The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-11-24


same feeling toward me. l was thel
well-to do-in the world. being a clerl
in heavy mercantile house, and err
long it was arranged that we should b.
married. About e week urevious Il
the time set for this ceremony, | acci
dentally heard my affianeed bride use
some obscene and profane Ianguag,
in company with one of her female ac
quaintances. You can Judge OF my
feelings under these circumstance
much better than | can describe them
| turned away sick at heart. and or
the very next day received indubitable
proofs of the utter iufidelity of the OBJ
iecs of my affections, and l at once
broke off the engagement. Upon be
ing questioned by some of my compan
ions as TO the cause OF my course,
unguardedly, and perhaps foolishly,
revealed TO them the whole g, cret
The story, as having come from me,
got wings, and it soon spread among
the lady's friends and acquaintances.
\ few days afterward a young mau
about Lny "-Sn age called into she store
and came Up to the desk where | wa,
writing. His hands we're nervously
c!asped together ard his face was liviC
with rage. He told me l had forevrI
blasted the reputation Of his sister
that had faithIessly deserted her and
left her broken hearted. / attemped
to reason with him, but might as well
have reasoned with a lightning bolt.
He demanded instant satisfaction, and
proposed that | should accompany
him over on the Long Island eide and
fight him. Ny natural tinidi:y would
have prevented me from complying
with such a request. but | had also
higher scruplss, and OF course / refus-
co. Then he called me base coward.
and swore that he would have my life
l complained of him before a justice, he
was spprehended, publicly tried, fined
ard placed under bonds to keep the
peace.
After that met him in Broadway.
He stopped me and whispered III NY
ear. He swore by the most fearful
oath a man could take, that he would
have my life. and that he would hunt
me through the world till lie had ac-
complished his purpose. | knew that
he meant just what lie had said, and
fear began to take possession of my
bosom. Many times discovered that
he was dogging me about, but always
managed to keep among a crowd as
walked along the streets / dared not
bring him to trial again, for l might
fail 20 make out a case, and it could
only tend to incense my enemy still
more. AT length / feared to walk the
street, for one night, as / was passing
a dark alley near the head of Cherry
street, | heard the report of a pistol
close TO me, aud IA bullet passed
through my hat kun who fired that
pistol, but bad no evidenced I felt
that my life was not safe in that city,
and secretly 1 moved to a small town
in the western part of Massachusetts,,
where | engaged with dry goods
dealer. Here took TO myself .vife; !;
But | had not been married over q
month, when | saw my enemy pass
the door of the store and look in. He
saw me, and pointed his finger at me-
The cold sweat stood in huge drop.
upon my brow; and my fears came
back more powerful than ever. At
night contrived to get my employer
to go home with me, and on the way
heard low. stealthy steps behind me.
| knew that l was dogged, you are
mine" | heard q voice pronounce,
as l turned into my yard; and IS /
tdrned, ] saw a dusty figure moving
off beneath the shade of the roadside
trees The next day sent word to
my employer that | was sick, and
kept the house all day. l explained
all to my wife, and she agreed to go
with me wherever | wished. Several
times during that day | saw my sworu
murderer pass the house and gaze in
tently upon the window. but he did
not see me.
/ got a boy to go to the stable and
procure a horse and wagon, and after
dark, take it around to a back read.
nearly a mile from the house. My wife
and myself tied up such clothing as we
could carry, and taking all my none ey
with me We stole out through the back
door and gained the cross road in safe
ty. The wagon Sas there, and having
entered it, the boy drove us off at a
good speed. Just at daylight we reach
ed tavern where a stage coach was
almost ready to start, and the boy re
turned, having first promised to keep
inviolate the secret of my flight. The
stage was bound to Lenox, which place
we reached before dark. From thence
| went to Hudson. crossed the North
River, and made my way to the West
ern part of New York, where bought
me small cottage.
In less than year my enemy found
me again, and l saw him standing in
front of my house. He looked wild
and haggard, but could see that there
was an iron determination upon his
features. One night heard a grating
against one of my windows, and in the
next moment my dog, powerful New
had sprung from his kennel.
I.dared not go down, for knew too well
the cause of the disturbance. The
noise soon ceased, however, and Oh
the next morning found my dog ly
ing beneath the window-deadl Thel
william had beenafraid, probably. that
the noise might have disturbed the
and lie had for the present
desisted from his murderous intent. |
made arrangements with my wife to
keep the house, and taking a small
sum of money with me, / fed from my |
homei
went to New Orleacs, and there
at length my enemy followed mel ForI
three years / skulked from place to |
place, the very embodiment of terror
and weakening fear; but go where Il
would the man was sure to haunt me. |
Six different ii mes he fired at me with
his pistol, and twice he wounded me
Our lives seemed to have but one end
His was 20 take mineapd mine
to escape his fell revengeI / became
almost walking skeleton-the falling
Of a leaf would startle me. At length
got chance TO go to England. was
in London, standing one day at the
door of an sie house, when,-O God
i saw my life hunter pass. He was
IS pale and sunken as myself-restless
and nervous; but his black eyes
cleaned like balls of fire. He did not
see me. / hurried down to TIE T names
look lighter as far as Gravesend, and
there was fortunate enough to fnd a
bark bound directly to the Mediterra-
nean- Igot passage in her, and was
at length landed in this city, where
have been ever since. / have regained
of my former health and
spirits, though that same dread fear
has not failed to haunt me.
Ny enemy must have found me out,
even here, but, thank God, he has pass
ed from the power to harm me NOR. A
hand mighter than his has stricken
him down. That was his cold power
less corpse that we saw to night in the
church! Ifmy wife still lives, | shall
see her again
H-did meet his wife aoaip for r 4