The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1914-06-06
The Story Of LOMS r. Patm0nt

ailed TO the wall; gasoline and ether
ere poured over him and In that con.
ion he was left unconscious from some
ne during the nigh. Of May 22nd until
e afternoon Of May 23rd. When he
came % his scnses he worked the hand.
kerchief out Of his mouth, ehewed a hole
IA the gunny sack, and in his semi.eon.
seious condition cried and called for help
cntil the men who we're in an adjoining
ED cuttirg alfalfa came 10 his release.
They cut the ropes, took him 10 Colum.
hia, and when he told who he was, Il
seems no one at first believed him. How.
ever, a. soon as he was able 10 get In
telegraphie communication with friends
and relatives, doubt was removed and the
authorities gave him relief and protec.
tion. In company with Dr. T. 8. Ayars
and Dr. Stanton ! drove over to Colum-
ia in an automobile and was the first
man who knew Patmont 10 recognize him,
and the first man he had seen during his
two months Incarceration that he knew.
He was kidnapped about Z p. m.
March 81, by Ran a dozen men who over.
powered him, . gagged him, took him
from Westyil ) = a fiat hand car sew.
eral miles ffU..' .wn, then put him into
an automobile and drove at great ra-
pidity for most Of that night, and then
confined him in a dark damp cellar where
be was kept for ffty-two days and
nights on 4 limited supply Of rations and
bad water. They stripped him Of all Of
his clothes except his undershirt, pants
and socks. He slept during this time
on the damp floor, but kept up a con.
slant exercise and tried 10 keep up cheer.
/ ful spirits and held on 70 his faith in
God and hope Of ultimate freedom. On
the night of May 22 he was taken out Of
the cellar on a ladder, overpowered,
bound, and gagged and ehueked down
into an automobile and driven during
The night q short distance from this
abandoned farm house, thence was TAX.
n from the auto and dragged over stony
helds, through 4 woods, and tied in the
garret Of this dilspidated old house, left
there, presumably in an unconscious
state, and il is the judgment Of Patmont,
his friends and the detectives that Il was
their intention to burn down the house
he next uiRht. There was much lumber
,tored in the lower part of the house,
and had il teen burned, the body would
never have been recovered, as Il would
have burned rSot and branch.
Mr.. Pstmont told me that IL was his
best Judgment that both "Rum and
Rome" were behind his kidnapping, that
one Of the priests az westville, had not
only warned him, but had, he understood,
encouraged the people 10 threaten him
with bodily harm II he did not leave the
city. The distance from Westville to Co
lumbia, H., rs s66 miles. 1t IL highly prob
able that they thought At first to release
him but when they learned Of his promi.
nence and the many friends Ia search of
rim and the liberal reward offered for bis
recovery, they came to the conclusion
tha: the best thing 10 do, was to get
away with hun, and they had made the
plan, doubtless TO burn the building with
rim in il, but a. Simon Peter was de.
livered from the prison the night before
he was 10 be beheaded, 30 Louis Pat.
mont was delivered from the jaws Of the
lion, his prison house Of death, the day
5efOre he was to be burned as a victim
If the conspiracy Of rum and Rome.
He at first was in q most pitiful con.
,ition, but being in the prime of life
and with q robust constitution, he made
rapid recovery. His experience will
make him . greater man than ever and
viii forever be q reproach 10 Rome and
q brand upon the rum traffic. ! assured
him that il would all fall out for the
furtherance Of the gospel Of Christ and
or the extension Of the cause Of TEN
9eranee and righteousness and the ulti
mats downfall Of Roma