San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-04-27
THE WRONG NAN.
The Strange Journey or a Resident OF Dallas
A Curious Case or Kidnapping.
Dallas Herald

curious Ease OF hiuhHpphs'
Dallas Herald
A reporter of the Herald yesterday
evening obtained an interview with DIR:
Oliver, who now resides in this city ana
who il son in-law of our well'known
citizen, DIR. w. III. Hughes, the worthy
pastor of the Lamar street Methodist
church, and obtained some startling
information with reference to roman
tic experience of Mr.. Oliver. Some
time since the gentleman named was
living in suburb of Nashville, Ten
nessee, and one evening about O'Clock
went into the city on business. Wmle
returning home about dark, perhaps, he
felt heavy blow upon the head, and
was conscious of being at the same time
kicked and otherwise beaten. In
moment, however, he became oblivious
to all surroundings, and is unable to
say what length of time he remained
insensible. The first fact learned upon
regaining consciousness was that he
was in boat, light yawl, and rapidly
descending the Cumberland river. In
the boat with him were two men, rough
and sinister looking, heavily armed,
but entire strangers to Oliver. Short
ly thereafter, the boat was deserted,
and the party proceeded in a covered
wagon, going west constantly. The
wagon had evidently been left in wait
ing. The two kidnappers refused to
converse with Oliver ut all, and none
of his inquiries enabled him to obtain
any information as to the cause of his
capture, or the destination of the par
ty. In the meantime the two men had
taken q gold watch and $3.50 in money
from their prisoner. The wagon care
fully avoided towns and human hahi-
tations az much as possible, and jour-
neyed night and day, passing west from
the point where the Cumberland was
left, through Arkansas and the Indian
Territory and into New Mexico, with
in 100 miles of Albuquerque. Mr.. Oil
ver's feeling as he was carried thus
mysteriously through wood and swamp
and over prairie for long, weary days,
conscious at the same time that con-
sternation and sorrow existed in his
own home, from which he had been
torn without warning, may better be
imagined than described. His wife, of
course, and DR.. Hughes, to whom the
news had been conveyed, were con-
WINGED that Oliver had been robbed and
murdered. When the point above re-
ferred to had been reached in New
Mexico the party were met by two other
men. They had been waiting for the
wagon, with Oliver, the rendezvous
evidently having been selected and
agreed upon long before. The newly
met men were camping and no eviden-
ces of other human life near were to be
seen. 1t was waste everywhere as
was most of the country traversed by
the captive. Mr.. Oliver expected death
speedily and bloodily in the midst of
the wilderness, but could not possibly
coniure up reason for such course.
1t was all an unfathomable mystery to
him, and he could no nothing but wait.
His suspense, however, was of short
duration, for the two men they had met
exclaimed, "The wrong mani" and be-
gan to interrogate Mr.. Oliver closely
about people and places and events,
about which he knew nothing, as was
soon apparent to all. The deepest dis
appointment was manifested, and the
curses were mot loud, but Deep"
When the mistake was beyond ques-
ton, q little of divers money was re-
turned to him, and he was informed
that short distance away another vehi
Gle could be found which would take
him to Albuquerque, where he could
find railro ad facilities. He found it as
they had stated, and lost no time in
reaching the city mentioned and tele-
graphed home Immediately his where
abouts and asked for money to return
on. The wife sent the letter to DR..
Hughes in this city, who sent the
money, but with instructions not to
pay it over to Oliver until satisfactory
answers we're given as to his identity.
The doctor feared he had been MUIR
dered and that the telegraphing was
merely scheme to obtain more money.
In the meantime fortunately Mr.. OH
yer found in the post office at Albu-
querque an old acquaintance, and all
difficulty was obviated. He forthwith
returned to Nashville, where he was
greeted as the dead come back. Sub
sequently he and his wife came to Dali
las permanently to reside, Mr.. Oliver
has never to this day been able to fer
ret out the mystery surrounding this
unpleasant but romantic episode in his
life. There is but one explanation he
can see. The questions put to him all
referred to one Overton, who had pre-
viously been a United States detective
around Nashville, and the supposition
is that these four men had determined
upon his murder, and had gone to the
pains of carrying the victim to the des-
ert for his blood in order that there
might be no trouble thereafter. From
the similarity OF. the names Oliver was