Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-01-10
svyindIed by II Gypsy Queen.

There died last week, near Salem, Va.,
Mr.. David z Trout, wel.k9owD mud once
a welito. do farmer ofRosnoke county, and q
brother of Hon. Henry s. Trout, who repre-
aented that district in the Senate of Virgin.
ia from 1882 to 1856 MIR. Trout owned one
ef the best farms in the county, lying about
midway between Salem and the city of Ro.
anoke, Immediately on the Norfolk and
Western railroad. Though somewhat rs
eerved and quiet in his manners he was q
popular man aud one in whom every one
had confidence, the best evidence of which
is that he had been elected one OF the super.
visors of the county during several succes-
sive terms, and was chairman Of the board
al the time of his death. He was regular
and temperate in his habits, strict church
member, and was looked npon as o prudent,
industrious and thrifty man: supposed not
only TO be out of debt, but 10 have money
laid up. In 1877 a gang Of sttolins gypsies
came into bis neighborhocG ana made an
encampment about milo fron h!s h0use.
and willis the men speut .aeir ,imt goiGg
around swapping horses, ibe woLnsa cccu
pied themselves in fortune taiirg Matilda
T. WortoD, tho gypsy queen. Wac one
of the gang, though ii was not knowb at the
time.
Three years afterward-, oD the 6 II day
of April, 1880, D. E. frou; appeared beflre
one of the courts in Brooklyn, accompanied
by Detective John Wren, Of Richm rnd, and
the mayor of Newark, N. J 10 identily
Matilda T. Woron, (who was then couiiued
in the Brooklyn jail on charge of swnd-
ling one William Jessup, of Princeton,
Ind. out of S2,550), who was charged By
David E. Trout with swndling him ou; OF
$40, 900 in greenbacks in the year 1877. MIR
Trout swore positively es 10 her identify,
and proceeded 70 atats that in the year
1877, while the gypsias were encamped near
his residence, ne received through the past
Office at Salem note or letter signed NJ. T.
WortoD, Informing him that she had diecov-
cred on his farm, very neer his house, q
silver mine, worth ct least Fl ,00o,00O, and ap-
pointing time and place where she would
meet him and give him further particulars.
The meeting was held according to appoint.
meut, and she proceeded to give him fur
ther account OF this silver mine, which at
some former aud perhaps remote date bad
been worked by two Indian chiefs, named
Curry and Fash, who died, leaving the Sc
cret of the existence and value Of the
mine, and which she was willing 10 com
municate to him. He promised 10 give her
one-helf ifehe would take him &c the place
and satisfy him of its value. To this she re-
piled that all che would expect in the way
of compensation was to have S12 900 in bank
notes that she could see and handle. When
ne told her that he did not have that much
money By him, but thought that he could
raise as much as $4,000 in VI days, che
said that would be sufficient, and he imme'
diately made note which, being we'll 10
dorsed, was discounted by one of the banks
in Lynchbuye; and g few days afterward he
and the gypsy woman met at his own house,
Where be exhibited the package OF bank
notes, which she took into her hands, eI
amined and counted carefully, and returned
to him after making various incantatons
and prayers over il. This was repeated On
several different occasions, on the last of
which she said to him that everything was
working right that the charm was almost
ready to be broken, and that by the next
time they met the spell would be broken,
and she would be prepared to conduct him
to the silver mine, but she must have the
package flank notes in her hand again. At
the time appointed they met at his house in
a room where there was large family Bible
on 8 table and the package of bank notes
was presented and placed in the gypsy's
hands, when, after praying over it and get
ting Mr.. Trout to pray over it, she said that
everything was right, but he mast make
q solemn oath on the Bible that he would
not open the package for three days after
she left the house. when he could open
it and be would find paper indicating
the precise spot where the silver mine was.
Leaving the package in her hands, be turn
ed round for single moment 10 make oath
on the Bible, and Immediately turned to her
again, when she handed him d package Of
exactly the came size and appearance OF the
one he had moment before placed in her
hands. She then left the house, charging
him not to open the package until the expi-
ration of three days, which he, not suspect
ing any trick, promised her to do, ard kept
his promise. But at the end of the three
days he opeHed the package, in which be
found nothing but slips of brown paper re-
sembliug bank-notes in size, but that was
all, and the whole of his $4,000 vas gone.
MIR. Trout began search for the woman
who had fed, and it was only after three
years of diligeut inquiry and search, with
the aid of detective and shrewd lawyer,
that he traced her to the Brooklyn jail,
where he fully identified her, but did not
recover dollar OF his money. He began to
go down hill from the day he lost his money,
pecnniary troubles came upon him. ending
in his mortgaging his fne farm, and fiuallg
being sold out OF house and homo Then
his health began to fail: he became defect
ed. care worn and died on Wednesday last
poverty stricken and homeless.
Syrup of Figs