The record-union., 1891-11-14
THIRTY YEARS AGO.
Two Prominent Citizens Supposed to
Have Been Murdered.
People Out With Lanterns Looking
for the Body of b. 3. Reddtng-And
Then for General Redington.

A very amusing incident occurred on
the night of November ii, 1861, in this
city-that is, the outcome was funny
enough, but for while it was very
serious matter. Deputy Sherifis w. NJ.
Hoag and B. B. Redding were engaged
at their Office up to midnight, at which
hour they started for their homes in the
southwestern part Of the city. Hoag
lived at Third and P streets, and Redding
at Second and P, separating at the first
named point.
At about o'clock in the morning, on
the arrival of the- steamer Chrysopolis
from San Francisco, some gentlemen
came up on important business with the
Tax-Collector's office. Hoag and @. c..
Haswen were both called up, and they
concluded it was necessary to consult
with Redding. Haswell went to the lat
ter's house, but Mrs. Redding informed
him that her husband had not come
home. Haswell knew that Redding had
started for home, and at once became
alarmed, but not wishing to excite Mrs.
Redding's fears, he said he supposed her
husband had gone to get cup OF coffee.
When Hoag was informed that Red
ding was not at home he, too, became
alarmed, for Redding had been busy re-
ceiving taxes for several days, and it was
feared that perhaps he might have been
waylaid by someone who sought to pro-
cure the keys to the Sheriff's office. The
more that Hoag and Haswell thought
over the matter the more firmly they be-
came convinced that Redding had met
with foul play.
One went to arouse the Sheriff and
other deputies, and to procure lanterns
for a thorough search for Redding's S
body. The other proceeded to Fourth
and X streets and blew blast on big
whistle that would, at any other hour of
the night, have been worth, perhaps, a
thousand men. AS it was, it attracted to
the spot all the downtown policemen
and a score or two Of belated citizens.
They were informed of Redding's myste-
rious disappearance, and an exploring
party was at once formed to search for
his corpse.
Armed with lanterns the party searched
all the lower part of the city, the R-street
levee, the trenches alongside, the bridges,
bitches, streets , alleys, lumber-yards
and wood-piles. But all in yain-the
body could not be found.
Then some of the searchers advanced
the opinion that Redding had been
dragged to the river, there murdered and
his body cast into the dark waters. This
theory was generally accepted, and Red
ulIS 16l1ON -ucDullGS COLcluO6u IL as
their duty to no longer permit his family
to remain ignorant of his fate, but to in
form Mrs. Redding of the worst. Each
tried to shirk the painful duty of break
ing the news to Mrs. Redding, but finally
Haswell consented.
He went to the Redding mansion and
timidly knocked at the door, which was
soon answered by Mrs. Redding. The
good lady began to fear that something
had happened, when Haswell again
asked if her husband had returned, and
piled the caller with questions regarding
the last seen of him.
Presently door was heard to open up
stairs, and an apparition in white ap-
peared at the head of the stairway. In
excited tones it spoke: "Oh, doctor, is
the baby any worse?"
1t was Redding himself. Their youug-
est son was i'll, and on going into the
house quietly he found his wife and baby
sleeping. so he stole off upstairs, unknown
to her. and went to bed, where he slept
so soundly that he did not hear his
friends when they first called. On being
awakened at the second call, he supposed
the child had become worse, and that the
doctor had been sent for.
The Deputy Sheriffs were sent out to
call in the men who were searching for
Redding's body, and when all had been
gathered together Mr.. Redding marched
them up to K-street saloon where they
were treated to the best in the house, and
each was sworn to secrecy.
But this was not the end of the affair.
While the men were searching for Red
ding's body the story was spreading, and
the more it spread the more it became
distorted, until, by the time it had
reached the Third Ward, the name of
Reddings had grown to Redington; and,
in addition to the murder having been
committed, the dead body had been found
in the bushes.
Such was the story told and believed,
and a well-known ncitizen-probably some
one who will to-day read this little story
-hastened to General Redingtons house
and informed his wife that the General
had been murdered and that his body
had been found in the lower part of the
city. 1t was known that the General had
been to San Francisco. that he had ar
had been seen on the deck when the boat
was waylaid and murdered after leaving
the boat for his home.
A delegation of the Generals friends
started out to investigate the story, and
found him quietly sleeping in the cabin
Of the boat waiting for daylight to come.
The following afternoon General Red
ington and Deputy Sheriff Redding met
and congratulated each other on the fact
that neither had been murdered. They
mutually agreed, however, to ever after
ward let their wives know where they
slept if circumstances should interrupt
the regular course oftheir domestic habits.