in circumference.
By the glare of the torch they dis
covered four human skeletons lying on
the floor of the cave. The men hastily
retreated, and came to this place, and
told of their discovery. Several men
repaired to the spot, and an attempt was
made to bring the skeletons out entire,
but they fell to pieces on being dis
turbed. DR.. Kennedy examined the
bones, and said'that they were the re-
mains of three nlales-on full grown
and of one female. They were brought
to Knowland, and, after being viewed
by hundreds of people, we're buried.
ALI the old stories connected with La
tourette tavern, which have been hand
ed down for several generations, were
at once set afoat. There is no doubt in
the minds of any that the skeletons are
those of the Vail family, who were muir
dered by Latourette ninety years ago.