The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1914-05-29
LOST PREACHER
IS HOME AGAIN
Found in Abandoned House
Tells Remarkable Story.
Asserts He Was Kidnapped And
Knows Who His Cap
tors Are.

st. Louis, May 25.-The Rev. Louis
X. Patmont, prohibition advocate, who
disappeared from Westyille, H., on
March 81, reiterated here Sunday his
That he knows the person response
bic for his detention. He WAS on his
way TO Danville, Ill. where the grand
jury OF Vermillion county, now III
session, will take up tie investiga-
ton OF hi case
A big red automobile owned, he
says IN Daiiville. will play an i'm
portant part in the minister's story
to the jury. II was this machine III
which he alleges he was carried half
conscious from one hiding p,Joe q
another for fifty days.
When he was not being Transported
in the machine he claims he was kept
In tiark cellars. gagged and with his
hands bound TO a bar of wood under
his knees. He says he heard his cap
tors discuss plans to burn the house
in which he was found near Column
bia aid incinerlte him.
With two months growth of beard
and thin from hunger, Patmont was
brought 10 st. LOUIS Sunday by the
Rev John l.. Brandt. pastor Of the
First Christian church OF st. Louis.
who made a flying trip to and from
Columbia by automobile Us soon as
he heard that Psptmont had been
found.
After a bath ard the first real meal
he had tasted for two months he told
his story. Patmontis identj fication
was made complete by the Rev. Mr.
Brandt. a personal friend. WHO has
known him for years. Before being
brcuelt TO st. LOUIS he had been
iclientified by half dozen residents
of Vermillion county, among them
the Rev. j. F. Bickel, pastor of the
First Christian church OF Danvjlle,
III.
Mr. Bckel says that the automo-
bile mentioned by Patmont is one
which followed his own automobile
from Danville to Cleveland, O., sew
eral weeks ago, when body. thought
TO be that Of Patmont, was exhumed
there Deputy Sheriff Colt declared
he was on the trail OF two men fit
ting descriptions given by MIR. Pat
mont, who disappeared from DAN
vile soon after the minister disap-
peared.
The Rev. Mr.. Ratmont's story was
as follows:
While walking home from the dry
meeting at Westville l was attacked
ut the railroad tracks by q gang OF
four or five men. was renderid part
~ unconscious by sandbags. with w1hic
they hit me- They put me on a tand-
car and took ME about two miles
down the track. HereI was thrown
into an automobile and later thrown
into a dark, damp cellar.
For two days was without food
or drink When l talked TO my cap
tors above they threw hot water on
me. Later they fed me rotten ba-
nanas.
1.-TWO days ago l was removed to
the abandoned house. While being
taken there was sduged now and then
with the sandbags. l was seml-con-
scious all the time.
81 was put into this cellar of the
house. Two men gagged ME. tied any
wrists to my knees with the aid of
boasd undr my knees. and then put
a gunny sack over my head They
told me IL I made any noise they
would set fire to the house.
AFTER they LETT slowly worked |
Hay head out Of the gunny sack. Il |
chewed the gag until finally workea
it loose. I yelled for help a whole
day before anybody came"
The Rev. Mr.. Patmont disappeared
after a dry" meeting In which he |
was one of the speakers at West
VILE. Ill. Extensive search throughout
Illinois and. surrounding States fail-
cd to produce any clew to his wflerc-
abouts' Several rewards were offered
for his discovery inczudny one Of
$500 b. the saloon men of Monroe
county where q hot anei]iquor cam