New Ulm weekly review., 1880-11-10
Billnire's Voyage...strange Story Of
4 Baltimore Nan.

=Billnire's Voyage-.-stranse Story Of
Baltimore Nan.
w. H. O. B1LLM1RE, the sexton Of
Mount Vernon Methodist Episcopal
Church, who disappeared last October
with several thousand dollars which he
had collected from the pew-renters, ar
rived home to-day, to the great surprise
of his friends and the authorities, who
had been anxiously looking for him as
defaulter and absconder. Bilmire had
been sexton of the church for many
years., was q communicate, and was
looked upon as consistent Christian
up to the time of his disappearance.
To-day he related his experience to a
member of the church and to the civil
authorities, which, if true, entities him
to public sympathy. His narrative,
however, has several glaring incon-
sistencies, and it is probable that the ex-
sexton will be compelled to substantiate
the truth of his statements in court of
law. In conversation with the CORE
spondent of the S,n to-day, Billmire
gave in detail the history of his expert
ence, which is substantially as follows:
On the night of his disappearance he
had in his possession about 5000 be-
longing to the church, which he had COL
lected from members of the congrega-
ton for pew rents. This money he took
to lodge meeting, and while there re-
ceived a note informing him that his
brother had been injured by fall at
Locust Point, was in dying condition,
and wished to see him. Billmire says
that he was also informed that 8 hack
was waiting at Barnum's Hotel to take
him to his brother. He hurried to where
the hack was waiting, and what fol-
lowed is best told in his own words
~ was accosted by a man who wish
ed to know if l was Mr.. Billmire. l
told him that was my name.T' He said
he had been waiting some time for me,
and was glad had come. Iasked him
how my brother was hurt, and he told
me in very polite manner to step into
the hack and he would tell me all about
it on our way down to Locust Point. l
noticed, as stepped in, that there was
another man inside, and that the blind
was down over the door. He gave or
ders to drive to Locust Point as fast as
possible. He began to tell me how my
brother was hurt, and said that when he
left him he was under the influnce of
chloroform. He asked me if I did not
detect the smell of it on him. This hap
pened on the lonely part of the road af-
ter leaving Federal Hill going to Locust
Point. I1eaned forward as he held his
hand out to smell, when the man beside
me hit me on my head with some heavy
instrument, suppose billy, and
knocked me on the opposite seat. l
struggled and fought with great
strength, and was only overcome by q
handkerchief saturated with chloroform
thrown around my face. When I re-
vived l found myself on board vessel,
and upon examination discovered that l
had been robbed of every article of val
ue on my person. After a while the
cabin where was lying was entered by
man who, in answer to questions, said
that had been put on the vessel which
was on Chesapeake Bay, by my friends,
who said that I had killed a man in Bal
timore in fight. After the vessel got
out into the ocean l was taken with
brain fever, and when I recovered l
found that was on board another ves-
sci which had picked me up adrift in
an open boat at sea. This was the ship
Antioch, Capt. Weeks, bound for Hong
Kong"
Billmire says he was treated well by
Capt. Weeks, who allowed him to hell
the steward do the cooking for the
ships crew. They reached Hong Kong
on Jan. 10, 1880, and, loading with rice,
sailed for Victoria, British Columbia,
where they arrived on June last, and
Capt. Weeks furnished him with suit
of clothes. He had previously given
him IS. He started from Victoria for
San Francisco, where arrived on June 8.
Four days after reaching Victoria he
wrote to his wife in this city, giving a
brief outline of his adventures, which
substantially agrees with the above.
Harry Billmire, a son Of the missing
man, while fishing in Jones's Falls, last
May, fell overheard and was drowned
before assistance could be rendered, and
his death was unknown to his father be-
fore his arrival here. He accounts for
the length of time between his arrival in
San Fancisco and his arrival here by
saying that he was penniless and had to
work his way to Baltimore. Many
members of the church credit Billmire's 8
story. He has wife and five children
living. Cor. N. Y. Sun.