The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-05-25
{. |. VENTS BODY FOUND
Discovered in the Mountains Near
Big Stone Gap, Va.
He DISAPPEARED LAST OCTOBER

Rich Young Man Went Out Riding Aiono
Where Squatters Were Enemies and
Was Never Again Seen Alive-Moun-
tnineer Offered to Release Him For
S:5,OoO Ransom q Few Weeks Ago.
Bir'S Stone Gan. Va.-There is grow
fnc belief that Edward l.. WentZ. son
Of the millionaire mine owner. OF Phil
zdeIphia. who disappeared Oh October
IA last. and whose body was found
here few days ago, was held prisoner
by mountaineers for months and muir
dered few weeks before the body was
discovered. 1t is now known that the
very spot where the body was found
was searched over scores Of times by
the small army of men organized for
the hunt for the missing man by his
family.
Several clues point strongly to mur.
der, and new significance is attached
to the offer made by an unknown
mouutaineer several months ago to re-
lease Wentz if ransom of $4,000
were paid. At the time this mans Of
fer was scoffed at, but he was followed
into the mountains by detectives. who
lost sight Of him after trailing him for
almost twelve hours.
Three or Vents front teeth are
missing, supposedly shot away. There
are several holes in his clothes, which.
it is thought. were made by bullets.
His revolver was found about twenty
feet away from the body. Three or
the chambers were empty.
The holes in the clothing seem to
show that at least three bullets were
fired into Wentz's body, and that an
other knocked out his teeth. The opin-
ion of the miners here is that Wentz
was carried off to the mountains by
his enemies and held there close
prisoner until few months ago, when
he was shot and his body taken here
by night and thrown where it would
Be found.
Young Wenz had aroused bitter en-
nifty among many of the mountain
eers. When his family came into pos
session Of 10000 acres and started ex-
tensive mining operations, scores OF
families who had Squatted here and
there refused to move away or to pay
rent. Wentz was determined in max
ing them bend to his will. and often
times he rode past cabin to see one or
two gaunt mountaineerS sitting outside
with rifles on their knees. Shortly be-
fore VENTS disappearance last fall
the feeling against him grew intense.
A band of moonShinerS was broken
I'D, with the loss Of two lives. and
somehow the mountaineers came to
blame Wentz for this.
Threats were made to him in person
and through the mail but he paid no
heed to them. He was told by friends
gmong the country folk that if he gave
one o. hiJ enemies among the noun
taineers an opportunity he would be
shot down without hesitation. but
Vent laughed at all such statements.
and went on travelling about the noun
tains without guard and armed only
with a small revolver
The growing belief that he was car
ried off captive into the mountains
comes from observation of his clothes.
which show that they were worn thin
IN actual service. and not by the ele-
ments. There is every evidence that
the young mans clothes were worn un-
til short time ago, and the condition
of the body indicates that death oc-
cured in the last four or five weeks.
It is said that Dave Raleigh will re-
eeive a reward OF $4,000 for finding the
body. In ALL 100000 was offered for
information that would lead to the find
Ing of Wentz.