Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-09-29
Mystery Explained.

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Another Mystery Explained.
The "elopement" term is upon us. Hard
" an exchange but that contains the mis-
erable tale of marital iDfdelity. Lately,
Lafayette, Indiana, has been very much
excited relative to the sudden disappear
ance of Mr. Patton, prominent merchant,
methodist in regular standing and hus-
band and father, apparently above repreach.
He left home for few days visit to Chi
cago and long absence led to the search
that resulted in the discovery that he had
left wife and family and eloped with Miss
Potts, of GAINESVILLE, Wisconsin. The his
tory of the affair, as We see by the Lafay-
ette Journal, is this:
1t appears that eight or nine years ago
Mr.. Patton formed marriage engage
ment with Miss Adeline Potts, living near
Dayton, in this county. They had known
each other from childhood, and their re-
ciprocal passion seems to have been un-
usually strong. Pending their engagement
Miss Pots visited brother at Crawfords-
vile without previously advising P. of her
intention to do so, and against his wishes,
as her brother and he were not friendly.-
The former, for some cause, was opposed
to their marriage, and during this visit of
his sister successfully intercepted their cor
respondence.
Piqued at the apparent indifference and
neglect of his affianced, P. suddenly COM
menced paying his addresses to an estima-
BILE young lady of this city, and after a
brief courtship married her. Shortly after
his marriage Miss P. visited this city and
sent for p, to demand an exchange of their
letters and some tokens of affection that
had passed between them. An interview
took place, at which P. for the first time
became aware of the interception of their
correspondence, and the agony of his emo
tions at the discovery is said to have been
terrible. He cried like a child, and begged
Miss P. to allow him to retain the letters
and tokens, declaring that if he was depriv-
ed of them, or of her love, that it would
drive him mad He at that time proposed
an elopement, but she refused TO entertain
it; but she consented for him to retain the
letters and tokens, and to continue their cor
respondence.
Since then the two have regularly cor
responded, except for a short space, where
cessation of letters was caused by the in
terfercnce of the brother-in-law of the young
lady. The account further says:
During all this period, embracing as it
does the last eight or nine years, Mr., P.
has uniformaly declared to lady of this
city, who was confident of both parties
from the beginning, that he loved Miss P.
better than he did his life, and that he was
ready at any time to sacrifice property, po-
sition, family, friends-all that he held
dear in life-if he could only be permitted
to call her his own, and that he would fly
with her at moments notice to the ex-
tremity of the world. He would admit
that he was wrong in cherishing such SEN
timents, but he said he could not help it;
that they had grown upon him until they
had become portion of his very being,
from which death alone could divorce bim.
1t is remarkable that at the same time he
treated his wife with the most undertaking
attention and tenderness. By no action or
word is be know ever to have givon her a
moments unhappiness, or caused her to
suspect the sincerity of his affection for her.
He has maintained also the consistency of
his Christian character, and by the unfail-
ing discharge of his religious duties enjoy
ed to the utmost the confidence of his
brethren. As man of business his integ-
rity has ever been above reproach.
Mr.. Patton's partner, in his investiga-
tions, traced Patton, to Beloit, Wis, where,
in the hand writing of Patton, was the
name of Harding" aud where the land
lord remembered Mr.. Harding, who ex-
pected to meet his wife from GAINESVILLE, in
pursuance of a telegraphic dispatch. A
dispatch signed Harding. sent to Miss
Potts, was also found, and at Janesvill il
was ascertained that Miss Potts left on the
same date to 60 to Geloit, to attend wed.
ding. Where the couple have gone, is not
known.