The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-02-28
Matrimonial In1idelity and Elopemen mt.

Matrimonial Infidelity and EIopement.
From the Fall River (Mass.) News.
One of the most revolving and painful
cases OF marital infdelity and subsequent
elopement which ever came 10 our notice,
has jost transpired in this city, carrying
neavy weight of sorrow into one of the
most respectable families. The guilty par
| ty is the wife of Captain Prince S. Borden,
Acting Master of the United States Receiv.
| ing Ship Ohio. Her maiden name was
Serena Wilbur, and for many years before
her marriage she was very popular teach.
er in one of our public schools. Well edo
ucated and of great personal attractions, she
gained numerous friends and acquaintance
in this community. She formerly wrote
very respectable stories for the Monitor and
Neao York Weekly, under the nom de plume
OF" Mistletoe" and Carrie Grove" and
occasionally dallied with the Muse. In
1860 she was married to Captain Borden,
and after short honey moon the husband
left his wife to join ship, of which he was
then mate, on voyage to China. He left
bis wife well provided with money, and re.
turned home last December, after an alb
sence Of more than year. About two
weeks since he received an appointment as
Acting Master in the United States Navy.
On leaving home for the Charestown NAVY
Yard, he left with bis wife sixty-fve dollars
in gold, with the assurance that she
should have fifty dollars per month to live
on during his absence. On reaching
Boston and finding that he would be delayed
there some time, he sent letter requesting
his wife to come there. She wrote him an
affectiOnate letter, promising to do so, but
Offering some trivial objection to an imme..
| date compliance with his wishes. 1t was
| afterwards ascertained that on the same day
the letter was written, she went to the Pc.
casset Bank, where her husband had S479
deposited, and gave notice that she should
want the money 10 take to her husband in
Boston, whittier she was going. On the
| day appointed she went to the Bank and
informed the Teller that $500 would be
sufficient, and drew that amount. On Sun.
| day, the I'd inst, she wrote letter to her
husband, breathing spirit of affectiOnate
| devotion, and stating that she had been de.
| tanned at home by some visitors from out of
town, but would surely 60 to him in few
days. The next day she took her departure,
ostensibly for Boston, but really, as was
afterwards discovered, for Providence,
where it had unquestionably been arranged
that she should meet her paramount. On
the day of her departure she incurred sew.
eral debts at dry goods and other stores,
which she stated her husband would pay.
Besides the money which she took from the
bank, she had $3.50 of her own which she
drew out of the Fall River Savings Bank
in nooornhor Loot sc
| her husband, so that there is little
doubt but that she was even then
then preparing to leave husband whose
| greatest fault was that of unbounded conf
dence and generous indulgence. The only
rational explanation of her conduct is that
she bad formed illicit corrections with 9TH
ers and eloped to hide the shame of her
guilt During her husbands absence from
home she taught school several months in
Cumberland and Lonsdale, Rhode Island.
While there she pursued a very ipjudicious
course, which led to district gossip and
suspicion. Many positive impropreties of
conduct were noticed by those who were
her real friends and who took an interest in
her welfare. After her late hegira to Rhode
Island the following letter was found in her
house among other papers, and which was
evidently written by one of the clergymen
in the vicinity, at the time she was teach.
ing school:
dare not call this week. Some evil per.
SONS have noticed my calls, and are all ready
to watch a minister. If it is mentioned to you,
say 1 am in habit of dropping into the
schools, and you rode home with me and to
another district. Others have done the same;
don't mind it.. will see you again, but not in
@.<vhh xI,o
meet me at W, do. When shall you GO to
Fall River? Don't care; no hurt will come of
it, l will explain when see you.
After she returned to the city, her hus-
band being still absent on his voyage, it was
noticed and accordingly remembered that
she was special favorite with number of
individuals, and among them married man.
She showed them marked attentions, and
allowed an intimacy usually regarded as
contraband of the marital relation. Their
names are known to the families of both
parties, and they may yet figure in this I'M
pleasant episode of domestic life. The heart.
less treachery of his wife fell like thunder@
bolt upon Captain Borden, who, SO far as
his friends can judge, has been a faithful and
devoted husband, ever studying the tastes
and anticipating the wants of his companion.
With the stoicism of true philosophy, he
has determined to let her 60 and immedia-
tely sue for divorce. 1t is with feelings
of unaffected sorrow for the erring, and of
coincidence with the injured families and
friends of the parties, that we publish this
statement. But justice to the public re.
quires that all the facts should be stated, so
that the innocent may be relieved OF any
imputation. The facts which have come to
light show that the sacred mantle of relig-
ion has been employed in covering up the
guilt of those criminally connected with the
ruin of this daughter and wife.
. Telegraphic Items.