Los Angeles herald., 1905-05-21
HELD AS HOSTAGE BY NEGRO
DEMANDING $500
RESCUED AT LAST MOMENT
Mrs. Ferd Hess Of Belmont, Mo-, Re-
lstes Story of Her Captivity, for
Which Black Was Lynohed
Recently
BY Associated Press.

BELMONT, Mo, May 20.-Mrs FREQ
Hess has just told for the first time
the story of her narrowing experience
while held a prisoner for ransom In
negro cabin in this town for two
hours Friday by Bob Witherspoon, the
negro who was afterward lynched for
the crime.
Mrs. Hess Is q years old, about half
the age of her husband. She is small
with clear blue eyes, bright smile and
q voice that trembled somewhat as she
told the story. though 1t was firm
enough while her black captor paced
the floor with his shotgun ever point
ed at her. and now and then telling
her that unless the judge comes with
that money he'll find dead white wo-
man on the floor of this house"
II was preparing breakfast when the
negro first appeared on the place"
said Mrs. Hess. Il saw he was armed
and that my husband was under some
sort of restiStint at his hands, but |
never guessed the full meaning of It,
II thought perhaps Bob had got into
some trouble and Mr.. Hess was trying
to straighten it out. When I saw him
hitching the buggy I supposed he was
going to drive to the scene of the trou-
BILE. I took his rubber boots to him, and
whispered the question should 1 bring
him his revolver. lie replied for me to
make no sign and not to suggest re-
volver. Bob then ordered us to cease
whispering and l went back into the
house.
"a few moments later Mr.. Hess called
to me to go with him to town. I threw
a light wrap over my shoulder and put
sunbonnet on my head, kissed Jack,
our. 2-year-old son, good-by, promised
to bring him some bananas and went
TO the buggy.
She Learns Story
"Mr. Hess got in beside me and Bob
mounted horse and rode close behind
us. After we had started Mr.. Hess
whispered the true story to me. He
said:
bob thinks the state owes him some
money and that 1 must pay it to him.
He is going to hold you as hostage
until 1 get the money, so you must be
very careful. I'll try to outwit him,
but at any rate I'll get you away from
him soon after we get to town.
II decided the only safe course was
for me to keep perfect control of my
self, and not, under any circumstances,
allow him to see I was afraid of him.
l laughed now and then as we rode,
and frequently peered through the
glass in the back of the buggy to
watch Bob. He was riding with his
horses nose against our buggy; his
rifle was slung across his back; across
his saddle lay the double-b barrel shot
gun with both hammers cooked. Mr..
Hesse asked him to uncock the gun,
as 1t might go off.
The Exciting Ride
Never mind; I'll keep it cooked
he replied: 1T won't go off unless
want it to-
1.-Two or three times our horse broke
into it's natural gaia trot. Bob
galloped up, thrust the gun against
the buggy and commanded Mr.. Hess
To SLOW down 10 walk.
Wen get there time enough with
out trotting,' he said.
I'VE passed several persons along the
road, but none of them suspected the
trouble. They could not have helped
us had they tried to do so. I am quite
convinced the negro would have killed
both of us at the first sign of inter-
ference.
Several times Mr.. Hess asked Bob If
we had not gone far enough He re-
piled that he knew where he was 60
ing and would tell us when to turn
out. Finally, when we were at the
edge of town. at the Hunter place, he
commanded Mr.. Hess to get down and
open the gate. Then we drove In back
of barn and a house along the side
of the railroad track, to the negro
Baptist church, and around that to a
three-room negro cabin at the rear.
Bob commanded us to stop there.
Mr.. Hess got out. tied the buggy horse,
and unhitched the traces: then Bob
ordered me into the house. and told
Mr.. Hess to go to town and get $500.
He drew out cheap watch.
Allowed Hour and Half
"I'll give you just one hour and a
half to get that money and bring it to
me- he said. If it amt here by that
time there'll be a dead woman here
when you do come
when Mr. Hess hurried away. Bob
took his horse to the back OF the
house. and hitched 1t in the angle
formed by one of the rooms projecting
toward the field and concealed from
the railroad track. Then he came into
the house, fully armed, and began to
pace up and down the floor.
He ordered me into the room next
to the church, looking out on the rail-
road track. Old Aunt zynie was in
there acted as though were paying
her a social call l talked about crops,
chickens, hogs sewing and children,
and all the time Bob was pacing the