The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-04-26
AN ATTEMPT TO ABDUCT IRE
WIFE OFA FORMER CITIZEN OF
COLUMBLANA COUNTY.


The following article is from the State
Press Iowa;
On April Sd, Mrs. Florence Watson,
wife OF George Watson, who is an old
citizen of Clear Creek, in this county, left
Cleveland, Ohio, to visit her husbands
friends here, subsequently to meet him
at Waterloo, Iowa. She took a through
ticket to Iowa City and left Cleveland
alone, intending 10 got lay over ticket
and stop q few days with relatives at
Durant between here and Davenport,
having so notified her friends there and
acquainted them with the train on which
she would come. Everything went well
until she left Chicago, when out about an
hour she noticed man in the seat oppo-
site, looking at her closely. After time
he left the seat and another took his place
until in all six men had sat there and re-
garded her in the same close and UNI
pleasant manner. This watching contin-
ued as long as day light lasted; at dark
the plan developed further, These six
men after conference with the conductor
entered the car together and announced
that she was a crazy woman in their
charge, that she was the wife of one OF
them, and that the passengers would by
this understand why she was watched
and restrained by them. In vain did
she protest that it was a falsehood and
appeal to the conductor and passengers.
Guarded by the unspeakable sCoundrels
the more the horror of her situation
dawned upon her the more terrified and
hopeless she became, though trying with
a brave spirit to bear up until she should
reach her friends at Durant. They tried
to get her off the train at Rock Island by
saying that she must change cars for
Iowa City. She remand in her seat
The train came on. Passengers avoided
her or gazed with idle curiosity upon her
nervous terrors. At Davenport conductor
Davis took the train and was piled with
the same stories by the wretches and
like his predecessors believed it, and be.
lieving it put her in more than mortal
peril. She appealed to him in vain and
from that time on fought her way alone,
without help, sympathy or recognition
from any one. Approaching Durant,
hope was revived. She asked the con-
ductor for a lay-over ticket. He refused
ii, and three of the scoundrels held her,
with hands over her mouth to keep her
from calling to her relative, a brother'in-
law, the Rev. A. j. Garrison, whom she
saw standing on the platform waiting to
meet her in accordance with the notice
sent him of her intention to stop. The
train hardly more than Stacked up at Du-
rant, and before any one had time to en-
ter the cars, to search for her, was rush
ing on into threatening darkness and
gathering peril. At Wilton the Chicago
Southwestern car is flying switched off
the main track, and main line passengers
who may be in that car have to change.
She happened to be in that car and after
she left it, watched by her prosecutors,
to regain the main train she was beset by
them and had to fight her way to the
train, being bruised and dragged in the
struggle and at last on reaching the car
steps receiving a severe sprain in one
ankle which has to-day entirely disabled
her. Her hope was now in Iowa City.
Her prosecutors sought to force her into
the bus, but she, with the courage Of de-
SPAR demanded of the conductor that he
take her to the Central House, saying
that she knew the landlady, Mrs. Nc.
Donald. Mr.. Davis, so strongly impor-
tuned did remain with her,,even delaying
the train, until Mrs. Mcdonald, who had
retired, came down, when he told her,
"there is an insane woman" Mrs. Med.
replying "why no, its Flo. Watson, AMI
her brother is here to receive her."
Safe at last, the nerves and courage of
the poor girl gave way under the long
strain that would have crushed strong
man, and she fainted the train moved
on bearing the wretches with it, but not
we hope beyond the reach ofjustice. To
day Mrs. Watson is prostrated and under
the doctors hands her sprained ankle
being also very painful and helpless.
There is the siCkening story, told in the
barest possible manner, and without
score of thrilling details. Let the land
ring with it until there is no hiding place
for these worse than murderers.