Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-02-26

OUT the NlcLlLl mas 81 Oh AeS
fused to Give Their Names.
Leesburg. Fla, February 25.-The alb
duction and maltreament of Miss
Maud Darrell. o. Centre Hill. has thoI-
oughly aroused the citizens of that To-
cality and a word from The young lady
is au that is needed TO cause a quad
ripple lynching. Even without state
ment from the girl duplicating the
four suspects. it is not certain that
they will not be lynched.
The people are convinced Of the
guilt Of the young men whose names
are whispered in connection with Miss
Darreus abduction. and there is q
burning desire TO speedily avenge the
outrage OF girlisb honor Under nor
nal conditions Centre Hill has a pop
ulaton OF only about $50 but to-day
there were fully 800 people in the
town. and tie question on every one
lios was "Has She named the abduc-
torso The girl has not however. in
Dictated that the suspects are guilty,
and if they are lynched she will not
De responsible for the tragedy.
The story of the outrage, names and
places being changed. might easily be
taken for q tale Of the Middle Ages.
Inst Friday night there was a social
gathering az the home OF Mr.. James
Armstrong where Miss Darrell is
spending the winter. To it were bid
den many Young girls and men from
The vicinity. and the party was q merry
one.
ENGAGED TO A IEESBURG NAN.
Since coming to Florida Miss Oar
rells affections have been won by
present. Miss Darrell never seemed
in better spirits. Up 10 10 o'clock she
was the life OF the gathering AT that
hour she left The parlOr saying that
she was going 90 the rear veranda 20
get a book which she had left there i'm
the afternoon. Her fance wanted 10
accompany her. but she laughinly told
him No"
When The girl did not return prompt
r. it was thought she was i'm hiding
and wanted 20 play q Joke on her
friends Put when the clock struck II
without her temperance a search was
begun hy ar. and Mrs. Armstrong.
who had become alarmed Every nook
OF the house was searched. but no trace
OF the missing girl was found Then
the neiEhborhoOd was alarmed and
posses were organized 10 discover what
had become Of Miss Darrell
For q day and night the woods we're
secured without avail The searCbers
were almost in despair. when they
were Ied 90 the missing girl Yesterday
morning by a little dog. which was
devotedlv attached to her. The posse
were about four miles from Centre
H.I when the doc which had accom-
panied them began To- bark ioyously.
and dashed off toward q dense thiCke-.
about three hundred Yards distant The
searchers followed. and i'm the thicket
Hiss Darrell was found
STRIPPED or CLOTHING.
Every particle of clothing haC been
stripped from tho unfortunate girl
and i'm that condition she had been
bound to- a tree. A rope was bound
had been nailed To- the tree and to this
her outstretCheJ arms were bound.
tightly about her neck. a cross-pi6ce
Another rope girdled her feet Tt
seemed as if her abductOrs had been
trying to represent crucihXiOn scene.
There was a bruise on the girls fore
head and there were other bruises
about the waist and legs. Miss Darrell
was unconscious and stiff from cold.
Not a trace of her clothing could be
found. but at her feet was q card on
which had been written i'm q disguised
hand. "She is still unblemished.'
The girl was wrapped i'm am Overcoat
and borne TO the home OF Mr.. and Mrs.
Armstrong. where she was placed UNI
der the care of physicians For many
hours she remained unconscious and il
was feared she would die. To-day.
however. she was revived, but can only
give a rather incOherent account of
what happened.
Size states that when she went out
on the veranda some one seized her
and mufied her cries by throwing a
shawl over her head. Then she was
borne rapidly away. Once she sue
cceded I'm freeing her head from the
shawl and gave q scream. Then she
was struck ON the head and knew no
more for hours. When she recovered
She found herself nude and bound to
the tree. The horror of the situation
was too much for her, and she soon
IapscI into Inconsistencies. She
has mo- recollection of being stripped
and does not remember that her cap-
tors offered her any indignity, though
there is evidence that they did. despite
the card left 40 her feet.
Miss Darrell believes that her can
tors were four i'm number. and she has
told Mrs. Armstrong that she thinks
she recognized the voices of three of
them. She has refused 10 give the
names. however. and SAYS her Sus-
ricions may ne uufounded Mr.. and
Mrs Armstrong are confident the out
rage was perpetrated by Young men
whose addresses Miss Darrell had re-
iecte5
JEALOUSY WAS AROUSED
The Young lady came from Chicago
ESQ months ago to spend - winter
with the ArmstrOnes. Boi1I voung.
accomplished and very beautiful. the
Young men were speedily at her feet.
She seemed TO care for none. however.
save q Young man from Leesburg. and
her engage lent 90 him was announced
three weeks ago. -Four young men
Hvi0grCar Central HiH who had been
suT6rs took the announcement very
ZGch TO heart. and. 10 is alleged. have