Richland beacon., 1885-01-03
TUE FLORIDA SENSATION.
Staten,cn. Offl,e Merchant Who
Ss;ss EsecrIaiiy Carried on ana
Forced to Marry.

THOMAsyILLE, Dec. 2l.-Mr. j. ID.
Smith, the victim Of the forced mar
riage in Malianna, Fla, is here. and
tells remarkable story concerning
that event. He says:
On Monday or Tucslny, about Nov.
%, 1851, soon after my return from /
brownsville to Mariana, Fla, }. ii.
McKinnie sent for lne to come to his !
Office. On approaching him he re-
marked i'll a disgusting way: "Heli's I
to play, JEFF" did not understand
him, thinking that he WAS speaking
of suit had brought few days be-
fore in Il certain Logan matter,
demanded an explanation Of him. He
stated that John Logan hadapproach-
ei him TO prosecute me for having
iniurned bis GIRL. Being SO horr.lied
aud disguised, knowing L had not
met his daughter bat twice III two
wears, [ did not believe a word and
considered it some of his jokes, but
he swore to me as Il fIiena, hc said,
that it was true, and proceeded to
state that if | would pay $50 or 500
he would get me receipt Ill fuI OF
all damages and stop the trouble. l
did not believe Il word Mcknnie said
and Thought it some joke and would
not say anything more,
Mckinnie then told me he would
make other arrangements. Some few
/ davs afterward friend came with
message, stating that Long WAS going
/ to kill me. | did not make myself
uneasy about the matter, for ! knew
that if Long thought such thing he
would come to me and / would prove
to him that / only met bis daughter
twice in hong time. This was Il
trap some outrageous fellow had laid
for me to only clear his own skirts.
Soon after Long died.
CARRIED OFF BY FORCE.
On Saturday evening, Dec. 6, when
my clerk was absent, Mckinnie came
to nv front door and called me. l
went out and found Mckinnie on his
horse and Finalyson in a buggy.
Finalysan asked me to take a seat. l
did so. He drove OFF. l objected to
his going as 1 had no ore to take
charge of my store. He said McKin-
ME would look after it; that he had
told McKinnie to keep store for me.
1 suspicioned something, knowing
this fellow was an uncle Of the girl,
/. but thought he wanted to carry me
to face his relations. Little did !
think he intended any violence until
he drew his pistol from under his
coat and cursed me, stating that if
opened my mouth or moved he would
kill me on the spot, and before could
realize the situation l saw Bolds ano
several others with shotguns and
1 pistols all around me. They told mt
I had to 60 and marry this woman ol
= die. Irefused to go and Bolds anC
Finalvson laid hands on me. 1threv
them both from the buggy and teli tC
the ground myself; the buggy RAJ
over one. l attempted to get away
but was seized around the waist an,
held fast. A struggle took place anC
they finally got me in the buggy tn
second time, and | succeeded i'll get
ting out. In the meantime, Mile
and some others guarded back th'
crowd, and told them that if anyOn
came to my rescue that they woul,
kill them. This kept back the crowd
as none seemed armed. l saw L. "
Hentz coming to my rescue, ant
! Miller halted him with his gun
Hentz drew pistol and would hav
come, but T. ". Conley and Mr.. She
Phillip caught Hentz and carrie
him inside a gate, telling him his hf
would be taken III such crowd.
became overcome by the struggi
:R with these men, was thrown III tn
buggy again, and off we were drawn
graspedthe lines and stopped til
L. buggy; Bolds hallooed for some
their party to come forward and rid
the mule out of town, and one of I'll
IS party Immediately mounted the mu
and cut the lines from my grasp 4
this moment Senator McKinnie ROD
", up and gave them his stick to get Il
ne mule of. 1 was cramped III tt
%, iY buggy, with these fellows holding II
Of down. and was thus carried to Final.
ng sons house, where l was taken IN
IS. room and shut in, guarded by Box
and Finalyson, both swearing that
- Imoved
rtrry vOrID KLINE.
Then the raving woman W
brought into me. She knew L WI
going to prove my innocence, al
she would not allow me to say inuc