Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-05-13
CRUEL HOAX MAY KILL.
Farmer Hubbell Sought to Cure his
Daughter of Moonlight Walks.

Ella Hubbell is the fifteen-year-old
daughter of Edward A. Hubbell, a
farmer living near New Haven, Conn,
between Westville and Woodbridge
The girl recently began to receive the
attentions of country SWANS, and had
walks with them.
She is slender, pretty girl, with a
pleasant manner that mae her a gen.
eral favorite in the neighborhood. She
was particularly sought out by the
young men, who liked her for her
bright ways and her attractive face.
| She was for loving and not yet fallen
in love with any one of the dandies
Of the locality who paid her such ardent
court.
| Farmer Hubbell is lacking in senti-
ment and scolded Ella for what he
thought was frivoiity. You ought to
stay at home" said he, "and improve
| your mind
But the light-hearted girl thought
differently and continued to go her own
way, which, it appears, was Innocent
| )
corrective measures. He consulted with
his son James and together they fixed
up scheme the carrying out of which
| they will ever regret
| We'll give her a scare that will cure
her." said the father, and the two
| thick-heads set to work. They knew
that Ella intended going over to a
neighbor's that night to exchange Cos
sip and meet other young folk. Just
after dark the two left the house, dis
guised as tramps. They hid in a clump
of bushes on the side of Piggery Hill,
down which they knew the girl would
pass.
1t was lonely place, and while there
was moonlight all around, the spot
where the men were hidden was SO sur
rounded by trees and underground that
it was quite dark there.
The two had been waiting only a
short time when Ella came tripping
along down the bridle-path on the side
of the hill. There was fine color in
her cheeks, and she was a picture of
sweet young womanhood bound on an
errand of pleasure. She was singing
gaily and had no thought of danger,
for she knew every foot Of the ground
Whereabouts, and strangers never pen
etrated there.
Just as she reached the copse in
which her father and brother were con-
cealed, the cruel jokers stepped out and
laid hold of her.
They spoke not a word as they
cIutched the young girl and pretended
copse.
They were roughly dressed and would
have frightened a brave man. Ella
was so terror-strfcken when seized that
she uttered one agonizing shrek and
fell in a swoon. Now the jOkers were
scared. The girl lay as if dead, and
though the men chafed her hands and
bathed her face in water from the
brook she did not revive.
Father and son carried the girl back
home, and the boy rode off like mad
for a doctor. After several hours OF
hard work Ella was revived from her
unconscious condition, but to the horror
o. the family she knew no one and
raved as if insane. 1t was evident that
the shock had been too great.
DR. P F. Mitz, of New Haven, was
called in consultation. He pronounced
the girls condition extremely critical,
and does not believe she will live. She
is delirious and hystericaI by turns, and
screams in an agony of terror.
The entire countryside is aroused in
ire against the perpetrators of SO silly
joke, and Miss Hubbell's admirers are
especially incensed. Some of them say
that if Ella dies they will have venge-
ance upon the father and son.
The Hubbells are plunged into the
deepest grief. They say they never