Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-02-21

Tho True Story of the Mysterious Disap-
pearahce of Owen Parfitt.


ton Mallet, in the County of Somerset
England, an old man named Owel
Partitt. In his youth he had been
soldier, and had been in Africa-i1
military and, as the townfolks whisper
ed, other capacity. His temper Wa
violent, and his language very militar.
in character. Although he was not |
popular person, albeit perforce in
offensive. He was q cripple, able tt
carry on the trade of sailor for sever
al years, but at the date already men
toned he was quite helpless. Hi
house was kept for him by slste
older than himself, who seems to have
taken excellent care of him. AS ht
was unable to get out of bed wlthou
assistance, his sister often asked s
young woman, named Susannah Shook
to lend her hand to lift the old mar
into chair while his bed was beins
made; and his chair was usually placed
either in the passage, or just outside
the door that he might enjoy a little
air. One day, as the sun was shining
very brightly, the two women wrapped
Owen Parfitt in an old great-coat and
carried him in his armchair outside on
the doorstep, that he might sun him.
self for while. A quarter of an
hour afterwards he was gone. The
chair remained where it had been
placed; the old great-coat was thrown
over it; but the man was gone. The
first alarm was raised by the sister, who
was found by Susannah Shook, who
had only quilted her few minutes be-
fore, crying bitterly for the loss of her
brother. This Susannah Shook gave
her account in the year 1914 to DR.. But
Ter, at that time head-master of Shrews-
bury School, and afterwards Bishop Of
Lichfeld, and her evidence was cor
roborated by many persons then living
at Shepton Mallet, or in the neighbor-
hood. The sister of Owen Parftt told
her that latter the bed was made, and
Susannah had left, she had gone up
stairs; and on coming down again and
not hearing her brother, she called
'Owenp That there was no answer;
and she went to where she and Susan
nah had left him, and found nothing
but the chair, and the old great-coat
lying upon it." The alarm spread rap
idly through the town, and search was
Immediately made everywhere in the
neighborhood; the roads and fields for
a great distance round were hunted
over; all the wells and ponds were
dragged, but to no purpose. No trace
was ever found of Owen Parfitt. Susan
nah Shook further said that the wealth
er had been fair during the day; but
after the alarm was given it began to
thunder and tighten, with heavy fall
of rain, which continued for some time.
She herself was wet through in return
ing to her house.
Renewed inquiries into this well-at-
tested mystery, says All The Year
Round, have rather deepened than ex-
planned it. That the man disappeared
suddenly there is no manner of doubt.
That his early life had been of a wild
and desperate character is also certain,
for he was in receipt of no pension for
serving the king, and had most prob
ably fought in Africa ''for his own
hand" No person had the slightest
interest in his death, as his earnings
maintained him, and his sister had a
u.
Several old people, who remembered
all the circumstances, gave the same
account with regard to the chief facts,
and particularly as to the general ex-
element and uproar in the town, as
soon as the alarm was given, and as to
the immediate and careful search every.
where made for the missing man.
They all agreed, also, that Owen Par.
fit was commonly placed of an after.
noon either in the passage, or just out
side of the door for the sake of fresh
air. There seems to be no doubt that
he was and had been a cripple for
years, and, also, that if his strength had
been miraculously recovered, be could
hardly have gone far without being seen
Ills cottage was on turnpike road
surrounded by other cottages close at
hand, and one hundred yards from the
streets of the town, and he
must have passed along clothed only
as he had been taken from his bed.
1t was a warm June afternoon, the
" moving grass was about, and the
fields were full of people; the town is
surrounded not by arabic but by grass
land almost everywhere. Within half
an hour after he was last seen, the
whole disposable population of town
then numbering between four and five
thousand inhabitants were in pursuit
of him, and if he had dropped from
exhaustion-he was seventy years old
it is almost certain that he must have
been found. The search was contin-
ued for several days without avail,
and then the good people of Shepton
Mallet made up their minds, such as
they were. They soon arrived at a
solution of the mystery. The day had
been fine up to the disappearance Of
Owen Parftt, which was followed by
a terrific storm of thunder and light
ming and rain. He had been wicked
perhaps a frightfully wicked man
in his youth. Putting this and that
together" there could be no doubt
about the matter. The old soldier,
SLAYER and tailor had been carried off
by the devil
Idle Brain.