The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-21
pxJARNErTE,s DEFENCE.
A Remarkable Letter from tho. Young
Man who Ktlicd Hts Sisier.

| uR C0NYEssEs THAT MS TREATMENT OF HIS
SISTER WAS BRUTAL AND BARBAR0Us, BUT
PLEADS THAT HIS LOVE FOR HER WAS AS
woxDERFUL AS HIS CRUELTY WAS SHOCK
Ixg-HIs REPEATED EFFORTS TO SAVE HER
PROM LIFE OF DIsGRACE-THE PRISONER
SEES TROUBLE AHEAD.
fDansilie Nsws.I
We publish letter to-day from this un-
fortunate man, addressed 10 well-known
gentlemen 10 North Carolina. A few words
ia the letter are left out, as they dld not af-
feet the sense at all, and were too strong in
their application to the life led by his sister
in her latter days.
DANvILLE, Va, August 3. 1880.
Dear Sir,-Several days after my incarce-
ration wrote you letter soliciting little
aid at some time. l have no earthly claim
on you, nor did | expect you or any other
sensible being to approve OF what had
done. | confess that my treatment OF my
sister was brutal and barbarous, but my
love for her was as wonderful as my cruelty
was shocking.
When several years ago I found she bad
formed an attachment for the man Edwin
%. i wrote you letter asking you to take
her again, and notwithstanding she left
your house under the cover OF night, YOU
consented TO receive her again into your
family. AS soon as your letter reached me
she was sent some funds 10 pay railroad
fare, aud asked By me to 20 10 your resi-
dence at Haw River, where arrangements
had been made for her, suppose; but in
stead Of doing as you expected she would,
she went with the family Of this low fellow
to. Harrisonburg, and / 80 informed
you. After she had visited several
points in Maryland and other States
with Colonel DPS family they closed
their doors upon her, and she was 10
the streets cold, naked, and friendless.
had her brought back, PHEASANT home was
provided for ber, and it was my opinion
that she was thus safe for lime anyway
but the next time heard from her was that
she was liv ng in q family OF no standing.
When / heard Of This ] came TO Danvlle,
and after hunting for her some time found
her in a suspicious. looking place. The
family in which she lived made q consdera-
bic fuss over her, but | managed to rescue
her with ber trunk. put her at Mrs. Law
sons till train time, and then carried her to
Brown Summit from here. | sent her to
school at Reidsyille, where she remained
for some time.
| sold my gold watch and gave the money
TO her. | then found it necessary 10 take
her from school for short time any way,
and sent her home. She was soon at Mrs.
I,awson's again, and after some time
elapsed Mrs. Lawson. thinking she would
suit her invalid daughter at Charlotte, made
her proposition to go there. | sent her,
and was only too happy to be able to think
had once more put her in proper chan
mel. But again | was informed By Mrs.
Harding. OF her being in family
Of probably questionable character, and
although | had long correspondence
with her, | was unable TO do anything
with her. Several months ago | had tele-
gram from Charlotte saying that she was on
the train that day. met her in Greensboro;
she was too feeble to walk. gave her some
refreshments and So and sent her home,
feeling hopeful. The next | heard OF her
she was in disreputable hOase. She wrote
me to this effect herself. When | read the
letter, Ohl my God, what were my
feelings? None but He who made me
can ever know. Ny darling sister >
1t took my heart,
and next it took my reason. II | bad not
been oyerrued by higher hereditary power
than any at my command, could | have
taken her life when IL was as dear TO me
and AZ sacred as my own? / ask the press
human being capable Of such unparalleled
love and affection can, when he is himself,
take the life of his own dear sister, whose
welfare and pleasure bad cost him many
sIeepless nights. The report that it was
done for family honor is IN assumption, not
a fact.
Where with my limited means could ]
have taken her from this place! Could L
have stood by and seen that brutal, ungodly
treatment OF her which is the lot OF such
women!
All! yes, the deed solemn as eternity is
done. For her the s.Orm is past, but ere
few more weeks shall have passed | shall
experience some OF the most awful storms
to be encountered on the sea OF life, and II
my friends desert can but perish amid the
hustle and confusion OF the world and be
forgotten. Very truly, 7. DEJARNETTE.