The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-17
MAY HAVE
BURNED HIM.
Possible Solution of the Strange
Disappearance of Young
E. L. Wentz.
DID 1T AS A RETALIATION
Very Interesting Story Told BY
Resident Of Big Stone
Gap, Wise County.
- "
DID 1T AS A RETALIATION

A startling. but exceedingly plausible
solution OF the mysterious disappearance
OF young E. L. Wentz. comes from q
prominent Richmond gentleman. His
source OF informationVis Is resident Of
Big Stone Gap. whose reliability cannot
for moment be questioned. One OF the
most remarkable features OF the story
is that 1t has not crept into print, though
volumes Of reports and rumors have been
3telegraphed and mailed out Of Big Stone
Gap and Bristol Possibly this is because
the mind naturally shrinl1s from the
awful conclusion which must needs be
reached.
Two traits of a Kentucky fnountaine
are we'll known. 1t is an tunwritten law.
rarely, II ever, broken. that II he shoots
his victim from ambush, he never touches
his body Il lis allowed to remain where
1t has fallen. another custom. never vio-
lated, IL possible to do other wise. Is to
retaliate In kind--to ia Ike n eye for
an eye, or a.5''tootil for a tooth
The story from Big Stone Gap. then.
is this:
Officer Shot to Death.
Sometime during the past summer a
KENTUCKY montaineer got into difficult
ty at Stonega, about four miles from Big
stone Gap, where the Wentz interests
have two miles OF coke ovens. Police
Officer King undertook to, place the man
under arrest and was shot by him, and
died almost Instantly. The m ountaineer
came out but little better of, being so
badly wounded that he could not dras
himself away. The iWentz interests have
at Stonegasa hospital for the use OF their
employees, and. for humanity sake, the
injured man was tnken there, with the
view, of cours e, OF his having the best
attention possible until = out Of danger,
then to be given over the proper per-
sons to be dealt with as a jury might
decide. He remained IN the hospltai LOT
some days, possibly longer. and disap-
peared, leaving not trace behind. the
mystery deepened when no one inside the
hospital or out could tell anything about
him-when he had gone, why or where.
Terrible Conclusion.
In due time mountain friends OF the
missing man came to the hospital to
learn how he was getting along. When
told he was gone, they asked for his
body. OF course. 1t could not be given
them. They asked why. and received no
answer satisfactory to them. Ihen tney
Jumped to a conclusion, entirely absurd.
that the people in charge of the hospita!
had nut their friend In coke oven. OF
course all who know anything are aware
that no one Of the Wentz connections or
interests is capable OF such an act OF
sayagery. But the mountaineers believed
The story is told. They are thought by
many to have found young Wentz at
lonely spot In the mountains OF Wise
county and did to him, according to their
custom, what they believed had been
done to their friend who had been IN the
Wentz hospital.
This explanation of the Wentz mystery
is said to be firmly believed by almost
every one about Stonega and Big Stone
Gap. Those who hold to it claim. with
good reason. that II .Wentz had been
shot from ambush. his body would have
been found where it fell. Though search
ers have set foot on every square Inch
of ground In that section, not q Vestise
has been found. But traces of cremation
are not seen In the smoke OF a coke oven
they say,