The Osceola times., 1881-01-08
A STRANGE STORY.
Return OF u Missing sexton-kidnapped
aud Set Adrift at Sea in an Open Boat.
RaItmoro Gazrttp

Return of u Missing kidnapped
aud Set Adrin at Sea in an Open Boat.
Baltimore Gazette.
w. II. O. Billmirc; the sexton of the
Mount Vernon NJ. +. Church, who dis
appeared last October with several thou
sand dollars which he had collected from
the pew renters, arrived home to-day to
the great surprise of his friends and the
authorities, who had been anxiously
looking for him as defaulter and alb
sconder. Blllmire had been sexton of
the Church for many years, was a COM
municant, and was looked upon as con-
sistent Christian up to the time of his
disappearance. To-day he related his
experience to member of the church
and to the civil authorities, which if
true. entities him to public sympathy,
The statement is substantially the same
as that which he wrote to his wife from
San Francisco last June. His narrative
however, has several glaring inconsis-
tcncies, and it is probable that the ex-
sexton will be compelled TO substantlate
the truth of his statements in a court OF
law. In conversation with a correspon-
dent to day, Billmlre gave in detail the
history Of his experience, which is sub
Stautlally rs lOlloWs;
On the night of lis disappearance he
had in his possession about IS, 600 belong
ing to the church, which he had collected
from members of the congregation for
pew rents. This money he took to a
lodge meeting, and while there received
note that his brother lad been injured
bv fall at Locust Point, was in Il dying
condition. and wished TO see him. Bill
mire saws that he was also informed that
hack was waiting at Barnum's Hotel to
take INN To his brother. He hurried TO
where the hack was waiting, and what
followed is best told in his own
words.
i was accosted by man who wished
to know if | was Mr.. Billmire. / told
him that was nv pane. lie said he had
been waiting for some time for me and
WAS clad had come. / asked HIM how
INV brother was hurt, and he told me in
a yer, polite manner TO step into the
hack, and he would tell me all about it
on our way down to Locust Point. |
noticed, as | stepped in, that there was
another man inside, and that the blind
was drawn over the door. He gave or
dcrs TO drive to Locust Point as fast as
possible, He began 10 tell me how nay
brother was hurt and said that when he
left him me was under the influence of
chloroiorm. lie asked me If | did not de-
tCct the smell of it on him. This hap
pened on the lonely part of the road
after leaving Federal Hill going to Locust
Point. | leaned forward as he held his
hand out to smell, when the man beside
me hit me on the head with some heavy
instrument, suppose billy, and knock
ed me on the opposite seat. ] struggled
and fought with great strength, and was
only overcome by u handkerchief sat
urated with chloroform thrown around
my face. When ] revived | found my
selfon board vessel and upon exam
ination discovered that had been rob
bed of every article of value on my per-
son. After a while the cabin where |
was living was entered by a man who, in
answer TO questions, said that had been
put on the vessel, which was on Chesa-
neake Bay. by my friends who said that
had killed a man in Baltimore in a
fight After the vessel had got out into
the ocean | was taken with brain fever
and when ] recovered found that | was
on board another vessel which had
picked me up adrid in an open boat at
sea. This was the ship Antioch, captain
Weeks, bound fer Hong Kong,
Billmlre says that he was treated well
by Capt. Weeks, who allowed him to
help the steYard do the cooking for the
ships crew. They reached Hong Kong
on January 10, 1880, and loading with
rice, sailed for Victoria, British Colum-
bia, where they arrived on June 4 last,
and Capt. Weeks furnished him with a
suit of clothes. lie had previously given
him e5. He started from Victoria for
San Francisco, where he arrived on June
s. 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 Falls fast
MAY, fell overheard and was drowned
before assistance could be rendered, and
his death was unknown to his father
until his arrival here. He accounts for
the length of time between his landing
in San francisco and his arrival here by
saying he was penniless and compelled
to work his way to Baltimore. Manv
members of the church credit Billmire's
story. He has wife and five children
living.