The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-20 00:00:00

THE LATE ELOPEMENT.

A paragraph appeared in —..."—most of the public journals a few days
since, announcing the elopement of two young votaries of Hymen
from Brussels. The lady is the daughter of the late Sir George
Brathwaite Boughton, of Poston Hall, Herefordshire, and had been
residing fur some time with her mother at Brussels, where the ac-
quaintance between her and the young gentleman commenced.
His name is Alexander Robinson, the son of a gentleman of small
tbrtune who fornierly resided at Kensington. The plop of elope-
, ment was so will formed, that not the slightest suspicion was en-
tertained of any intention of that kind until the absence of the par-
ties led to inquiry, the result of which wasa discovery of the truth.
Pursuit was instantly commenced, and on the arrival of the pur-
suers in London., they lost all trace of the fugitives. The conjec-
ture however was, that they were gone on to Gretna, and applica-
tion was made to the Magistrates at a police-office for the arm:once
of their officers. Two active men were ordurod to proceed
to the north with all possible despatch. This was on last Friday
se'nnight, about one o'clock in the day, and, before two, the officers
were on the roz.tl at full speed, in a chaise aid tour. They Imo-
' seeded without a moment's delay until they arrived at Huntingdon,
I where, for the first tame, they gained certain intelligence of the ob-
jeets of their pursuit; but learned from :he same murce that they
had so much advantage in point of time, that it would be utterly
impossible to overtake them. The officers, however, recollecting
the • mutability of human affairs," as Dominic Sa Mplolll bath it,
thought it posmble that some accident might occur to delay them,
and they went on to Gretna. On their rrrival at the far-famed spot
they found their informant at Iluntingdon to have been hut too
I correct in his judgment. They drove up to a public-house in the
village, about four o'clock in the morning, and all was soon hustle
and glee within, in the expectation that another match was about to
take place. The " gold wife" wan soon a-foot, and "Davy Laing,"
the worthy pastor, wan sent for, but on his arrival he was hugely
disappointed at learning the nature of their errand. He, however,
took a •' stoup o' brandy" with them, and having given them •
certificate, they paid hint the necessary fee and departed. On
reaching Cathie, in their journey home, they learned that the
fugitives had stopped a night at an inn there ; and they also found
stopping at the inn, a man, who stated himself to be a soldier,
and who had been left in the care of some luggage by the bride-
groom. He boasted to the officers of having been the projector and
manager of the plan of elopement, sad taunted them upon their
failure. He stated that he and his wife accompanied the youthful
couple from Brussels. The officers, when they reached London,
which they did very speedily, were employed to trace the priories,
in order that theibridegrootn might be served with a citation
from the Lord Chancellor, the lady. being a ward of his
Lordship's Court. They succeeded an doing this, and one
of them served the vourg gentleman with the legal process on
Wednesday last. fie was dreadfully agitated at receiving it,
but of course obeyed the mandate, and on Thursday the matter
was heard privately before the Lord Chancellor. lhe case was
not pressed with severity against the offender, and the further
hearing was postponed until the return of the lady's mother, who,
we understand, is now on her journey to England. The bride is
18 years of age, beautiful, and highly accomplished : her husband
is 24, and report speaks by no means so favourably of his personal