October 6, 1864
A Bounty Jumper Gone- Some days ago a man named Dawson, who formerly resided in Ritchietown, was presented at the Provost Marshal's office by some gentleman from Wood county, who had agreed to pay him six hundred dollars to go as a substitute. Dawson was accompanied by his wife, a large, dark skinned, Indian looking woman, who protested violently against her husband's selling himself to be shot at, as she thought it, but the terms were finally fully agreed upon, and the man was enlisted and mustered in. The woman then went out into the middle of the street and unbottled several vials of wrath against Abe Lincoln in particular, and the officers engaged in the drafting business in general. Capt. Stone, as a precautionary measure, sometimes takes the money of the substitute as a security for his presence when wanted, and allows him to go out on a sort of a parole instead of putting him in the Atheneum. He did so in the case of Mr. Dawson, but at last Mr. D. said he wanted to give his money to his wife. The money was handed over to him and he was handed over to the officer in charge of the Atheneum. A day or two afterwards Dawson dodged the guard in some way, ran off with his six hundred dollars and has not been heard from since. His wife doubtless left before her husband and has probably met him ere this, at some appointed place.
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: Undated: October 1864