Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-08-13
An ElOpement Extraordinary and Its
Qp0uaI

"Burleigh" writes 10 the Boston journal,
from Binghamton, N. Y, the sad details Of
story of crime occurring in an adjacent
town:
"a merchant OF standing and wealth had
q family consisting Of his wife and several
children. The lady had great personal
beauty, was very accomplished and lptelli-
gent q capital housekeeper and earnest
Christian and greatly devoted toher family.
Notfar from her residence lived q young
lady Of twenty-three summers, tall, coarse
featured and as unattractive as could be
imagined. Her mother was dead, and she
kept house for her father. The visits of
the merchant to this house attracted CON
siderable attention. It was known, how
ever, that the father was generally present
at the visits Of the merchant, and the COM
munity was generally divided about the
matter Riding and walking succeeded
and the scandal became general One
morning the merchant informed his wife
that he was going 10 Oleaye--that he was go
ing to sail for California, and take the
girl with him. Her father. he said, had
given his consent and agreed to keep the,
secret till after his departure. He told her
that no power could prevent his leaving Ii
she kept quiet until after he was gone he
would give her the house in which she lived
and $1,000 In money. II she did not, he
would goall the same, but would leave her
penniless. He asked her to Ak his linen
and pack his trunk, and have it ready by
Thursday morning, all which she agreed to
do. He bought. d trunk for the girl, and
gave her $500 for her outfit. On Thursday
morning he left his home While his hand
was ON the door-latch, his wife told him
that she should remain just where she was
and take care of the children, and if at any
time he wished 10 come back, the door
would be open 10 him. He went over to
the house where the young woman was in
waiting. He gave her father some
money and he accompanied the party TO
the cars. On their way down the
father referred 10 some expenses he
had incurred in giving his daughter
pmusic lessons, The merchant handed him
5000, which he pronounced satisfactory.
After the train had started, the old man
told the story Of the elopement When
some one remarked to him that the mer-
cant would desert his daughter as he had
his wife, he said that was impossible for
he had never seen such love between two
persons before When he was asked why
he did not put o stop to step that could
only be fraaght with misery to all sides,
he said that his daughter, when she told
him of her intended journey showed him
a bottle Of poison, and said if he opened
his head on the matter till after she was
gone, she would poison him and herself
too. Tqtnd she would have done it, he
said, The sequel to this affair is more
than usually tragieal The parties sailed
Immediately for California, and for
some reason not explained took the return
vessel back to New York. They landed in
the city, where the girl was left at hotel,
penniless. She succeeded in reaching this
place, deserted and ruined, and sent imme-
diately for her father, who visited her at
the hotel She agreed to go home with
him in the morning. He called for her at
the time agreed upon. He found her
corpse. She had committed suicide during
the night In the meantime, the merchant
had not been heard from after deserting
the girl at the hotel Ten days ago he ap-
peared at the door Of his own house. True
to her promise, and true to her womanly
love, she threw the doors wide open, and
bade him welcome. Hidden from the eyes
of his neighbors and friends, he remained
indoors. The community are equally di-
vided whether he ought 70 be tarred and
feathered or forgiven.