The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-05-28
Stranger than Fiction.
A. STRANGE STORY OF CRIME IN
THE SOUTH.
The Recovery of a Lost Daughter after
O Search Of Fourteen Years.
Nc,cs and Courier.

MARION, May live read q great deal In
the newspapers about the abduction OF Char
made to ascertain his whereabouts. Thestory
! of the loss and final recovery Of IL daughter
after fourteen years OF constant search has
recently come 10 our Knowledge, which for
thrilling interest exceeds any thing we have
ever read about Charley Ross.
During the late war there lived Mt Wayncs-
bnro', the county seatof Burke County, icor-
rents Of two l'ttlc children, II boy and u girl.
Mr.. Holland WAS q pihcticlng lawyer and Il
man OF Intelligence and standing In the COM
munity. Mrs. Holland WAS Of Il respectable
family, and q lady Of education and of good
social standing.
During the war Mr.. Holland volunteered
and was II good soldier till the surrender.
About the year lS6l-Gj Il man by the nainc Of
Laud 1Iaithcock appeared In that part Of
trader and Il gentleman Of wealth, but III re-
ality Was
a HORSE THIEF.
He appeared to have plenty Of money, drove
| fine horses, smoked fine cigars, dressed well,
and WIS received into the best society. Dur
ing Mr.. hollands absence In the wal he in
gratiatcd himself into the good graccs OF Mrs.
Holland. A criminal intimacy sprang up be-
tween them. and when Mr.. Holland returned
home In April. !Sa5, the fruits of that init
macy could no longer be concealed. In Il few
days after Mr.. Hollands return. and while
waiting an opportunity 10 take summary ven.
geancc on Haithcock, his wife suddenly left
with Haithcock, carrying with her his little
daughter only three years old. From thai
time to this they have never been seen In that
part of the State. About the time OF their
sudden departure u horse and buggy myste.
riously Disappeared, which is supposed to
whicl, they made their way to Brownsville,
Marlboro County. In thisS State, where Hath.
cock was horn and brought ~. From thai
time till three weeks ago Mr. Holland never
! l,n,r 1 ny>ttinr pf HIN y,Inrnn hntfg NJ HE
wife and child. He, however,
: DID NOT DESPAIR.
During the past fourteen years he Inns bccn
constantly engaged. whenever lie could spare
the time from his business, In prosecuting the
search for his child. He travelled over tho
greater part of Gcorgln. and portions Of Mis-
SiSsirpi, Alabama, Florida, and this State, but
could never obtain the slightest clue as tC
where she was. He tried advertising In the
newspapers, Offering largo rewards for her
bills and g%rievous disappointment. He final.
~ concluded to stay ut home and write to the
county officials of every county throughout
the country. After pursuing this plan for Il
long time he was finally informed by one OF
that Laud Haithcocs lived in the Browns,
Vile section of TINT county with q woman
who answered to the description of Mr.. liOl.
girl with her, not HaitlIcoci's child, whose
age and general appearance pointed to hCr
rs
TIE LOSG-LOST DAUGHTER.
1t was first proposed That the girl should run
AWAY from her mother aud 20 to Georgia.. but
to make assurance loubly sure MIR. Holland
was advised to come himself, as he alone
could identify the mother as his former wife,
lie accordingly cannc by rail to Pre-Dcc
Bridge, OH the Wilmington, Columbia and
Augusta ltlilroad. Leaving the railroad III
that point, he walked to Mr. jus. o.. Elascl-
drn'S, who lives 4 few miles lroin the station,
arriving there about dark Oh the 18th instant.
He remained with Mr.. liazcIdcn that night.
After making known his GRAND, Mr.. ilnscl.
denis Sympatnics were so aroused that he ear.
ricd him in his buggy the next day, to where
llaitlcock lives. Fortunately, perhaps,
lIuitlIcoci, who Is said 10 be lodging from
the revenue officers for retailing whiskcy
contrary to law, was not at home. On urriv-
ing at lis cnbin. Mr.. Holland pushed open
the door, which was partly njar, and there sat
his former wife surrounded by her three
llaltlicock children aud his own daughter.
lie spoke to his wife familiarity, saying,
"nowDY POLLY ANN"
III great surprise she replied, why, howdy
Will After slluking hands with her lie
asked, pointing to Il handsome yous girl, il
that was Emma? She answered 1t was. lie
took the girls hand, anu with tears in his
eyes, told her he WAS her father; that she had
! been AIKEN from him when she Was only three
years Old; that he had been searching for her
for the last fourteen years: that, thank God
lie had found l:cr ut last, and that he had
come 10 take her to II comfortable home, and
from the poverty in which she had been rails.
cd. lie asked her ir she was willing To ~
with him. she replied she was. Upon this
the old woman and the other children set
up
a GREAT L~AMENTATIOE,
and spid she SnOuld never 20. They seized
hold OF her, but by some %c1crtion Holland,
with her assistance, succeeded in releasing
her and getting her away from the house.
They went To the neighbours where the girl
was hired out us IN ordinary field hand, and
got the few articles of wearing apparel which
| she pO>SeSscd. Alter purchasing Tor her !;
pair oi Shoes and other articles II stone hard
by, they returned lliatnighJ with Mr.. Ila>ci-
den to his house, where they were cordially
received, and sent The next morning on their
way rejoicing to the station ut Pcc.IrC, and
We suppose, arrived at hUinc the next day
The girI had been informed by some synipu
thizing ncighbors who and what she was, and
that her father was coming FOR her, which ar-
counts for the readiness with which she as.
scntcd 10 20 with him. She WIS seventeen
years old the Sd day Of April lasr, and Is
GIRL OF G0.D Address
and fine appearance. She is Of course some
what sunburut. with rough hands and large
feet, having been accustomed To labor In the
fields Tor her daily bread. She Is very Hitter.
ate, never having attended school u day in
her life. She can neither read nor write.
Her nc:ghburS all say she * = clever, virtuOus
girl, wllici. Is no doubt very gratifying To her
father. Her brother, lwo years her senior, OF
whom she says she has faint recollection, Is
i young HAN Of fair education, anu Is now
engaged In teaching Scliuul in Georgia. Her
father, Mr.. Holland, isl pr;icticing luwycrnnd
q man OF education and refinement. He has
been Legally divorced from his first wife, and
is now married und has :; family.
Now, Mr.. Editor, these are the facts. II
some OF the numerous novcl-wriicrs, whom
the .Ncus und Courier is ~cndravoring to en-.
courage, would TAX them up and spin them
uu;, Il tale might be woven which wOIlid be OF
thrilling interest. Atuny rate the above de-
monStrateS the truth of the old adHgc that
truth is sometimes stranger than Felton,"
MARION.