Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1878-07-11
THAT ENOCH ARDEN.

The man Raines, spoken of in our neigh
boring papers last week is decided fraud il
many respects. To get the truth of the story
us nearly as possible, we interviewed Mr.. anC
Mrs Kyle, who are the st. Clairsville parties
alluded TO. The facts as related by Mrs
Kyle are these: VIM. Raines came to thi.
county from Virginia and settled at Hendrys-
burgh, where he soon afterward married tht
present Mrs. Kyle, then young lady. AT
ter living together some time Mrs. Raine!
discovered th.,t her husband had another
wife and family living G in Virginia
This was startling intelligence for Mrs. R,iine.
No. 2, and she Immediately confronted hel
husband with it, when he admitted his guilt
He became greatly alarmed, fearing a prose
cutiOn for his crime. After lingering for 6
day or two he disappeared, and from thai
time until now she has never heard from hin
directly. On Monday evening, June 1st, the
man claiming to be the long lost and adven.
turous Raines, presented himself at the
residence of Mr.. Kyle in this place. Mrs.
Kyle met him at the door, when Raines
inquired whether she knew him. She said she
did not Then he informed her that he was
her former husband, Mr.. Rains. Mrs. Kyle,
thinking, no doubt, of the cruel manner in
which the man had deceived her, very proper
ly ordered him to begone and to never show
himself to her again. Mrs. Kyle did precise
ly right to ignore the fellow and order him
from her presence. He at once turned and
left, going from here to Cambridge, where
he related the story published in the Cam
bridge papers, of which the following is q
specimen from the Jeffersonian.
Last Monday, William Raines, a man
whose adventures during the last seven years
have been as thrilling and romantic as those
of Robinson Crusoe or Alexander Selkirk,
arrived in this place, on his way to his former
home in Hendrysburg, belmont county. His
story briefly told, is as follows: William
Rains was honest, industrious carpenter
with faithful, loving wife and one child,
and was employed at his trade in Hendrys-
burgh until the month of June, 1869. Think.
ing he might better his condition, he left
home at that time, and went to New York
City, where he had an uncle residing, who
was sea captain. Arriving there. he accept.
ed an offer from his uncle to take voyage tc
Calcutta at salary of 800 per month. He
drew $500 of his pay in advance and sent il
home to bis wife, telling her of his engage.
ment and plans. And so he embarked, little
thinking what he was TO pass through ere he
again saw the faces of his loved ones. The
weather was fine and the voyage propitious
and when about half way across the Atlantic
he again wrote to his wife telling her all was
WELL That was the last letter, she eyer re-
ceived from him, for he never again had az
opportunity TO write to her. When the vessel
stood off the south western coast of Africa,
u terrific storm came up and she was com
lpIetely wrecked. Being washed upon the
shore with the Captain and four others of the
crew he was captured by some savage tribes
of the interior. The savages- at once set oui
for their villages in the wilds of the country
ahd it took them upwards Of three weeks tc
accomplish the journey. When nearing theil