The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-24
ny CAPT. JOHN II. GRAB1LL,
in the Harrisonburg Daily News.

Forty-six years ago. during the Civil
war pavy Getz. weakminded
young man. was cruelty put to death
by the Federal forces at Bridgewater,
Rockingham county. The Getz family
lived in the town OF Woodstock. In
Shenandoah county.
knew the small family, consisting
of Andrew Getz. Elizabeth. his wife,
and their simple minded son. David
David was thirty years old. The fam
lily lived in q small house near the
Woodstock Methodist Church. paying
rent by performing the duties OF sex
ton of the church. The fact that
David was mentally deficient was
doubted by no one. A single glance
at his counterance was enough TO
convince any one. OF him were re-
ouired no duties of a civil or military
character. He was simple and harm
less. The boys loved to tease him,
and many a Confederate soldier told
Davy that he had come from the army
to take him back with them be was
| in every respect, nothing but very
tinid child. He had no ambition to be
| a soldier. but. on the contrary, was
always badly frightened al the sug-
Davy got hold of an old musket
| and every day amused himself hunt-
Ing ground squirrels and small bros
In the summer of 1854 squad OF
Federal soldiers suddenly came upon
! him. To their question: Are you
j bushwhacker;" Davy ignorantlS
/ n,ied that he was. He had no more
i IDEA Of what a bushwhacker was than
he did of Observation-Disclosures. The sol
4 diars seized poor Davy, dragged MN
Il down High Street to the PIKE, ana
/ then tied him to a wagon. Inc poo!
j fellows heartrending screams arouseu
the whole town. -
Accustomed as were the people 70
i the brutality OF the Federal hoIuss
3 that prowled through the valley, noan.
4 ing aroused their sympathy and norso1.
not even the burning OF thear no' me
i. and churches by the hreaends Oh ta'
brutal Sheridan, as did this innuma,
outrage. Tied behind wagon anu
Z dragged through the streets, his plain
4 tiyacries and shrieks brought laoles ~
the doors and windows on al SUES.
Helpless they stood and wept ior ."o
poor unfortunate. x,s ogad
Close behind him walked mo ~,
| father and mother. clasplhs a,s'
others hands and crying IN glea .hs;r
, tress They continued to fo!to" .nst.
screaming child until they We're otive'
hack nv the bayonets of the Feosra
Clusters camp was about mile
worth or Woodstock Here ne was
), waited upon by Mrs. ]. L. camps
Mrs. Murphy and other !aalss VI ~. ta'
town, who gave him trutnhul Sea. az,
l ment of the character OF poot pa ~;
, and besought custer " o udAo Ne snoue i
J, ~ cnnvince him of the truthfulness
+he,r statements, Custer sroughl!
! rannIsed them. He was afterWard
.,.sitad nv Moses Walton, dlstin
.,nished lawyer of Woodstock; by ]. $
a irwin Union man of WoodstoeR
!. and by Adolph Heller. prominen
I merchant and strong Union man
= whosa homo Generals Custer and Tor
: hatt had occasionally made their head
= nnarters. MI. Heller earnestly be
= somaht General Custer to release tn
y Moor idiot. When Custer intimate
: hat he proposed to have Davy sho
!, Mr. Heller boldly exclaimed: Genera
: custer, you will sleep in blood
a grave for this. Surely a Just God wi
h not permit such crime to go ur
e avenged
: The words Of Mr. Heller proved t
v be prophetic. Custer and his entir
I band were slaughtered blythe Indiar
some years after the war.
7 Poor Davy Getz was again tie
behind wagon, compelled to walk /
g Brldgewater, forty-five miles disthn
.. there forced to dig his own grave an
L was then murdered like dog,
a The poor father committed suiclt
s, several years later
!. The mother was taken to the hon