Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-03-09
Committed By a Federal Officer
lin Shenandoah County 6.
had 4 HEART OF Stone.
An Incident of the Civil War Truth
fully Related by Editor Grablll.
Revenge on the Perpetrator Pre-
dicted and Came True.

diCted and Came true.
~ In a. recent issue OF the Richmond
Dispatch appeared letter from Mr..
r. q. Steuart, of Baltimore, giving an
account OF the horrible murder OF Davy
Getz, of Woodstock, by the command
of Gen. Geo. A. Custer, during the
civil war. After reading the Balti-
morean' 3 letter Mr.. John II. Grablll'
editor of the Shenandoah Herald,
wrote the following account which ap-
peared in the Dispatch and has been
since published in many papers. MI.
Grabill says:
While the article is generally cor
rect, it differs in somo of the details
from the account which l have secur-
cd from persons who we're present and
are still living in Woodstock. the
writer personally knew the small fam
lily, consisting of Andrew Getz, Eliza
beth, his wife, and their simple minded
son, David. David was about 30 years
of age. The family lived in small
house close,to the Methodist church.
For the rent of this humble home
they acted as sexton of the church.
The fact that Davy was mentally de-
ficient was doubted by no one. A sin
gle glance at his countenance would
conylnce any one. OF him we're re-
ouired no duties of civil or military
character. He was simple and harm
less. The boys loved to tease him, and
many Confederate soldier told Davy
that he had come from the army to
take him back with him. He was, in
every respect, nothing but very tim1d
child. He had no ambition to be
soldier, but, on the contrary, was al
ways badly frightened when the sug-
eestion was made that be should 60 IN
the army.
He had, in some way, become pos
sessed of an old musket, and with 1t
amused himself hunting ground squlr'
reIs and small birds. In the summer
of 1854 he was engaged in his usual
sport in the pines near his home when
q SQUAD of Federal soldiers suddenly
came upon him. To their question:
Are YOU a buehwhaeker ?" why
yes,'' he replied. He had no more
intelligent comprehension of the term
sbushwhacksr than he had OF the
doctrine of transcendentalism. lie
was at once seizsd by a number OF
Federal soldiers, dragged down High
street to the pike. and then tied to
wagon. The poor fellow was almost
frightened to death, and his heart
rending screams aroused the whole
town.
Accustomed as were the people tt
the brutality of the Federal hordes thai
prowled through this valley, nothing
aroused their sympathy and horror
not even the burning of their home'
and churches by the fire fisnds OF th'
brutal Sheridan, as did this inhumaI
outrage. Tied behind a wagon ant
dragged through the streets, bis plain
tive cries and shr1eks brought Il
their doors the ladies on either side o
the street. Helpless they stood an
wept for the poor unfortunate.
Close behind him walked his aRe'
mother and father clasping each other
hands, while their cries Of distres
touched the hearts Of all, except th
inhuman captors. They continued t
follow their screaming child until the
were driven back by the bayonets G
the Federal soldiers.
Clusters camp was about one mi
south of Woodstock. Here he We
waited upon by Mrs. J. L. Campbell
Mrs. Murphy and other ladies OF tn
! town, who gave him truthful stat
ment of the character of the man, ar
lbesought Custer to look at him, as or
glance would have convinced him
the truth of their statements. T
roughly repulsed them. He was afte
wards visited by Moses Walton, di
tinguished lawyer of Woodstock;
DR.. J. s. Irwin, Union man OF tt
town, and by Mr.. Adolph Heller,
prominent merchant and strol
Union man. at whose house both CT
ter and Torbett had occasionally ma
their headquarters. While Mr.. He'll
was at heart Union man, he was r
one Of that kind who would give
formation that would injure his neig
: bors, but was always ready to prot'
1.-The innocent so far as it was in his po
w. er. He earnestly besought Gen. G.
ter to release the poor idiot that v
IS. in his hands. When Custer intimai
or that he proposed to have him sh
Mr.. Heller boldly exclaimed: "Gene
Custer, you will sleep in a bloc
a grave for this. Surely just God ,
not permit such crime to go unave
ed" These gentlemen left his he
- quarters saddened by the exhibition
. brutality upon the part of Custer. Z
words of Mr.. Heller, we all now KIN
proved to be prophetic.
Poor Davy Getz was again tied
II hind a wagon, compelled to walk
al Bridgewater, q distance OF As m!
NN there forced to dig his own grave,
was then murdered like dog.
70 father, several years later, commit
rs suicide. The mother was taken to