The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1883-12-27
A Strange Story.

1t seems that Parker, in 1861, resided at
Natosulga, Ala. with his wife and three
OF four children, and joined company
commanded by Capt. r.. f.. IIigon, des-
tined for the war. After one years SER
vice in Virginia he returned on furlough
to his family and remained thirty days.
He again united with his company in Vir-
ginia, in Feb. 1862, and served up to
within about ten days of Lees surrender.
when he was captured and confined in
prison, at Point Lookout, Md. While in
prison, he secured u pistol and attempted
to escape. but was knocked down by the
guard by a blow on the head with a mus
ket He attempted to shoot the guard, but
did not succeed. Was court-martialed
and sentenced to three years confinement
in prison near the Canada line, the name
of which he could not remember. He re-
manned there two years after the expra-
ton of his time, but could give no con
nected statement of anything that oc-
Cured during that time, his mind having
been affected by the blow on the head
when he attempted to escape ut Point
Lookout. He had never written to his
family during the entire time, us he did
not desire to add to their trouble by mar
| rating his hardships. lie had left them poor
and Supposing they had hard time to
make living, he did not wish to add to
their discontinue by relating his own
troubles. In 1870, he says, he made his
way to Virginia. and was in q hospital at
Staunton.under the charge of n Mr.. Walker
He then went to Gordonsville and York
town, following the business of gardener.
After enduring great poverty and suffer-
| ing from il-health he determined to re-
turn to Alabama. and learn what he could
of his family. Learning that his eldest
| boy was living at West Point in that State
he first went to that place and was recog-
llized by his boy. lie then proceeded to
| Lomar, where his family, he learned, had
moved and was instantly recognized by
his wife. although he had greatly changed
and aged beyond his years. The reporter
who publishes the interview ,intimates that
it was suspected that he had married dur
| ing his absence, and that it was possible
his story was lacking in ver;icity. To learn
the truth of Parker's recital. letters were
written to Staunton. Gordonsville and
| Yorktown. the result of VIII ich is not
stated.
| So far as Parker's statement about be-
ing in II hospital at Staunton, &C., in 1870,
superintendent by a Mr.. Walker, is con-
cerned, there is nothing in it. There was
no hospital, except the I,lnatic Asylum,
here at that time, and no such person as Il
MIR. Walker connected with any SANTA
rum that we know of. 1t is entirely pos
sible, from the condition in which Parker
is reported to be, that his mind is mhinged
from the effect of the blow from the
guard at Point Lookout, and that he is in
capable of giving " correct account OF his
wanderings and sufferings. His absence
from his family eighteen years after the
close of hOstilities. would suggest that he
was either false to his family or suffering
| from a mental malady.
AS the paper containing the interview
was sent to us, for the purpose Of having
Parkers statement confirmed or denied,
we have given the above facts. 1t is
merely possible that some one of our
citizens may remember something of him,
if he was ever in this community, and if
SO we will take pleasure in publishing
any statement that may be sent us relating
| to the matter.
1t seem that his wife had never married
again--that his daughter, Il babe when he
left, had grown to womanhood and mar
ried, and that his sons are engaged in bust
ness none of them, however, but the
wife and eldest boy remembering enough
about him to recognize him, when he put
| in his appearance, afeW weeks ago. From
| the tenor of the statement in the Vie,c, we
conclude that the wife is not entirely salts
| fled with the story of her husband and that
the publication was made to elicit the
truth. His Staunton story is evidently in
correct. AS to his reference to GordOnsville
and Yorktown we know nothing. And if
tits found that Parker has been rOmancing
as to these places, it may be reasonably
concluded that the entire recital is a fabrl-
cation to conceal marital treachery or that
his mind has been so afflicted as to destroy
memory and coherency.
Sale of Railroad.
A press dispatch from Harrisonburg,
dated the Goth, gives the following state
ment about the sale of what is known as
the Narrow Gauge Railroad, the bed Of
which is now graded from Harrisonburg to
North River Gap: 1.-The sale of the Wash
ington, Cincinnati and st. Louis railroad
to syndicate composed of A. H. Martin,
of New York III. d. Cook. of Washing
ton U. J.. Boyce, yice-president of the
Shenandoah Valley railroad. and others,
was concluded here to-day through Frank
| S. Smith, of New York, their agent. The
road is to run from the Shenandoah Val
ley Railroad, in this buckingham county
via this place to the West Virginia line,
thence through Pocahontas and Webster
counties, West Virginia. Work is TO be
begun within sixty days and viii be pushed
to completion.
1t is proposed to make it a standard
HduSC. We leu ttlltt o1bt<94 III oiiO I'LL
patch to commence work within sixty days.
We do not know what the resources OF the
company are, nor are we acquainted with
the terms Of the sale. We hope everything
is favorable to an adjustment of all difficult
ties to active work, and that it will be
: prosecuted as indicated. One thing we do
know, and that is, that there is not q bet
ter route for Il railroad now unOccupied in
the State, and that if the work be prose-
cuted, as the promise now given assures,
it will open up one of the richest and most
attractive regions in the South. 1t will
pass through prolific mineral. agricultll-
raj and pastural section of Virginia and
West Virginia, and furnish an amount of
trade for the main stem Of the Shenan-
doah Valley Railroad, which it is intended
to intersect near Port Republic, that will
amply pay for construction. The effect
of this must be to give to Harrisonburg q
fresh start, and incite that community tc
active endeavors to command more of the
products of the county at that point. The
prosperity of town depends mainly OF
the business pluck and energy Of it's owr
: people. and Harrisonburg cannot be