Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-08-03
a Mysterious Outrage.

EXCITED HUNT FOR A YOUNG LADY.
Miss Elizabeth Weaver is a respectable
young girl about twenty-five years of age
She is brunette with good face and Is
quite stout weighing about 100 pounds She
has been living in the family of Mr.. James
Smiley near Middlebrook. On Sunday the
18th of July she started from her home to
get her sister at VIM. H. Weaver's about
a quarter OF mile away, and go to spend
the day at the house of a neghbor living
near by. She took a coin along to pay her
subscription to the Library Of her Sunday
School, and Insisted on Mr.. Smiiey's little
daughter going with her, as after spend
ing the morning at Mrs. Hayes she pro-
posed going to Sunday school in the after
noon. The school is held at Stover's
School House. The little girl did not &C.
company her, and she left by herself
When night came and Miss Weaver did
not return great anxiety was felt. At the
places she had STARTED fo., no one had
heard Of her. By the close of the next day
the country around Middlebrook was
searched by numerous parties, there being
at one time as many as eighty persons in
the fields and forests, scouting. On Friday
the goth of July, her parents received from
their lost daughter the following letter
which appeared to have been mailed at
Waynesboro
Dear Father, Mother, Sisters and Brothers;
was taken away by man on my way
to Mr.. Weaver's laid ON the ground last
night. [ haven't Lad anything to eat since
l left Mr.. Smiley's. l am almost starved
and tired to death. l don It know where L
am or where he is going to take ne can
hardly write for crying. My love to all L
am coming back. whenever can get away.
But if never see you all here, l hope to
meet you all in heaven. | want you all to
pray for me. Please send for my clothes;
/ was there five weeks and two DAYS.
lifted two dollars and fifteen cents. owed
McCorkles one seventy-hye.
| got piece of pie to-day. am in four
miles of Waynesboro. hope [ will meet
uncle John there. Tell Mr.. Smiley to give
you all my things and my money Wish
Won would take care Of my things AND do
not forget me. hope [ will get back some
day, though il may be long time. l have
ever hear from you all or not until come,
but will write whenever | can.
Good hye. the ones | love so we'll. MY
dear friends it would be a great pleasure
to hear from you all from
LIZZIE WEAVER.
On the receipt Of this letter Messrs. F.
A. Talley. g. F. Carwell. Elijah Hanger,
and Jno. F. Weaver, a brother of the girl.
started for Waynesboro in search of her.
They heard of woman answering to her
description there AS having started on the
road to Stanton. They went IN pursuit
and at several places on the road heard of
her as having stopped so get drink OF
water and as giving the name OF Lizzie
Weaver. Thew found her just after she
got to Stanton.
The young girls statement is that when
she reached the top Of the ridge between
Mr., Smiley's and Mr.. Weaver 8 on Sunday
morning, she saw man sitting on a log
on the side of the road. He was over SIX
feet tall weighing $50 pounds, with black
hair and wearing dark brown suit. He
rose as she approached aid said: you've
got to 90 with me'' She refused and be
drew pistol from his pocket and told her
if she refused or made any alarm he would
kill her In fear Of being murdered she
followed him. They followed the ridge
leading by Mr.. Jacob Bosserman's farm
and crossed the Greenvilln road into 1.-THE
Pines,'' where he assaulted her and
where they lodged that night. In
the morning they went apout three miles
down the Shenandoah Valley Railroad
and wandered to and fro in the fields but
still nearing WaynesborG. From Sunday
until Tuesday was passed in that way
without anything to eat except piece Of
pie that they got from an old coloret
woman. Her companion seemed from hi!
conversation to have been connected will
a circus. They got to Waynesboro Tues
day and as her captor left her to go into
store she at once walked brskly down tn
street, and inquiring Of colored womal
where the post office was, went there ant
mailed the letter she had written Will
she was about four miles from Waynesbo
TO, She then left the town by bacl
street ana went Out Iuo lsHsiSVlIle Iod'
coming On to Staunton where as has beer
stated she was found.
The disappearance of the young woman
created more excitement in the southern
end of the county than anything that ha
happened IN that section for a long time
1t IS impossible to discover the author o
this outrage upon the girl, as she has Do'
been able to give any clue to the man tina
abducted her. except the description W
have given. The young girl has borne al
excellent reputation, and there is littl
doubt had the man been found, violen
measures would have been resorted TO b.
those who were in search of her.