The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-02
A SEASON OF MYSTERIES.
prRsON COME AND GO IN AN
ASTOUNDING MANNER.


His Marriage Celebrated.
From the Chicago Tribune.
The experience of Henry NJ. Hurd the day
cot for his g-Monday-would make
an excellent chs pier for sensational story.
Dora Washburne is a plump and most
,laasing widow of 80, who keeps neat and
respectable boarding house at No. rs West
Nineteenth street Some time ago she re-
ceived new boarder in Henry NJ. Hurd, an
intelligent and thrifty widower of pleasing
appearance and manner, and it was not long
before the boarder and landlady were on
terms of friendship. He proposed,
was accepted and the marriage was
fixed for the day after Christ
mas, Mr. Hurd, who is woodworker,
a. wears old had in the meantime got out of
ennloyment, but not at all discouraged he
went to the Marriage License Clerk last
Thursday and procured a license. The hour
fixed for the wedding was $50 p. M, and
every preparation was made for neat but
Quiet wedding. Bridemaids and grooms-
men were engaged, and the Rev. Joseph
Odgers of the Halsted Street Methodist Epis-
copal Church was instructed to be present.
Monday morning arrived, and, after a chat
at breakfast with his prospective bride, Hurd
pjcked up copy of the tribune and began
to read it, His eye wandered to the adver-
tislng columns, where he noticed the fol
lowing adj:
WANTED, foreman; must have first class
w record; special knowledge of the business
not required Address, by letter only, CHICA-
GO RETORT AND FREDERICK COMPANY,
Room IS, Clark and La Sale streets.
An idea struck Hurd. 1t would be joy
fnl surprise if on his wedding day he could
get a good situation. He carefully folded
the paper, and after placing it in his pocket
remarked:
Dora, I'm going to take a run down
town. Here's an lad" for foreman; and
[ think I'll go down and answer in person y
With that he put on his overcoat and left
the house That was the last she saw of
him that day. Six o'clock arrived, guests
present, the wedding supper was in readi-
ness-yet no groom. What could be the
matter. perhaps he had been murdered
become insanen-''got lostr These and
MANY other speculations were INDUCED in.
Eight o'clock struck, and still no bride
groom. The guests were dismissed. Two
of the boarders went to the Canalport
Avenue Police Station, where they gave a
description of the missing man.
Probably gone off on tear" NUT
tered the Desk Sergeant as he scrubbed
down: 'Forty-five; medium build; bald
gray hair and moustache; light coat with
checked suit"
In the meantime Hurd was undergoing a
thrilling experience When be left the
boarding-h house he went down La Sale
street, where he took out his paper to again
look at the address For the first time he
noticed the words Address by letter only, y
and when he saw Room A., Clark and
La Sale streets, he was puzzled. The lat
ter was really a typographical error, and
should be ''Forty-fifth, between Clark and
La Salle.n 1t was about 10 o'clock when
Hurd noticed the peculiarities of the lad, -
and he decided to walk about bit, in the
meantime looking out for job. He wander
ed down State street short distance, and
finally made up his mind to go home. He
boarded cable-car, intending to cross the
Twenty second street bridge and go home
that way. He got off at Twenty-second
street and walked slowly toward the river,
his mind busily engaged in picturing his hap
piness when Mrs Dora Washburne would
become Mrs. Hurd. Suddenly, and without
any warning, he was seized from behind and
his hands pinione6. A hand covered his
mouth so that an cutlery was impossi-
BILE, and at the same instant a rag
saturated with chloroform was thrust
under his nose. In a few moments Hurd
was insensible, but he has a dim-very dim
recollection of what was done with him.
that Monday morning deserted. Hurd was
dragged to a neighboring alley and thrust
into a carriage. What became of him then
he does not recollect, but when he recovered
consciousness he found himself in bed with
his clothes on. He was as if in a dream.
The gas jet above him was burning dimly.
The little room seemed pretty we'll fur
nished. He heard voices in room ad join
ing, and soon a couple of men entered.
Hurd was too dazed to be able to see their
faces, but he heard one of them whisper in
his ear:
''Be still. Don't stir, on your life"
He remained perfectly quiet, and the men
left the room. Two or three hours passed.
Then he heard heavy step in the hallway
and door slam. Then followed a CONVEX
sation between three men. The voices drew
nearer and nearer, and suddenly the door
leading into the little bedroom was thrown
open and three men of medium height, each
with black cloth mask on his face, stood
beside the bed. One of them, evidently the
new conner, stopped over Hurd, and after
peering into his face exclaimed angrily:
THAT isn't. the man. You've got the
wrong party!'
The trio then adjourned to an adjoining
room, where an animated discussion took
place. The dispute lasted an hour ca two,
when the men re-entered the bedroom and
sasd handkerchief over Hurd's eyes. He
was taken down flight of stairs and placed
IN carriage. After a long ride the vehicle
stopped and the men who had accompanied
him assisted the unhappy bridegroom to
alight. He was walked forward a short
distance, and then the party halted
The bandage was removed from the prison
er's eyes and he was told to remain perfectly
still. A moment passed and Hur'd turned
around to see two forms enter the carriage,
the driver to whip his horses, and the car
rage disappear in the dense darkness that
gathers before dawn. The mystitied Hurd
looked around and found he was on the
Lake Front near Randolph street, just Off
Michigan avenue. His head was still throb-
bling from the effects of the drug admins
tered to him on Twenty street, but a
lew strides in the cool air revived him. He
crossed Michigan avenue and Dearborn
Park, jumped aboard the first Halsted
street car, and rode home
1t was between and o'clock when he
reached the boarding-house, and in answer
to his heavy pounding Mrs. Washburne
opened the door. When she saw who it
was she threw her arms about his neck and
wept for JOY. By this time all the boarders
had been aroused and they listened with
establishment to the story of his experiences.
Hurd added that he recognized no faces,
could not locate the house in which he was
lmprisoned-not even the part of the city 1t
was in-nor could he tell within several
blocks whereabouts on Twenty second
street he was chloroformed. In fact, the
drug had so affected him that he knew he