Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-03-27
a TERRIBLE TALE.

An Oid Nan Say, lie sSss Imprisonei fn a
Cellar Eleven Years 30 uis step-Dsugh-
ter aud Her Husband.
Ptt-burzh. Pa, February s5th, Special
An old man named Villa n Moore ar
rived here to-day 10 consult Ia yyer rela-
tive 10 the recovery OF some property
which he claims be has bsen detrauded OF.
His story is IA most wonderful one of sur
fering endured fo- the last eleven years
from the cru 4 treatment OF dssigning rel
atives. He says ne is sixtv-one years of
age, and that for ten years the outside
world has hOught him dead.
Said hs. Il have, in fact, been buried
alive, as il were. in a stoae-eellar in the
rear OF my s'epdaught rs husbands home,
on farm IA Washington County, near
Tra lelphia, which farm Is my property,
but which my relatives tried @ unlawiully
keep me out Of In 1871 l. beins a bache-
lsr, married a widow named Mrs. Wal
lace, who, with her only daughter, lived
in Wheeling. | brought them both TO
my farm. The girl was then eighteen
years Old, but the mo her was still
young women, being about thirty seven
years OF age Two years after that my
wise died, and year afterward my step
daughter married, much against my viii,
a worthless fellow whom she knew in
Wheeling. named Jim Slavin. They both
came to live with me, as l thought he
might be of use on thesarm, bu, in that [
WAS mistaken, a he was continually bor-
rowing money from me and always re-
fus.ug to do any work. frequently knew
that ha took money from my pocket when
| was asleep, and also pilfered cash from
the bureau drawer. When / accused him
OF 1t both be and his wife few into pas
sion and threatened TO Ii me.
'sThey finally, under threats, induced
me to make a viii in their favor, and
shortly after | had done this my term of
long Imprisonment commenced. One
evening a neighbor called at my house
and said Il understand you are going on
a visit 10 see your relatives ] was on
the point OF denying any such report when
my SON law made threatening gesture
and said. 80. yes
That night while l was lying in bed
was gagged, bound and placed IN the cell
lar | speak Of, and the door doubly locked
and bOlted. The next morning Slavin
sawed a wicket in the door. and through
that opening food was handed 70 me. And
/ have lived in that place off and on ever
since Only occasionally was allowed to
20 out at night, bound with ropes about
my body, and permitted 10 walk about the
ward. The cellar was 50 arranged that
INV outcries, in case | made any. could not
I be heard, and in case visitors came 20 the
house a gag was always put in buy mouth
as extra precaution. | heard after | es-
capped that it had been given out that
had died VIII lie in Mich gan
about two weeks ago my usual allow
auce of food was not gwen mo, and. hear
F ing no sound about the house. l thought
would try to get out. Durns ms long m
prisonment had loosed lar g stone from
T its position in the wall, and with this | ap-
preached the door and managed 70 batter
/ Il down. There was no person in the house,
and my relatives were nowhere to be seen
I ransacked the house, and found nearly
800 in money ia one OF the drawers. /
/ took the money and started Immediately
+ fos Pittsburgh, and | intend to have my
wrongs righted and my property restored
I TO me-"