Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-19
MAD FREAK
OF n Crazy Lover, who Attempts to
Kidnap and Murder Young
Lady In Ohio.
Special to the Cincinnati Enquirer

Special to the Cincinnati Enquirer.l
GAINESVILLE, O., June 14.-Our usually
quiet town was thrown into intense excite
ment to day by an affair that might very
easily have terminated in terrible tragedy.
John Blake, blacksmith by trade, came
here about three years ago to work at his
trade, and found board and lvdging with
family named Durham. In the family, among
other grown children, was a young Lady
named Mary A. Durham, whom, it appears,
Blake became desperately in love with, al
though Miss Durham paid no attention to his
advances toward her, as she says she could
not tolerate him. This did not seem to
deter the desperate and love-sick man, and
in fit of desperation he made a marriage
proposal to her, which she repealed in dis
| dain. She also reported the matter to her
father, who took up the cudgel, and an alter
cation ensued between Mr.. Durham and Blake,
IN which the latter drew a revolver, but he
| finally concluded that discretion was the
| better part of valor, and John Blake left
| gainesville for good, and was not again
heard of, at least to the family, until to-day.
Day before yesterday an apparently we'll
dressed elderly lady stopped at the StockWell
| house, and registered her name as Mrs.
| Woodruff, St. Louis. Some suspicion was
excited from the fact that Mrs. Woodruff in
| variably kept her face closely yelled with
heavy black veil, although otherwise her con-
| duct was very quiet and deliberate. Soon
| after noon to-day, Mrs. Woodruff, nee John
| Blake, went to ery-stable, hired horse
and buggy, drove up through the square,
and, when nearly opposite the courthouse, he
| ran across Miss Durham, who had been to
dinner, and was going TO her work IN the
| gainesville AdrertiSer printing otlce: Blake
| stopped his horse IN the road, and asked Miss
| Durham if she would not like to take ride,
Miss Durham, not knowing then VINO the in
| truder was, walked quickly along. Blake,
1pifbout mora a6o iuu1De6 ont of his buQQy
| and, catching her by the arms, said -! want
YOU to come with me-" The frightened
| girl recognized in the stranger John Blake
with his disguise, her former rejected lover.
She said nothing to him, but shouted loudly
for help, whereupon Blake drew revolver,
and, pointing it directly at her head, fred,
| the ball lust grazing her cheek, and the
powder blackening her face badly. Just at
| this moment Sheriff Morley came out of his
| house, which is just across the street. and,
| taking in sthe situation at glance, he COL
| Jared the would-be assassin, and, after
handling him as mildly as his temper would
allow, he hustled him to the jail which was
| conveniently near by. A crowd of excited
men soon gathered, and for short time it
| looked as if lynch law would prevail, but
| quiet was soon restored. Blake was searched
as soon he was locked up, and the re-
| volver and razor were found on his person.
| After being left to himself a while, and. be-
ginning to realize his condition, he cried pas
sionately and long. 1t is generally believed
that Blake intended to get Miss Durham in
the buggy and drive hastily to some secluded
spot, and then and there make another pro-
posal of marriage to her, and if she refused
or resisted him in that or any other attempt
he might make, he had made up his mind to
kill her and then kill himself Miss Durham
is twenty-five years of age, fair-looking,
| agreeable and pleasant in her manner, indus
trious and modest in her appearance, and
| bears an unblemished character. Blake is
twenty-seven years of age, below the medi-
um size, and has nothing striking about his
manner. He is, no doubt, insane on the SUBJ
| ject of matrimonial alliance with Miss Dur
ban, as an hour after the occurrence Blake
did not seem to remember anything about
| the shooting, although several persons saw
him do it. He also states that he expected
to elope with Miss Durham