The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-07-24

shoppers could cope with them at the
card table. they nevertheless found
numerous victims, and the hard-earned
wages of many a guest was left at the
Black Horse tavern to swell the fund
of the two gamesters.
Early in the winter of 1922 there ar
rived at the tavern young virginian,
the son of planter He rode power
fully-built coal black horse and carried
with him an air of refinement and cu.-
ture. 1t was learned by those about
the inn that he had come into Ohio
with view of buying up an extensive
tract of timbered land, which at that
time could be purchased for a song.
He told Boyd his name was Richard
Wentworth and by that name he was
known while he remained. The young
Virginian was taciturn. He voluv-
teered little information and made few
friends. The two card men tried to
lure him into friendly game, but he
courteously yet firmly declined. Went
worth spent much of his time astride
his black steed prospecting for many
miles in all directions from the tavern
in quest of timbered lands suited to
his purpose. On all of these excur-
sions he carried with him set of
leathern saddlebags, which were Sc
curely strapped to the horse. About the
inn he carried these on his arm and
slept with them under his pillow at
nights. 1t was the general belief that
these saddlebags were filled with bank
notes and gold.
The semi-weekly stage that passed
the tavern southbound carried away
each trip a letter from Wentworth to
his sweetheart back in Alexandria and
as regularly letters came from her to
him. With some degree of pride Went
worth, on one, occasion, showed her
picture, an old daguerreotype, to Boyd
when the latter one day slyly suggested
that 9TH lass back east was a favor
ed lady, anyway t. be remembered
by so mony letters"
Boyd. in speaking of the picture epi-
sode afterward, declared that "she had
the bonniest face l. all tn wurld." On
another occasion, afterward, when
Boyd was admiring Wentworths horse,
the latter spoke of his sweetheart
again and said she was splendid
and that she also rode a
coal black steed, which he had pre-
sented her, and which was a mate for
the one he rode.
After Wentworth had been a guest
at the hotel little more than a week
he left as usual, one morning on his
black horse on an excursion several
miles to the eastward, to be gone all
day. Shortly after his departure the
two gamblers, each riding one of Boyd's
horses, set out on a hunt, so they said.
Each carried a rifle and the Travelled
eastward.
In the middle of the afternoon Went
vorth's black horse ran riderless into
he enclosure surrounding the inn,
where it stood flecked with foam and
with fright. The saddle re-
NAMED on the animals back, while the
,ridle reins dragged at his feet. An ex-
animation showed a hole as If made by
| bullet in the fleshy part of the horses
leck. The excited throng about the inn
1t once organized searching party
Ind started out to scour the country in
search of Wentworth. Night came on
hortly and the unsuccessful quest was
lbandoned. At twilight the two gam
)lers returned to the inn and seemed
,reatly surprised and grieved on learn
ng of the disappearance of Wentworth,
or whom they declared they had form |
ID strong attachment. The following
morning the searchers, accompanied by |
he two gamblers, again started out,
preading their ranks in all directions.
rs night approached two of the search |
RS came upon Wentworth's hat, near
he east bank Of the Tuscarawas river, |
everal miles north Of New Philadel- |
'hia, and a little distance away in the |
rush by the roadside they found the |
cut open and empty. That |
Wentworth had been murdered and |
obbed there was no doubt, but the |
most diligent search failed to find any /
races of his body, the whereabouts Of |
which always remained a mystery.
The next day after the finding OF |
hat and saddlebags let
er came from the Virginia sweetheart.
'oyd promptly returned 1t to her and |
With a letter stating the facts Of her
over's disappearance, the finding of his /
at and saddlebags and expressing the /
elief that he had been murdered and |
obbed. The proprietor asked what he
hould do with Wentworths black |
orse, still in his care, which had only |
cen slightly injured.
To Boyd's inquiry no answer came,
ut at dusk, ten days after, Went
'orth's disappearance, traveller rode
p to the tavern on a black horse, and |
ismounting, asked for lodging. The
ew arrival was of slight and graceful
uilt, well groomed and well booted,
1ith a face as fair as a girls and d
oice that was full of music. When
'oyd beheld the travellers coal black |
teed he stood aghast at the resem-
lance to Wentworth's horse. AS Boyd |
ed the animal toward the stable, still |
urning this coincidence over in his |
mind, Wentworth's horse from the sta
lie gave utterance to an impatient |
eigh. The animal Boyd was leading |
topped in his tracks, threw up it's head |
nd plaintively gave an answering |
ghiny Of recognition. This dumfounded |
he proprietor all the more, but when |
Ie placed the two horses in adjoining
tails, the manner in which they rub |
'ed their noses together and caressed |
me another left no further doubts that
hey were old friends and had known |
a oh nt hAr oil