Orange County Virginia USGenWeb Archives News.....Seduction and Alleged Murder May 29, 1868
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Angie Rapids angierapids@gmail.com March 24, 2023, 8:08 pm

Native Virginian  29 May 1868 May 29, 1868
Seduction and Alleged Murder. - Reuben D. Herndon, a carpenter and sort of 
Baptist preacher, who lives not far from Verdiersville, in the lower part of 
this county, was brought here last week and lodged in jail. It is charged that 
he seduced and murdered a Miss Lumsden, who lived in his house and disappeared 
about the 24th of April. A week or two ago, Herndon published a card in the 
Native Virginia, alluding to the reports of circulation about Miss Lumsden's 
disappearance, and threatened his defamers with the law. Since then Miss L's 
body has been discovered under a log pile in the woods, not far from Herndon's 
house. A dog made the discovery. It was said that not only was Miss Lumsden 
murdered, but that the unborn infant was cut out of her body.

This is not so. There are reasons, however, to believe that Herndon tried to 
produce a miscarriage, and death may have resulted as a consequence. A cravat 
belonging to Herndon was found near the body, which had partly devoured by dogs 
and hogs, and some think the cravat was used to strangle the poor woman. But 
this is on conjecture. Herndon confessed on Monday last, while in jail, that he 
had seduced his victim and written a note,  found on her person, proposing an 
elopement. This confession was made by Miss Lumsden's father. Miss L. was said 
to be a very pretty girl.

The affair causes, of course, much excitement. Herndon's character has been that 
of "a sorry fellow," but he was considered to be much too timid to perpetuate so 
horrid a crime.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/orange/newspapers/seductio35nnw.txt

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