The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-26
UNRAVELLING A MYSTERY.
MURDERS OF NINETY YEARS AGO
BROUGHT TO LIGHT.
Lstourettc's Tavern In tho woods-A DAM
serous Road to the Puitnev Patent-Ihe
Disappearance OF the Family of n Rival.

Lstcurette's Tavern In tho woods-A DAM
Eerous Road to the Puitnev Pntent-I Z he
Di-sppesranco OF the Family Of n Rival
KNowLAND, Pa, May 25.-In 100 Sir
William Pultnsy having placed In the market
bis vast possessions In what Ia now steuben
county, N. Y, hundreds Of emigrants from, the
East 1ocked to the section to take up land. One
route TO the Pultney Patent passed through
Pennsylvania, and the old ruined road near this
place was a part Of the route.
About that time Frenchman named Pierre
Latourette built a log tavern In the above road
two miles west OF this place. In his employ was
another Frenchman called P6pow. and his wife,
The location OF the tavern was such that II be-
came "a fsvorite stopping place Of eln,grants.
Latourette was an old French soldier, and his
disposition was such that he was very unpopular
with his guests. He had not rot been long in
this tavern before stories OF an ugly nature be-
came current among the emigrants. Many Of
them were robbed at the FreDcbnan's OF money
and valu oies. Cattle left in his enclosures Ut
night would Le mIssiue IN the morning, and
could not be found until the owner paid La
tourette for looking them up, he claiming that
they bad escaped and were roaming IN the
WOODS. IL was also allered tnat men stopping at
the tavern had mysteriOusly disappeared, aud
were never heard OF sfterw itd.
Some months after the FreDchman put up bis
inn, man named Vail. with his wife and two
childien, was among among party of emil
grants on their way TO the PultDey property.
Noticing that the FreDchman was a grinding
landlord. and only patronized from necessity,
he conceived the idea Of building a house near
by. on the road, for the accotnmod ation OF emf
grants. He secured some land about three
quarters OF a mile further west, and erected a
tavern, This took nearly ali OF the French
mans business away. three months afterward
there was a temporary iuil in the travel. The
tide soon started up again, and one night a
party stopped Al Walls; but found the house
grants were told tha' Vail had become tired Of
keeping tavern, and bad gone on TO Steuoen
county.
Nothing was ever seen OF heard OF Vail or his
family afterward, however, and It was'generally
believed that Latouretie had murdered Vail
and HE family, and plllseed the house, Latou-
rette remained In the tavern until emigration
had almost ceased, and grew rich. Pepow died
on the place, and his wife continued to live with
Laourette. At the breaking out Of the war of
lsl2 Latourette sold hts property, ana departed
Ia company with bis lsto assistants vile. The
old log tavern was demolished years Hgo, and
the site is now oe 'upied by farm house.
The above "reminiscences Of nearly a century
ago have been recalled by a startling discov-
cry made few days since. hoop-hole cutter
named uOn was walking in the woods about two
miles from the site OF the old Latourette tavern
In clearing away thickot at the foot Of a ledge
OF rocks he came upon large d t stone stand
ing up on ITS edee against the rocks. Out Of Idle
curiosity he pded II over, and was surprised to
see that 1t had concealed an opening In the
crept In the opening on his hands and knees and
found that u gradually grew larger lie went IN
several feet, when his hand came In contact
with = hard round substance. lie brought 1t
out into the lisht aud was astounded to
p1 aroppeh the ,S and '1n 6ns4iea a so .potbs1 Hq
part OF the woods where two other choppers
were at work. Iney returned to the cave with
him. One OF them lighted a pine knot, and
crawled into the epening, followed by the
Others They found cavern where they could
stand upright, and ABOUT twenty fset ia circum-
ference. by the glare Of the torch they discov-
cred four human skeletons lying on tue floor OF
the cave. lhe men hastily Tetreated, and came
to this place, and told OF their discovery. Sew
eral men repaired to the spot, and AN attempt
was made to bring the skeletons out entire, but
fa a lat nr Kan
Dedy examined the bones, and paid they were
the remaius OF three males-one full grown
place. and, after being viewed by hundreds OF
people, we're buried.
All ths old stories connected with Latouretts
tavern, which hrvs been handed down for sew
eral generations, were At once set nnoat. There
Is No doubt In the minds of any that the skele-
dered by Latourstte inety years ago.