The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-08-15
Trapped at Last

4
looking gentleman came to the Virginia Ho
tel in this city and registered as DR.. Win
ster. He was without baggage and statet
to the proprietor that his trunk would be or
in few days, and that he was also expect
ing a remittance. He remained several days
during which time he borrowed money from
| fellow member of the medical fraternity
and then quietly slipped away without pay
| ing his bill. From there he went to Mr.
| Hyde's boarding house and giving his name
as DR.. F. w. Thomas, told pretty much the
same story. During his sojourn at Mr.
Hyde's he enqulred particularly about the
| Methodist church, saying he was member
of that denomination. and on class-meetins
night went to the church and Joined in the
services, giving his experience as christian
and impressing many who heard him with
| the fervor and apparent earnestness OF his
words. He stayed at Hyde's two or three
days and then disappeared, leaving his host
the creditor for the amount of his bill. His
next theatre of action was at Variety Springs,
on the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, whei
he arrived one evening. minus baggage. and
were at Waynesboro and would b. on in a
few days with his wardrobe and CARRIAGE
He remained there several weeks, during
which time he borrowed an overcott and
three dollars in money from Mr.. Walton, one
of the guests, besides attending family
prayers regularly and making himself gen
orally agreeable. At the end of that time,
Mr.. Burrus, the proprietor, began to press
him for the amount of his bill, and the DR..
folded his borrowed coat, and, like the Arabs,
s'silently stole away Information was
lodged with the police of this city as to his
transactions and a warrant for his arrest
gotten out, but no clue to his whereabouts
could be obtained until last Monday, when
Mr.. S. NJ. Wilkes. of this city, found him
out On Sunday Mr.. Wilkes was at the res
idcnce of his father-in-law, Col. Wilson.
who lives near Willow Spout, and in conYer-
sation with Mr.. ]. H. Heller, proprietor of
the hotel, ascArtained that man answering
to the description of the doctor had been
stopping there for several weeks. Mr.. WIS
suspicion was excited, and after seeing and
conyersing with the stranger, Was fully con-
WINGED that he was the same individual who
had been performing at Staunton ard Va
riety. He communicated his belief to Mr..
Heller, but that gentleman could M be per
suaded that the suave and accompli'
49,. 81, l,1 u -
Upon his return to Staunton, Mr. Wilkes
informed the police that the man they were
looking for could be found at the Willow
Spout, and on Tuesday Chief OF Police Crow
der, accompanied by Chief of Police Deaton,
of Petersbu re-, and Mayor Balthis, drove
down in a carriage TO Willow Spout, and at :
rested the perambulating physician. He
was brought to town, tried before Justice J il.
NJ. Kinney, and sent on to the Grand Jury.
Capt. Bumgardner appeared for the Com
monwealth, and the accused was represented
by II. St. George Tucker. Esq.
The doctor is evidently a man who has seen
better days. His address is pleasant, man
ners prepossessing, and in conversation
showed cultivation. He claims to be of an
old Virginia family, and says he has prac-
ticed medicine in New Orleans and Balti-
more, and that he married a Miss Cook, OF
the latter place.
STRIBLING SPRINGS has gotten to be
quite resort for our business men, and is
especially popular with those whose engage
ments prohibit a longer vacation. and who
avail themselves of. Saturday evening and
Sunday to catch breath of pure mountain
air. and enjoy brief respite from the cares
and vexatons of every day life. 1t is just a
pleasant two hours drive from Staunton, and
this year presents unusual attractions. The
transition from the noise and dirt and dust
of the streets to the cool, quiet walks and
luxnriant shade; from the ceaseless rum
bling OF carts and carriages to the gen tie
murmur of clear running brooks; from the
monotonous din of business, business, bust
ness, to the happy, careless laughter that is
echoed back and back again by the hills, make
one imagine h.. has crossed Lethe's wa
tiers and is resting where care and perplex
ity dare not intrude.
And then too, to watch the staitl, digniticd
benedict, whom one would suppose had long
since renowned the sO-called idle pleasures,
keeping time to the music and, forgetful of
the barrier of years, joining hands with the
merriest OF the children, is well calculated
to perpetuate the delusion, and force the in
ference that DeSoto's unbound treasure was
far from the everglades of Florida and snug.
ly nestled among the mountains OF West
Augusta. But he would be a cynic indeed,
who could withstand the influences thrown
around him at Stribling, for a more social
and cultivated company was seldom gathered
at one place, and that old Virginia cordial
ity, which time and change has left still ire
sistihle, manifests it: elf at every turn and
claims its due.
The guests now number from seventy five
to hundred, and Saturday evening Staun-
ton generally sends out considerable dele
CATION. At night nearly all join in the dance,
and Sunday morning religious service is held
in the parlor. Last Sunday, Lieut-Gov. Ma
rye read one of Rainford's sermons, and an
iwpromptu choir made the hills resound with
praises OF Him who holds them in the hol-
low of His hand. In the evenings few of
the guests again repaired to the parlor to
join in the sacred songs, and others attended
| the camp meeting held about two miles
| distant.
| THERE'S only one trouble about going to
Stribling and that is one never wants to come
back, and it is only by promising himself
another holiday in the near future that he is
persuaded to return.
| New WATER MoToR.-The press upon
which this issue of the VIRGINIAN Is printed
was run by a Backus Water Motor, which
has just been introduced into our office
through the agency of Messrs. Lynn &
Eyler. 1t is the greatest invention of the
| apa-naat nnmp,nt md powarful OccItpv-