Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-11-09

w b'll my NAhN "hN WV N'
The latter had been to the hermit's
place, and he was well aware that
had not. He began TO sneer as
started to relate my dream; but
when / began to describe things as
he knew they existed, he took a
horse aud road over to see con-
stable. The officer came and
heard my story, and then the two
things as related. The hermit was
at first supposed to be dead, but a
closer examination developed faint
signs of life, and the doctor who
was sent for succeeded IN restoring
consciousness after couple OF
days. 1t was to find, however,
that the hermit, never more than
half-witted, was now clean daft.
Meanwhile the sheriff and his
officers were at work. There wasn't
a railroad or telegraph line within
a hundred miles OF the place, but
an alarm was sent out by the stage
routes and by all travellers, and in
about a week the would.be muir
derer was caught. lie had not
travelled thirty miles. In my
dream, saw blood on his hands.
1t was MS own blood. In ransack-
ing the house he cut his right hand
severely on some object, and this
had not hea led when he was ar
rested. All the evidence against
the man, who called himself John
Hillsop, was circumstantial and
very lean circumstance at that.
had met him on the highway, and
he had inquired about the hermit,
as | have related. Curiously
enough, no one else had seen him.
The sheriff believed the man guilty,
however, and gave him to under
stand that the son of the hermits
nearest neighbOr had witnessed the
whole affair. was taken to the Jail
to confront him. He was sullen
and defiant, but as charged him
with the crime he broke down and
confessed. While he was held to
await the death or recovery of his
victim he died of typhoid feyer in
jail. My evidence, based on a
dream, would not have counted Tor
a feather in court, and although he
had confessed the crime, a smart
lawyer could have cleared him had
he lived.
The third dream occurred on the
night of the 18th of June, 1872. |
was then at LazedrO, Texas, having
arrived two days before. | was in
bad health and had been iu bed
most of the two days, stopping at
tn house of my brother. On this
night dreamed that | was abroad
in the Dight on lonely highway
on foot. noticed a grove OF trees,
several turns in the road, two or
three ranch houses, and other
things, and by and by | saw a light
on the prairie ahead of me and of
to the right. | left the road to ap-
pro ach it, and as drew near ! saw
a man sleeping under his blanket,
while his horse was picketed near
by. | stood gazing at the sleeper
when two men came creeping up,
and one of them raised an axe and
brought it down with full force on
the victims head. | saw him qulyer
and straighteD out, and then the
murderers proceeded to 60 through
him. They took his watch and
money, saddled his horse and then
rode off on their own, leading the
extra one. Before gong they COW
cred the dead body with his blanket
| perceived that they were talking,
but not word could ] hear. AS an
offset, however, my vision was very
acnte. | saw that the watch was a
gold hunting case, and that the re-
volver they took had pearl han
die, with silver arrows let in OIL the
sides. had started 10 follow the
men when some noise awoke me
and | found the house astir and
breakfast going. at once asked
my brother to send for the sheriff,
and when that official came l in-
quired:
as there a highway running out
of here on which there is grove of
trees to the right, just before you
come to ranch house I"
"There is" lie promptly answer
ed. "That is the one leading to
Corpus Christi"
"Beyond this the road bends to
the left 2"
at does"
"And after bit there ara two
more houses ~
ayes, sir; they belong to Dutch
farmers.
"And then comes long stretch
OF prairie 7"
"Yes.D
GA quarter of mile off the road
to the right, you will find the body
of murdered man"
He did not scoff at my dream
On the contrary, he seemed much
interested. When he asked me 10
/ doaor;Io tho mon I gaid
"One had long black hair, long
whiskers, black eyes, a large nose,
and one corner Of his mouth was
drawn up"
"Thats Texas Joe to a dot p he
exclaimed.
The other was dark, had high
cheek bones, a mOustache, very
yhite teeth. and he lifted his eye :