The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1893-01-14
ROBBED AND

HO6bED AND
Experience, Of q Mississippi Man.
New Orleans. Jan. 1O.-A most remark
able case of kidnapping and holding in
duress by Sicilians in this city for the
purpose of robbery and to compel redemp-
ton has just come to the knowledge of
the police. Henry L. Gregory of Jordan
river, Hancock county, Miss, u country
storekeeper, came to this city Nov. "a
with quite a sum of money with which to
settle with his merchants and obtain sup
plies. He was accompanied by two
neighbors, and it was understood that
they were to board at a lodging house on
st. Charles street. The two friends
reached the point agreed upon, but Greg
DRY did not show up. The next day they
notified the police of the disappearance OF
their friend, and all the jails and hospitals
were searched for him without result.
He had not appeared at home, and finally
his heart-broken wife, satisfied he was
dead, assumed a widows garb and re-
turned to her parents in Florida. 10 the
astonishment of his friends, Gregory yes
terday appeared at Bay City, Miss,
related the following remarkable story:
II took the train ut Bay st. Louis, ar
irving in New Orleans ut Z p. IN. L had
started to the St. Charles street house
when I met a gentlemanly looking man
at the depot who said he was Il
for that house and offered to go along
with me and carry my valise, which L
nermitted him to do. When we got some
where near the custom house we turned
to the left and walked q couple OF DOCKS
and then turned the corner into announcer
street where we came to q saloon. He in
vited me in to take a drink, which l re-
fused. l went in with him, however,
and waited until he drank. After his
drink he said there was a man IN tne
Eock part of the saloon he wished 10
speak to. After he left with my vaiise
I waited about five minutes and then
thought I would hunt him up, get my
ynlise. and go alone to Freds mouse. 1
nassed in the back room II there saw
three men. They IL: k the door any
robbed me of all 1 had. They then DlhGe
folded me and placed me in q vehicle OF
some sort. The distance driven seemed
three or four miles. We entered a house
and after the blinlfold wa removed !
found myself in q room with a bed n
small stove and two cid chairs.
''The men left me locked up until tne
next morning about 8 or y O'Clock Mtlea
a man WHO'LL L d hOC o%>A
brought me a breakfast: 1 ate nothing
the first day. neither did l sleep a VIM In.s
| the first night l was imprisoned: Inc
man came around regular three times q
day with my meals: l suppose L had
been there six or eight days W lrha,a an
other man came. He INQUIRED Mneie
I told him everything. He sat down
az spoke an hour or so with me. l
think it is to him that I owe my life. He
| said they intended to kill me: He said II
/ promised not to have him hunted up he
would try to save me. c
when I had been in ten or fifteen
| DAYS a new man was brought in, rather
| stout and well blessed. When the blind
| fold was taken from him he seized one
of the men by the collar, while the other,
standing by, drew a pistol and shot MN
in the head. I saw hin shoot ana ma saw ~,
stantly. I was showed back into my,
room and the door. fastened. l could
hear plenty of talking but gould not
understand. I have no idea what they
| did with the body, I had only 2 candle
and it was, | suppose: about IL or Y ~ IN
about the same daily. 1 think I got off
well with my life. and will never know
why my life was spared, unless ]! was
because of the strangers intercession.
yesterday morning he came to me
and asked would L not ike u uiii GU. NV
shave. Upon my replying in the athrma-
tive my hair was cut and I had a shave,
the first one for q month. When | was
being shaved I never once realned that
nv freedom was so near. About 3
O'clock last night the two men who took
| me to prison came and asked me If 1
wanted to 70 to Bay st. Louis. I, of
| course, replied that ] did.
81 was again blindfolded, gagged and
as before put in a vehicle and driven to
| depot, when I was put out: The men
gave me a ticket on the Louisville =;
| Nashville railroad to Bay St. Louis.
They told me that the train would soon
be along and for me to try to get on,
which / did with the greatest pleasure.
/ arrived here last night on the late
train. nearly frightening those to death
who believed me buried"
In this city. where there are 10000
| Sicilians. numbers of them criminals
and %convicts from the old country, there
is every reason to believe they have
brought some of their old country meth
DDS with them. and several mysterious
| disappearance may in time be TRACED
| to this mysterious branch of the Malta.