The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-07-09

on the head alone, all OF which were
made BY clubs. To show how thick
these wounds are, the hair was parted
in half dozen places, each spot show.
ing where the scalp had been broken.
As we'll as the child can remember,
two years ago she determined to make
her escape, and one day, when she wa
threatened with whipping, an oppor.
tunity was waited for and dash made
for liberty.
The camp at that time was five
miles from Portland, Jay county. Ind.
and that town Cora tried to reach. She
succeeded. and just as she was begin.
ming to think she was free she was re.
captured by an old gypsy woman. who
was in town telling fortunes. Being
returned to camp she was beaten un.
mercifully, and. to add horror to hor.
ror. McVey again tied her. stripped Che
feet Of shoes and stockings, and stand.
ing the then almost dead child up in
the wagon, nailed one foot to the wagon.
bed, the nail being driven through the
left foot. The incarnate fiend, still not
being content, struck her blow across
the instep with the blade of the Ratchet,
laying the flesh open to the bone, and
then left her in this condition for more
than an hour. II the scars did not
carry out this assertion the people would
not be asked to be believe it. One duy
when McVey and the woman O'Connel
had separated from the band, they
went into camp alone, near Richmond,
this state. As usual. Cora was turned
out to beg. McVey was sharpening
scissors. mending umbrellas, and doing
such jobs of tinEering as he could Sc.
cure. 1.-The woman was ..doine the
town." and it so CHANGED that Cora saw
her enter livery stable in company
with two men. Not knowing it would
incur the wrath of either. the child told
McVcy what she had seen, and McVey
in turn raised merry war with the
woman. At this moment the three
were in the wagon, and tho woman be-
came so incensed that she drew a small
revolver from her dress-pocket, and
fired at Cora The ball struck her
plump in the forehead. between the
eyes. but by some happy circumsta nce
it did not penetrate the skull. CHANGING
oil and lodging under the skin an inch
from where it entered. ''Scc, here is
the place." said Cora, as she turned
back her bangs; and, sure enough,
there was the bullet-hole, the powder
in the skin and the scar that was made
by the surgeons knife short time ago.
On one occasion McVey stripped his
captive. and after bringing Il pan of
water to a boil dashed it against her
lower limbs. scalding them till the flesh
dropped of in places. At another time
1n t:n.l 1,e,. IN q, StoEn With tho -, tnnt;o,,
of burning her to death. but changed
his mind. and amused himself by cut
ting Off one of her fingcr-nails. Her
hands all over shows where he bit out
pieces simply for the sake of making
her appear wretched when she would
hold them out for aims. The atrocities
visited on this helpless child IRE with
out parallel in the annals of crime, and
to hear her recite her awful expcr-
fences makes an impression never to be
forgotten.
Eleven weeks ago to-day, this poor
little helpless child was doomed to die
at the hands of McVey. How horrible
her death might he she could not tell,
for her snllerings and fortunes for five
years had been such as would have
killed or detllroned the minds of most
people. In a moment of desperation
she determined to escape OR die in the
attempt McVey had discarded his
woman, and he and the child were
alone near Gettysburg, not far from
Grecnville. o.
The moment arrived. McVcy was
away short distance, and Cora, like
a frightened deer. sprang away. Super
natural power was given the helpless
orphan. and she sped away on the
wings of the wind. A mile and Il half
away was the home of Manuel Miller,
which the girl reached more dead than
alive. She was given protection by
| these good people, and the next day
was taken to a Mr.. Julick's, where she
remained about one week. McVey, dur
ing this time, was skulking around,
and in order to mislead him, Cora was
taken to Alexander Browns and then
to Caroline Browns. in Gettysburg,
next to Frank Choate's, and finally
to Clay Choate's. where she was re-
ceived by Mr.. Powell. Eighteen years
ago, Arabian Frissler, grandfather OF
Cora on her mothers side, died, leav-
ing small amount of money, which
this child is heir to. Four years ago
|, Mr.. Powell was made guardian of the
) child. though twas not known whether
she was dcatl;or alive. He Immediate
~ commenced looking and scvrchine
for her, but could gain no clew. When
the child first told her story in Darkc
county, she gave her name as Cors
Dobbins, and to others as Cora Green
! but she was certain she was carried
/ away from Shelby county. Prosecutor
Elliott and Sheriff Thomas Lickladder
of Greenville, followed this clew. came
, here, and on examining the record.
, and following one clew after another
finally established the fact that thu
+ child was MIR. powell's ward, On las
, Tuesday evening Mr.. Powell returned
l from Ohio with the child, and to.da,
there is not q happier person in thi!
} vide, wide world than Cora Doolittte
: She will he put IN school this fall, ant
t everything possible done to erase from
, her ss;ind the tortures and sufferings o
e the past FIVE years.
Since her escape she has seen McVey
r once, and that was when she Mas liyin:
> at Alexander Browns. The family wa
s going to funeral, and McVey up
preached the wagon in which the,
A were at which Cora was made to Ii,
Y down. lie demanded of Mr. Brown t,
! know where the child was, and threat
Il ene9 70 whip him if he did not tell
. Here Cora frightened up. and ex
y claimed, "Ycs, but he cuuldn't Will
c Alexander Brown" In regard i
II McVey's real name, the girl thinks il
: is John Mobcrly. Among tho gypsie
s he is known as ''1'hrce-F Fingered Jack,
). from the fact that the first two finger
!. Of bis sigAt hand are of: She describe
It him as being aho4t ays feet ten inche
n high (sho judged this by geatlemal
o in the room), gray eyes. sandy hair
II and beard of the same color, which h
e always cuts off in the summer. o.
@ one vi us forearms is scar, made b
d knife. i seems that he is an Indian
/ product. Years ago 10 g was Twin
|, with a woman named Green. and, a
d was his habit, he spent about tw
% months of the winter on farm bt
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