Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-10-17
SIZE lives A LONELY HERMI1.
A Kentucky Woman Who is Ending
Her Days in Solitude.
Mrs Polly Blake Has Lived Fifty
Years in a Deep Fo rest-Her On
~ Companions During That Time
Have Been Three Pets-Revenge
OF a Rival on Her Husband
Wrecked Her Life.

Bardstown, KY. October ia small
| cabin in the depths of an unknown for
est, near Rolling Fork, is an object of
interest, it being the home of Mrs. Pol
ly Blake, known as the woman her
nit" For fifty years Mrs. Blake has
lived in this lonely cabin, her only COM
panions being dog and two cats.
In 1885 Polly Andrews was a lovely
girl living with her parents on a farm
near Springfield, Ky. They were we'll
TODD, respectable people, and Polly, be-
ing an unusually pretty girl, industri-
GUS, modest and amiable, naturally had
many suitors. Among them was one
Stephen Letton, a prosperous young
farmer. This man was conceded to be
Polly's sweetheart.
The Andrews residence was situated
near the public highway, and travellers
were frequently entertained there. Dur
ing the summer of 1885 a stranger.
Thomas Blake, stopped over night. He
was from Boyle county and was in
quest OF mules for the southern mar
ket. He was handsome and gentleman
OF nigh standing. An attachment sprang
up between him and Polly, which re-
suited in marriage in the spring of
1886.
After the wedding Blake took up his
residence with his father-in-law, and,
strange as it may seem, a strong init
macy was formed between him and
young Letton, Polly's rejected lover. If
Letton felt any resentment, he gave no
evidence OF it, but continued on the
most friendly terms with the whole
family. In the autumn following Pol
ly's marriage to Blake, Letton sold his
property and announced his intention
OF emlgrating to what is now West Viz
ginia, alleging he had purchased an in
terest in a coal mine there.
About this time Blake decided to re-
turn to Boyle county TO settle I'D some
business, and then to journey to east
ern Kentucky in search of mules. AS
Lotions route led him in that direc-
ton the two men decided to travel to-
gether ON arriving in Boyle county
they repaired to the home of a wealthy
drover, with whom Blake had frequent
ly transacted business, and here the
travellers separated. Before Letton took
his leave of Blake, however, he borrow
ed from the latter a sum of money,
which he promised to pay on reaching
ey had all beeA invested there.
The night following Blakes depart
ure, the droveris house was entered by
an assassin, whip killed the inmates and
secured packd ge containing S1,SCO in
bank notes. In order to conceal his
crime the murderer set fire to the house.
The neighbors were able to extinguish
the flames and discover the murderous
work. The assassin, before leaving the
p pacffa esd Of torn o 2gyn alta @ 81
ground. This was picked up by the Of
ficers Of the law and marks of blood
were found upon t.. This was the only
clew.
Shortly after Blake's return to
Springfield, he received the money
which Letton owed him. Detectives
suspected Bake of numbering the drov-
er. because he was known to have been
intimate with him, and had stopped at
his house shortly before the commits
SIOD Vi LIE CIlIlle. consequently lie was
kept under constant surveillance for
four months. In the, meantime Mrs.
Blake's health began to fail, and her
husband decided to take her on a south
ern trip. The detectives followed them.
Wherever Blake paid hotel bill or Of
fered money for any purpose the officer
secured the bank note which had been
in the formers possession. FINALLY
the Swallowed man paid cut a $40 bill
which had red mark in the corner.
The detective Immediately arrested
him. At the trial the torn wrapper,
with its smear Of blood was identified
as having been in the drover's possess
sion. The bank note which had been
traced to Blake was also shown. The
stain on the wrapper correspondent pre-
cisely with the mark Gu the bank note.
A strong magnifying glass revealed I'M
erringly that the murderer's thumb, in
tearing open the envelope had touched
the topmost bank note. Blake stoutly