Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1879-06-26
Stranger than Fiction.
a Strange Story Of Crime I'm the
south-The Recovery of a Lost
Daughter Aftera Search of Four
teen Years.

w Z TC1tu ~ StCebt eACtti III liz
newspapers about the abduction
of Charley Ross, and of the hith-
D erto fruitless efforts made to as
!, certain his whereabouts. The
} STORY Of the loss and final recoy-
cry Of a daughter after fourteen
years Of constant search has re-
Gently come to our knowledge,
which for thrilling interest ex-
ceeds anything we have ever
read about Charley Ross,
j During the late war there
lived at Waynesboro, the coun-
ty seat Of Burke county, Geor-
gia, a Mr.. and Mrs. Holland, the
happy parents of two little chill
dren, a boy and girl. Mr.. Hol-
land was a practicing lawyer
and a man of intelligence and
standingin in the community. Mrs.
Holland was of a respectable
family of education and Of good
social standing.
During the war Mr.. Holland
volunteered and was a good sol
dier till the surrender. About
the year 1S64-65 a man by the
name of Laud Hitchcock appear
ed in that part of Georgia. He
passed himself off as horse-trad-
er and a gentleman of wealth, but
in reality was a horse-thief.
He appeared to have plenty of
money, drove fine horses, smok-I
ed fine cigars, dressed we'll and
was received into the best soci-
ETY.. During Mr.. Hollands abr
sence in the war he ingratiated
himself into the good graces of
Mrs. Holland, a criminal intilna-
cy sprang up between them, and
when Mr.. Holland returned home
in April, 1865, the fruits of that
intimacy could no longer be con-
eealed. In a few days after Mr.. |
Hollands return, and while wait
ing an opportunity to take sum-
mary vengeance on Haithcock,
his wife suddenly left with Hath
cock, carrying with her his little
daughter only three years old.
From that time to this they have
never been seen in that part Of
the State. About the time of
their sudden departure a horse
and buggy mysteriously disap-
.peared, which is supposed to
have been stolen by Haithcock,
and with which they made their
way to Brownsville, Marlboro
County, in this State, (G.a) )where
Haithcock was born and brought
up. From that time till three
weeks ago Mr.. Holland never
heard anything of the wherea-
bouts Of his wife and child. He,
however, did not dispair.
During the past fourteen years
he has been constantly engaged,
whenever he could spare the time
from his business, in prosecuting
the search for his child. He
travelled over the greater part of
Georgia, and portions of Missis-
sippi, Alabama, Florida and this
State, but could never obtain the
slightest clue as to where She !
was. He tried advertising in
the newspapers, offering large
rewards for her recovery, but
nothing came of it but heavy
bills and gTieyous disappoint-
ments. He finally concluded to
stay at home and write to the
county officials Of every county I,
throughout the country. Afterl
pursuing this plan for long
time, he was finally informed
by one of the county officials
of Marlboro county that Laud !
Haithcock lived in the Browns
vile section of that county with
a woman who answered to the
description Of Mr.. Hollands wife.
That this woman had this young
girl with her, not Haithcock's
child, whose age and general {
appearance pointed to her as the A.,
long lost daughter. 1t was first
proposed that the girl should /,
run away from her mother and
go to Georgia, but to make as
surance doubly sure Mr.. Hol-
land was advised to come him :
self, as he alone could identify
the mother as his former wife. :
He accordingly came by rail to !
Pee-Dee Bridge on the Will
columbia and Angus :
ia Railroad. Leaving the rail- !
road at that point, he walked to
Mr.. JAS. O.. Halselden's who !;
lives a few miles from the sta !;
ton, arriving there about dark !
ON the fourth instant. He re-
manned with Mr.. Halselden that
night, After making known his /,
errand, Mr. Halselden's sympa- !
thes were SO thoroughly aroused /
that he carried him in his buggy )
the next day to where Haithcock {
lives. Fortunately, however, !
Haithcoclz, who is said to be
dodging from the revenue officers
for retailing whiskey contrary to
law, was not at home. On arri- X
wing at his cabin, Mr.. Holland i
pushed open the door which was