The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-08-21
A Virginia Lawyer Runs Away frGn
Ills Wife with a Girl.

a Virginia Lawyer Runs Away fren
Ills Wife with 81 Girl.
The Lyrchburg Rcp"biican publishes the
facts Of the elopclnGiit Of james +. Clark.
former editor of the Manassas Gazette and
prosecuting attorney for Prince William
| county, Va. with Miss Fannie Fewrll. aged
Manassas. He left Il wife and three cildrs1l.
The Republican says:
james F.. Clark Is a son of the Rev. John
Clark, editor of the Warren Sentinel, and IL
Baptist minister of good standing. The son
is man of sprightlv intellect and engaging
manners. Several years since he married Il
| beautiful young lady, Il Miss Lee, of King
George county, settled in Prince William
profession, law. lie soon won friends. and
WAS honorcd in tho confidence of his fellow
citizens by election to 5ha responsible posi-
| ton Of Conmunwcallll's Attorney for Prince
William county. About tlla same time he
| became editor of tho Manassas GGsetta, which
| Inc conducted with considerable ability, daily
| adding to his list of irirn,ls and admirers.
All went smoothly up to II recent period,
when Clark declared his intention TO remove
| South. preparatory to which he removed his
wife and three children to her fathers resi-
| dcncc, in King George county. ON RETURNING
| to Mhr;lsSiiS he sold his household effects.
aud took board at the residence of Mr..
FewcIl the deLot agent anl Il popular and
respected citizen Of that village. liz hccamc
| attentive ira daughter of ar. FcWcll, Miss
Fannie, y girl of fifteen years, lovely in per-
ssh aMd amllbl". trusting in character. But
tie fact that he WAS married man Ills ,rncd
he suspicion of the Cllild's parent. and no
.lcCutint WAS taken of his attentions.
Last night four weeks ago, after Mr..
FewclI'S family had retired. the daughter
Fannie pleaded sickness and went down
stairs. Not returning in Il reasonable time.
| search was instituted for her, bat she could
| NOT he found. The freight train bound fer
Alexandria WIS Standing in front of the
| hniisH. aud Mr.. Jewell searched il, as he
| thought thoroughly. but without success.
| However. the girl WIS concealed in the
! wutrr-clOSct IF The c;thou>c. and in This way
effected her escape. Arriving ut AIeXan-
dra. she WAS met by Clark. At Washing
ton, fearing 10 take the train, they took Il
hack. and boarded the train 1T Bladcll>bllrr,
whittier they went westward.
| The Cincinnati Ehg"'rcr Of Saturday fur
ni"hcs al account Of i'lrir journey west.
ward. 1t says:
y young woman, apparently about sixteen
years OF age, good looking and respectfully
| dressed, arrived in this city by the Dnio and
Mississippi railroad On Thursday morning in
| search OF her husband. She stated 10 Officer
Kinney, who observed her waiting and
watching i'll the depot, that her maine was
Mrs. James +. Clark, and that she formerly
! lived at Manassas, Prince William county.
| Va, with her patents. There she became
| acquainted with Mr.. james +. Clark. with
| whom she copcd from home ON account
of her parents opposition to their mar
riagc. Mr.. Clark. she said, is Il lawyer
| and was once prosecuting attorney of the
county in which they lived. They left home
| at midnight on Il freight train, and went to
Washington, where they were married.
They then started on a wedding tour by
the WAY of Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago, and
Mexico, Mo, where the young gentle
llan proposed to locate and practice his
profession. They remained there but IL
short time, when Mr.. Clark determined to
return East. Mrs. Clark gave her husband
500, all the money she had. and he started
for this city to find Il better opening. She
stated that her husband had instructed her
To follow him in two days. She expected
him to meet her, but he had failed to do so.
for what reason she WAS unable 10 state.
She said her husband had been uniformly
Kind to her, and she knew no reason WHY
lie should wish TO desert her. She was ut
terly peunilcSs. Mr.. Kinney conducted her
70 the Thirt-Street Station-holl>e, and after
ward, 10y invitation OF the officer. she went to
l,,,,n Il
! night. Yesterday morning about 10 o'clock
Mr.. Kinney accompanied her to the ciiicc of
Mayor Davis, where the story was repeated.
Mrs. Clark stated that she was dcsirolts of
going home to her friends, and believed that
they would willingly receive her.
The Mayor gave her IL ticket to Washing
ton. together with about ten dollars which
Officer Kinney had collected for her.
Mr.. Armstrong, the manager OF the West
ern Union Telegraph office In this city, hap
pened to observe the circumstances OF this
case rs published in one Of our afternoon
contemporaries. 1t occurred to him that two
DAYS previous man named Clark had called
ut tho office, and had deposited thirty dollars
for his wife, in Mexico, Missouri. and that he
Ind been notified by tho operator at that
place that Mrs. Clark had not called for it.
Sir. Armstrong Immediately went out and
hunted Mrs. Clark, brought her to the office,
and gave her tile money, which she received
with evident relief and satisfaction, and eN-
pressed an intention of starting for her homo
ut once.
About two hours after she had departed
Mr.. Clark came IN, anXiotsly inquirinS if
there was II telegram for him, stating that he
expected his wife, who had not arrived. Mr..
irmstronc then informed Air. Clark of the
circumstances, OF his wifes visit, and showed
him tho account printed IN tho evening paper.
1t is needless TO say that. Mr.. Clark did not
long delay his search for his newly-made but
sorroWful spouse, and we are happy to state
that he found and intercepted her Just as she
was about embafktng In the ears Ter home.
Their meeting, after tteif short separati0n
and misand eFshnatsnsg wa Joyful one,