Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1883-02-10
KIDNAPPING A BRIDE:
winning d wife by Chastising tho
Woman's Defamer-Losing Her,
Hunting Down Her Abductor and
Causing Him to Bite the Dust.


Hunting Down Her Abductor and
Causing Him to Bite the Dust.
1t did not require second look to con-
vince one that the man had at some time
in his life passed through g fearful ordeal.
Impressed as others were, Denver Tribune
reporter made inquiries at the desk who the
man was and whence he came.
Frank Harrison, Montana" replied the
clerk II think he is from Jefferson Valley
! "a ranchman, miner or something like
that. Strange guest? Yes, indeed; very"
While the clerk was rafting on volume
of conjectures as to the calling and charac-
tel of the new guest, the gray haired youth
walked into the billiard-room and the
scribe followed, leaving the clerk to finish
his lines to the mute register which he was
pouring over at the time.
Certainly not" replied Mr. Harrison,
the reporter having requested him not to
feel offended. He dropped into chair,
and, plac ng his hat on one knee, balanced
it absent-m ndedly.
"You ask what made my hair so prema-
tttrely gray" he continued. II suppose
that many people marvel at it. / often
do myself. 1t is an Old little story. and1
don't mind telling it to you. am only 70
years Old.
as if collecting his thoughts, and then
continued:
1.-TWO years ago when became of age,
l bid my folks good-bv at my home in In
diana and started Tor Montan to try my
luck in the mines. / wandered from Butte
City to Virginia City, Helena, and then
through the Blackfoot country, but my ill
luck and Inexperience left me without
prospect or money in the late fall. Re-
solved to qui, thy pass the winter and again
take to prospecting in the spring, located
at Bannack City, near the Montana and Ida
he lire, and on the eastern slope Ot the
Rocky Mountain range. 1t was dull
stupid little place, its only inhabitants be-
ing the remnant relics of the old days when
the territory was noted as a gold producer.
Funds from home made easy my comfort
for the winter"
about a month after I had taken up
Ray residence at Bannack, young woman
arrived, awakening the camp from
its torpor. She WAS the daughter of d
store-keeper, and was just returned from
an eastern college. That was an eventful
day to me. l shall never forget 1.-THE
excitement Of the ,tMen.-the stories heard
of her wondrous beauty-the invitation
got throug* her mother to attend The home
reception that highland the conflicting
feelings that ran riot within me. 1t was
what you So often read about-a case at first
sight. l resisted not the emotions which
took possession OF me at the start, bu', in
spired by them, made every effort to be
agreeable. The impulse was mutual. She
played the guitar like maestro and sang di-
vinely. The airs of my college days re-
turned to me. We sang duets for the edifi-
cation of the gathering; we toll d stories and
alternately recited When 1 turn back and
recall that night, it strikes me that over
did myself.
"In the wake of the other guests, about
midnight, left with the invitation ringing
in Ry ear to soon return. The enjoyment
and exercise had proved too great strain
for my nerves: l conld not sleep. Knowing
nothing better to do, | stepped into the
Golden ELEPHANT O. gambling house
and saloon. There were number of men
at the faro lay out. Among them | noticed
a supposed horse dealer named Bill Orth,
who was One Of the guests at the reception.
He was a big burly, bushwhacking fellow
in makeup, and always reminded ME of
horse-thief, for whom a line of hemp was
somewhere dangling. l had no reason to
think that he was unfriendly toward me;
but the sinister glances he divided between
the faro dealer and myself satisfied me that
he meant me no good. With long drawn
out oaths he continued to call for drinks
and curse his i'll luck. At length his last
stack Of chips disappeared, and, with the
hope of damnation on his lips, he walked
over to the bar and called for another whis-
KY"
Theyoung man then told how he knocked
the rutfian down for remarks made in re-
gard to the young woman; how &c and
Miss Barton were soon afterward engaged
to be married; how Orth, who loved her;
and who proved to bea professional horse
thief, was bent on revenge; how the couple
were married, and how the bride myster-
iously disappeared few hours after the
wedding. 1t was bell eyed to be a case of
kidnapping and as Orth disappeared at the
same time he was charged with having
done the work of vilIainy. Harrison &C.
co1npaned by two friends named Mort and
Tim Blakely, started in pursuit of the kid
napper. The pursuers separated-a fierce
storm raging at the time--Harrison taking
the middle fork of river Tim going
two miles Harrison's horse gave out.
Leaving the animal in a patch of pines,
the young man with his rifle in his hand
plunged through snowdrifts,, resol we'd to
go ahead until his strength should fail.
Il must have walked an hour in this
manner he said, when suddenly there
was a crash, and l seemed to lose my senses
Inc pln0-COSereu utSdp-
peared and / was sinking down, down to
death. When consci ousuess returned it was
a long time before came to understand my
situation. ! was lying on my side. Open
ing nv eyes | saw a small ray OF light
above. l attempted to raise my right hand
to rub my eyes, thinking they had eceived
me; it was powerless. l used my lett hand
and looked again. there it ai'ed, little
spot of Pickering brightness like star In
Il. IN ctnnd.
limbs refused to perform their functions.
Then pains began to rack me, and after
staring moment at the light above, it
flashed across me that I had fallen into an
abandoned mining shaft. As Che awfu!
truth that / was entOmbed alive daWned
upon me, I passed into a new existence.
The first thing did was to divide my two
meals into twelve rations, which calcula-
ted would, sustain life for four days. These
I set apart into twelve distinct piles. When
that was done, gave myself up to thoughts
of death.
"Four days I suffered these horrors. l
ate my last morsel, and nothing was left
for me to do but die of slow starvation
But cannot give you any idea of the men,
tai suferings which for all that time made
me inlpervious to the pain of my Injuries"
said the narrator, the beads of cold perspl-
ration standing out on his forehead. Just
as eternity was opening to receive me, after
days of torture, heard what sounded like
faint cry she is saved; Mary is waiting for
you, and in the gadness of delirium re-
Iapsed into the sinking state of death.
Fainter grew the cries don't worry, Franz.
we are comm for you or my name aren't
Tim Blakeiy.' Then I seemed to take
wings and fly off-otf into space and obliv-
ion"
SIS this Heaven" murmured on awak-
ening. No, it is earth, Frank, and your
little wife is with you I was lying on the
ground.
''The storm had gone and the sun was
beating down from the west with its fullest
and warmest rays of eventide. Tim and
Mort were bending over me rubbing life in
70 my limbs, and Mary WIS kissing and
carressing me as only can woman who
loves with single heart. / was fully con-
scious in an instant. Theshaft was yawning
close to where lay. l was alive and Mary
was safe! That was enough happiness for
the time, and, too weak to talk, i
ventured no further INQUIRIES"