The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-07-19


other carriage was occupied by Marshal Gray,
Deputy Marshal Frey, Deputy Sheriff Rose.
man and Mr.. Crawford Nelson. They were
received at the Jail by the warden, James NJ.
Irwin, and VIM. Fl. Perkins, president OF the
board of visitors. Mrs. Wharton, after
alIghting from the carriage, walked forward IN
an active and sprighly manner. and. aecosting
the president OF the board, said, .sHow do you
do. MIR. Perkins ?" and shook hands with him.
She said she never felt better. The cell No:
1859. In the female department, was assigned
for her use. adjoining the room of the matron.
wagon containing furniture iroR Mrs. VS.
residence soon arrived and was placed 10
her CELL The cell is about nine feet In the
centre height, and measures seven anu nan
the prisoner consists ofa single bed, plainly
furnished, s. very small round table, pitcher,
basin and tolet articles.
The Cell Occupied. -. :
Soon after reaching the jail, Mrs. Wharton
ordered dinner from the restaurant OF Mr..
Henry Grey, near by, of which mother and
daughter partook. In the meantime the cell
was being prepared, and at twenty minutes of
7 o'clock ths prisoner was. conducted oy MT.
Perkins to her close quarters. Her daughter
and Mrs. Nelson had already preceded her;
and giyen their personal! superintendence to
the Arrangement of the furniture, &c. Cur
tains were allowed othe window and door,
and the gaze of the prisoners Is thus excluded.
Permission was granted 20 Miss wharton 70
remain With her mother, she having earnestly
requested to be allowed to share her prison
life. in conformity with the prison rules, Mrs'
Wharton and her daughter, after enteflng tae'
forming her unpleasant duty considerably
but thoroughly. Nothing denied by the regu-
lations WAS found. After the search the door
was locked, and the mother and daughter LETT
to spend their first nightln prison.
Romantic Sketch OF Mrs. Wharton'S
Early Life.
The following comments upon Mrs. Whar-
toms case are from the Philadelphia Evening
Telegraph: -.
Ellen G. Nugent vas. born in this city about
forty-fve years ago. Her father. George Nrt,
gent, was most prominent and successlttl
business of fine goods. silks, &c. In charac.
ter he was strictly upright and honorable,
living as Il were By set rule of frmness and
Justice to sll His daughter Ellen was oy MS
second wife, he having been previously mar
ried to Cuban woman, by whom ne nad Two
children, Doth boys, one of whom Is now
respectable and prosperous member OF our
community. There were Six other cnliaren
by The second vile, four. SONS and TWO daugn-
ters: Bolh OF the" daughters are married and
living In the city. Her mother, Mrs. Nugent,
has only been dead few years, having out
lived her husband, who died: about the time
of the great California gold excitement. g
or ali lir. Nugent's children his; daughter
Nellie was his idol. He lavished every atten-
ton upon her that money could command.
Especial palms were taken with her education,
and she spent considerable time at Bishop
Doane's seminary, in Burlington, New Jersey.
And now the real interest of our story COM
mences. Nellie has grown up under our pen
C.l into beautiful womanhood, and her mature
character is beginning to determine Itself
The scene Is the Gulf Mills House. and the
time is about twenty-five years ago.
By the universal voice OF those VINO knew
her at this time, she was certainly most
lovely girl. About twenty years OF age, ofslen-
der and graceful, vet queenly bearing, with
magnificent jet-black hair Of unusual length,
dark eyes and fair compleXion-such was her
physical beauty. But those who knew her
we'll cay that that was the least of her attrac.
tions 1t was rather her engaging manDes'
her winning ways, her dashing, inspiring OILS
position that bound captive at the chariot
wheel of Cupid so many Of her male acqualnt'
ances. ~:
Ir was ai1ous this time that she began to de-.
yelOp q passion that has ever since been tnor.
dinate witt. her, and that was the desire to
dress masnifcently. Her father spared no
expense to crafty her lightest whin, and gave
her money enough to clothe' duchess. Her
father allowed her 10 carry the purse OF
duchess, and consequently the reader can
Judge OF his surprise whenn outside bills that
had been contracted by his daughter TO the
amount of thousands OF dollars were sent In to
him for settlement, aud oil this heavy running
into debt had taken place In comparatively
short time, and without the slightest premon-
itory intelligence.
Where had the money gone? Hardly upon
herself, since, although always elegantly at
tired in obedience to fashions latest mandate,
this debt excess was too aosurdly large to he
answered for on the ground OF personal ex-
pendlture. But aiiltle investigation showed.
1t was found that this money had been ex-
pended for laces, silks, jewelry, &c, &C.,
which were lavished with an imperial hand as
presents upon her young friends.
This was certainly little eccentric, and
quite enough to cause the eyebrow to raise.
Beautiful young ladies do not generally run
their fathers into debt simply to give away III.
discriminatory costly gifts. But something
more strange was yet to come. The debts were
paid by the father, and the current of events
drifted along towards the most remarkable
feature of this remarkable woman's life.
Miss Nellie was the brilliant centre of large
circle of people of the best class In that vlcin-
ity. So that when, shortly after, each and all
Of them received an Invitation to the marriage
of that young lady. you may be sure it created
some little Stir of excitement. At length the
auspicious hour rolled round, and all the invl-
ted guests assembled at the Nugent mansion
to witness the marriage OF the beauty. Great
preparations had been made for the event.
Mr.. Nugelt was determined that the daughter
who was queen of his heart should be mated
In regai manner. Never had the young girl
looked so lovely. as did the bride, seated !n her
satin and lace with her attendant maids about
her, and waiting with the loye-iight In her
eyes for the happy groom.
The hour at which the nuptial knot was to
have been tied struck with dismal clang,
and yet no bridegroom. Messengers were
sent In haste, and on their return they an
nounced that Mr.. Williamson had not con-
tracted The marriage and knew nothing
about it.
Subsequent investigation showed conclu-
sively that the marriage had not the slightest
foundation, so far as any intention Of Mr. Will
Hanson was concerned. and people began to
intimate that something was wrong in her
head. Mr.. Nugent, after careful pondering of
the matter, was resolved to have Nellie re-
moved to an asylum for the insane. 1t wanted
but day or two of the execution OF the aSy-
lum project. when one morning 1t was found
that the beautiful bird had flown in the night
from the paternal nest. But in very little
while the father received intelligence that his
daughter had eloped with young Lieutenant
Harry ". Wharton, had proceeded with him
to Philadelphia, had been there married.
The runaway couple had not been long from
home until they received assurances Of for
glveness, aud returned to the house at Gulf
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