The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-09-02
MYSTERY OF EASTHAMPT0N

Ill lOlLll VI Lao ua.ul 1NN
The time has come when l am at lib
erty to make public one Of the strangest
stories ever given to the world-a story
30 strange and romantic that if it were
not absolutely true it would be pro.
nounced unlikely to the verge of lmpos-
sibility. Its most minute details have
been known to me for more than four
years, but for several reasons it has not
been permitted me until now to narrate
them.
It was April, 1910. forty-five years
ago. 1t was six years before the MeSl-
can war. Where San Francisco, with
its $50, 900 inhabitants, now stands, was
then, and for nine years later, the little
Mexican settlement of 9erba Buena,
whittier young man who wrote 1.-Two
Years Before the Mast" went in Bos-
ton ship for hides. Denver, with its
$4,000 inhabitants, was founded nine
teen years after.
We make history" so fast in this
country that forty.iivc years with us
count for more, indeed. in the worlds
progress than a cycle of Cathay.H In
this sleepy corner of Long Island, how
ever, there has been precious little
change for the better and Easthampton
was more important place than now in
this month of April aforesaid. 1t was
perhaps on just such day as this--the
sea as blue, tie air as clear, the sails of
the old windmills as activc-that high
bred, dignifed gentleman, about fifty
years of age, walked up to the little inn
followed by an attendant.
In pleasant voice, and with Scotch
accent, he asked if he could have ac-
commodations. The landlord looked at
him with certain hesitation.
'Is that man your servant" he asked.
''He is" was the reply.
"Wcll, he must eat at the same table
with YOU"
81 shall conform to your customs and
regulations, was the smiling answer.
For five long yenrs did this courtly
gentleman sleep in the crampcd cham
bers, breakfast, dine. and sup at the
frugal board Of this humble hostelry.
Then he became an inmate-forunate
enough he was to find such good friends
of the home of the Huntington family,
and in that substantial house lit is the
fourth from the old Presbyterian church,
going SOUTH he spent twenty-five years
more. lie was q man of marked niety and
bcnevolcncc, Of charm ne manners and
address, OF extreme culture, Of rare social
qualities. He had been the friend and
associate OF jeffrey and the literary
giants of his day. lie had ample means,
and rcmittanccs came to him through a
chain of banks, ending in wcllknown
New York house, who denied any
knowledge of his personality or belong
ings.
lie led b,amclcss, q lovely life, in
this quiet town. lie was the friend Of
all. the comforter of the afflicted, the
helper of the needy. Books ana maga-
zines in large store came to him. He
vcrsiticd the Psalms and taught Latin TO
the boys. A blameless and loving life
indeed; but martyrdom,a living death,
one would have said, to man of his
tastes and anteccdents. Think of it! He
remained, an exile, in this town for
nearly thrty-one years-from early in
his fiftieth to the end of his eighty first
year. In all this time he never saw the
face of relative or an old friend.
lie went ut first on Sundays to
the Episcopal church a: Sag Har-
Dor, seven miles distant, but he was in
strumental in the building of the little
one in Easthampton which we just
passed; he contributed largely to its
support, and he was made a lay reader,
and for long time conducted the ser
vices himself. With the exception OF
this church going at Sag IIarbor, the
only time in thirty one years that this
remarkable man passed the limits Of the
little village was on the occasion of a
single trip to Southampton. twelve miles
distant The servant, Scotch valet,
went to the West. and married. He
made his appearance at intervals, evi:
dently TO- extort money from his old
master.
During his entire life in Easthampton
this man successfully defeated all at
tempts to discover his identity When
he entered the little inn in April, 1910,
the name he gave was John Wallace;
John Wallace he was to the end and
John Wallace is the name which you
will find, under q cross and anchor, on
the plain white marble slab in that south
ern cemetery over which the old wind.
mill watches. To the excellent family
with whom he lived, and whose kind
ness to him while on Garth and tender
regard for his memory are altogether
lovely, he, waking Or sleeping, stalwart
or failing, in the close intimacy of three
decades, gave no word. The inhabitants
of the village, his neighbors and bene-
ficiaries, accepted his kindness and con.
structcd theories about him. With
the perverscness Of poor human
nature. they constructed them to
his detr.mcnt. lie was a bishop
of the English church, another good
man gone wrong" lie was murderer.
He was-lIcavcn knows what not AS
years passed by, aud the place was more
and more frequcntcd in summer by ''cisy
folks" curiosity spread, and grew apace.
The most strenuous efforts were made to
QlSCONCE VIII JOIll " oilaSS "to. Nhe
man bearing an Old New York name, and
since dead, had tho ill grace to threaten
him. lie told him that the "ccnsus mar
sha" was coming. and that unless he
told that functionary just who he was,
he would be put in prison. After this
interview the late excellent DR.. Hunting
ton found the poor old gentleman in a
pitiable state, and learned Of the threat
Just made.
Give yourself no concern" said he.
"The census marshal has been here. lie
asked YOUR name. l told him. and he
has gone" But on the night of the
3Oth or 31st of December, 1870, there
came to the door census marshal who
could not be barred out, messenger who
brought at once a summons and re,
lease. Mr.. Wallace raised himself from
his peaceful pilow-thcre was not even
time for him, like Colonel Newcome, to
saw "Adsum"-his head dropped, and
his eighty first year, his lonely life, and
the year of our Lord 1870 came to an end
torether One can almost fancy that