Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-04-16
Mr.. Trout and the Gypsy.
HOW SHE OBTAINED A PACKAGE OF
500 TO CONJURE WITH.

HOW SHE OBTAINED PACKAGE OF
$4,000 TO CONJURE WITH.
David s. Trout is rich planter of Roa-
noke county, Va a strict church member
and one Of the most surr assful men IN the
county. He has several farms, and lives
on one on the line Of the Virginia and
Tennessee railroad, close to Salem post
Office and near the Roanoke river. Yes
terday, accompanied by Detective John
Wren, Of Richmond, and Chief-0f-Police
Donovan, of Newark, he visited Brooklyn,
N. Y, and identified Matilda Wori0n. the
gyrSy fortune teller, who is in Raymond
street Jail on the charge of r0bting Will
liam Jess NJ, of Princeton, Ind, OF $2,25O.
as the woman who, three years ago, robbed
him of package containing $lO,OUO III
greenbacks, leaving in its stead similar
package that contained strips Of neWspa-
per cut Into the shape Of bank notes. MIR.
Trout says Mat in February, 1875, nc re-
ceived note, signed d. L. WorLun, say
ing that there was natural dep sit OF
silver on his farm. In 1876 Mrs Worton.
the gypsy woman. Called OH him. She
said" continued Mr.. Trout, that close to
my house there was deposit If silver
containing about a million dollars; That
the mass Ut 1t was in crude slate, but
that large amount OF the lne. al had al
ready beun mined. The silver. slit. sand.
Was first discovered. many years ago, by
two Indian chiefs, Curry aud MESH. who.
on shifting sheir nabltati III. bur led their
fortunes there and puta 81 ell over tha mine
which it required superhulnan gilt tu
break. The hiding place was sealed by
secret, and she alone could charm it
h. ffN,.,, Or
told her that if she could show me where
the mine was would give her one-hslf of
the proceeds, but size said that she needed
a package of $1,000 to handle, always in
my presence, SO that she C juid work out
The secret. didn't have 81 much money
at hand, and told her that / could not
get it. She came to see me number of
times, and at length she said she could ex-
tract the secret OF the hiding place of the
mine if she could handle $4,000, but
she promised that the money should never
go out Of sight. A. length l got $4,000
together in bank notes and the gypsy be-
gan her incanta.lohs. She counted the
money, Sprinkied it with earth mutleIed
over it aid said prayers Without number.
When she had finished She went away,
leaving the money IN my hands. tied up in
brown paper, and as she cautiune me not
to touch 1t for fear would undo her work
put it up and kept it intact until she re-
turned again. She paid me Several visits.
and each time took out the money.
examined it carefully and prayed over
it. held it for time while she
PRAYED, and then she held it and
trayed. This was done several times.
At length, on May 7, 1877, she said that all
her plans weie working so well that III one
more visit she would cnarm away the spe II
nd "a fNf
would, She thought. be able to lead me d.
rectly to it. She again took .Lhe money.
prayed over it and asked me- to count it to
seq that it was all there. :; don't want
you to think, she said to me, .tilat would
steal any of it, 1 said: If you took that
money, OF fooled me, l would kill you.' /
saw that all of my money Was in tue pack
age just as had given it to. her, and then
she carefully tied it up and put a string
about it. Now she said. the spall is
broken, and in one more visit it will be
Cast aside. But. she added, no one must
touch this package Ipromised to lock it
up, but she said she wanted me to swear
to it upon the Bible. turned to get the
Bible, and the money was hardly out of
my sight moment. turned again. and
she had the package extended towards me.
swore upon the Bible that would not
open it or allow any one else to do so and
took the package. [ wrote d. S. Trout
upon the back and made marks upon it
wherever there was fold of the paper. so
that could tell if any one disturbed it =
Then put it away. AS she did not re-
turn and as the time was up when / was
obliged to return the money to the bank
where had obtained it, lopened the pack
age and found that it contained strips of
newspaper cut to the size of bank notes.
and that there wasn't penny of my S1O,-
600 LETT"
Mr. Trout will begin suit in Hudson
county, New Jersey. where the gypsies
have property, to recover his property.
A correspondent of the Lynchburg
"Virglnian" writing from Roanoke coun-
ty adds:
Mr.. Trout has long had reason to believe
that valuable minerals were underneath
the soil of his farm. and the knowledge of
this fact was skillfully used to influence
his judgment Mr.. Trout borrowed the
$4,000 from friends, bnt within a few
months he repaid the whole amount, so
that no one suffers but himself. His tenn
pOrary blindness as to the real character
and motives of the gypsy tramp seems al
most incredible to his neighhOrs and
friends, among whom be has passed his
life, and by all of whom he is respected
He has paid dearly for single foolish ac-
tion. and We all hope that the woman who
tempted him may be severely punished
Neao York sam of Tuesday,