The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-09-20
A Merited Punishment.

A Merited Punishment.
The following incident recently occur
red in Madison, Wisconsin, and illustrates
the folly OF custom by far too common
Some time since Chicago individual
who signed his name Frank L. Erslxine.
advertised for female correspondents
"..Object fun, friendship, or matrimony."
A young gentleman of this city, who has
considerable wit and leisure, answered
the advertisement in the name of myth
which he named Olive Spencer The adj
vertiser took the bait, and the CORES
pondcncc went along brisllly-procecding
from friendly to amatory with astonish-
ing rapidity. 1t at length got so far that
he invited her Cor him, we will say her SO
as to be understood) to visit Chicago
promising to "show her around" Coy
but anxious was the toho of the response,
suggesting an ugly but wealthy father, and
a big brother, who kept watch of her
movements, and would prevent hor from
going if possible, and would not lot her
have money. He offered to pay her ex-
penses, or send on q railroad pass, and
finally offered to come and take her to
Chicago. To this she consented and We'd
nesday was the day fixed for Erslsine to
be here on that GRAND kilograms and
love notes followed each other in great
rapidity, but delay inteposed, and Erskne
reached hero on the afternoon train yes
tcrday.
Sly notes passed between them in the
afternoon, after his arrival, and an assig-
nation was arranged, to take place on the
bank of the Third Lake About nine
o'clock, Erskine softly and nervously left
the hotel, and at the trysting place met
something in woman's clothes, the dim
moonlight aiding the disguise All the
boys had been notified of the affair, and
the first meeting was noticed by hundreds
Thcy moved off, and were engaged in
amorous daliiancc. when an improvsed
police officer "a law studen) interrupted
their responses by mock arrest for an
attempted abduction of the girl.(O
The trembling culprit was escorted to
the Court House, which had been mystcri-
ously lit up for the occasion and which
was soon throngod with hundreds of fun
loving spectators. A doublc-headed court
was speedily organized, consisting Of q
"star" printer and a rual gentleman.-
Counsel were assigned for the prosecution
and defense, and the mock trial preceded.
The innocent advertiser for female cor
respondents never doubted the perfect
good faith Of the whole proceedings His
letters were read withrunning comments;
the lawyers wranglod; the fun cannot be
described--tho jokes, repartocs, grave non
sense and ludicrous socmnitics Of the
scene. The audience was very demon
strative, convulscd with laughter at the
running fire Of jokes, applauded vocifer-
ously the affected zeal of the advocates
and enjoyed it as they only could the
most roaring farce. 1t cannot be report
cd nor described
Finally the court and tho crowd con-
cludcd to havo the culprt's own state
mont Ho told how he advertised, how
the correspondence commence, how inno-
cent were his designs, how good his char
actcr and high his standing in Chicago.
1t was rcll-too rich Language cannot
do Justice to the subject. In his contcs-
sion, he stated he was reporter for the
Chicago Tribune and editor Of q monthly
commercial journal. 1t also appeared
that Ersline was not his true name, which
was given, but we mercifully suppress it,
After being badgered till the sweat poured
from his pores, he was finally acquitted,
with the warning not to do SO again. He
asked the privilege of addressing the crowd
which he did in oratorcal style, and thank
ing the jury for their kindness. The vic
tim never saw the Joke, which is the
most wonderful instance Of human crcdu-
lity on record.
This may seem to some like rough fun,
and fun of q kind in which full maturcd
men ought not to bo engaged. But it
was lesson needed for ono of the most
prurient vices of the age Advertising
for female correspondents has been pro-
life of moro immortality and unhappincss
than almost all other causes combined.
This man pursued it as q system, by his
OVID confession. He supposed his cores
pondcnt here to be q young, romantic and
innocent, but restless girl, unsatisfod at
home, and fond of adventure. Ho came
hero proposing to take such character
to Chicago, to there introduce her, un-
doubtedly, to career of prohigacy and
vice. lie was we'll punished, for the law
cannot reach this class of scoundrels.-
He left on the morning train ga wiser and
q saddcr man."
Is IT So?-Thc Memphis AvalancAc
asks: Why is it that men who claim to
be true Southern men, some of them warm
advocates Of secession, are sending their
CONG ond 6ourhtors tn Northern schools