Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-08-27
The Case Of James r. Clark.
From the Frederick bnrr Ielpcr |

account OF the elnprmcut of james f. Clark
with Miss Fanny Fewc of Manassas, Va.
! several occurrences have taken place which
dccrcned the interest which that account cx.
cited here, where both parties are known,
and Clark especially. We'll known TO the
asIonlShmrnt Of everybody, Clark appeared in
Fredericksburg on Thursday, arriving by The
II o clock train, and procuring a horse at one
Of our livery stables departed at once to the
house OF Wm Lee in Stafford, the father of
his wife, where his wife aud children have been
living since his absence from the State The
alnily oil Miss Fewell received Intelligence on
the same day that she was in Washington, and
Suspcctlng that Clark would leave her there
aud Visit his family, sent telegram Of inquiry
nr him hat morning. Receiving an atiirma-
| i've answer, they asked for his arrest bur be.
| ing informed that this could not b.. done on
such slender authority. telegraphcd that they
would be here next day On Friday MIR. EcwelI.
father Of the young lady, and Mr. Merchant,
n connection Of the family. arrived and after
consultation with the Commonwealth Attor-
ney, obtained from Recorder Scncr warrant
! for CIak : arrest, Oh the charge of abduction
ui the daughter Of Mr. Fewell The warrant
! Gore. They arrested Clark at Mr. Lees house
WAS placed III the hand> OF irer> Edrlngton and
without, trouble, and whichever the subject was
mentioned in the conversation along the road.
| Clark TRULY asserted his Innocence lie Was
Druught III aud airalgucd before Recorder sener
in the afternoon MrasrS John l.. Maryc jr,
and Charles ilerudou app, AIRED As his counsel.
ard t. Nlstar " a!lace, Commonwealth 5 At
lorney tor the prosecution. Mr. Wallace did
not wish 10 proceed with the case until he could
procure certain necessary witnesses Mr.
Maryc replied that the ouly examination that
could nov be had was with the view 10 sending
the accused 70 the county where the u,truca oc
currei. and as The proceedings here would be
widely disseminated, he WISHED 10 say that Mr.
liA;s pionoGuced the REPORTS Of tins affair
most uDuuuded aSpcrSon Of his character and
assured hlui, distinctly aud uucquivucal!y. that
he had no cuuiIrctlJn whatever with the dis
appearance y! H.. ynung lady, aud 10 knowl-
edge OF her during his travels West. whittier he
, had teen merely iii y voyage ot exploration 10
sc!"cI u place ut location. a. soon a he heard
ri the the ru:u"rs connecting his name with this
allan H.: had TUNED from his business IN the
west ANA started nome to face ht- arcu>rr> Ia
Prince Nl..iam. aud i ready 70 70 now. this
moment. win the officers ard these urutvmcu
Captain Wallace aud Mr. Eewvl! -aii that
wa all they desired, and tl!cc4>e was therefore
- disposed OF bur II was dccucd Necessary u
hear tie evidence OF Me>sr> Eewvl! aud Nlcr-
c;aut l,e;ure cnlunltrug Mr.. Clark L. cu>tpiy.
The tu.lowlu: i their narrative OF the c.Oy'e
urn, aud pursuit:
NJ FrSri!. The father Of ;hc young gitl. has
lived 1t Manassas S!uce l>rj His daughter
though only sixteen years ~ age. Is >alI II h:
II great beauty and mo>t engaging uauucr>.
Her mother las been dead Tor >ulMr yrar>. aud
>he ha- been brought up uuler every indu.-
gcuce having !,cen from her earliest Years The
pet ot' he hpu> hod
There never has beeu anything in Clark :
couiuct 10 arouse Suspicious IN the minis Of
any nlrmEcr ol. her family that he designed
her ruin. They had heard nj ~ intimacy be-
tween them excel; o. a ride in a hnsgy few
days before he left Manassas. Clark uev.r
Reported. and lett Manassas ten days before his
daughter disappeared. >hs did hot i've with
her father, bur with her elder sister, the wti-
Of Nj, r. Is. Merchant. OF Manassas aud from
Mr. Merchant ; house the clrpcnlcnt occurred
aucr an old man with Il hand-trunk called at
Mr. tewrit' hotel "u the arrival Of the evening
train. and tcisping drunkenness. asked tor
liquor. He WAS directed across The street.
WHITTIER he went. The next night lie appeared
again Al the same hour and WIKI the >aue ac.
tons. tut without the hand -truak. The next
night being Sunday night the 21:h July. a
freight train arrived at Manassas at midnight
Miss Frwcll. a the train WAS coming in. passed
the door II her brother -ln-iaw room and. IN
answer II Il question from him. replied that she
was Ill aud was golug out. ~ the night was
bright, lie thought nothing strange OF this and
otly desired her 10 take her mad servant with
her Becoming alarmed from her proracted
absence Mrs Merchant Went u look tDr her and
could not find her on the premises. In tie mean
time her father. who l. depot agent II Nlaua>-
>a>, while on the platform Attending 10 his du
,ie> had observed teuale figure coming towards
the train from he direction Of Mr.. Merchant
hoil>e preceded by man carrying hand
trunk. tut never Tor moment SUSPECTED! that
it was hi> daughter Having flushed h> tu>
ine>> with the train. he Went home and retired.
and Was walked up ~ q few minutes by Mr..
Merchant. VIII" iui,!me! hun Of his daughter
disappearance. They Went together and search
ed the car. bur in vain. The Young lady was
concealed in the water closet. The man with
the hauutruuN occupied a seat III the car. tie
was seen afterwards IN convcr>ation with Miss
Fanny ry the train hands AID Was overheard:
telling her that me lieutenant would not
sop il Washington. but would take the ears
a, the fr>. station beyond When the train
arrived at AIvxanr!a 4 carriage vas in waiting
and the young girl entered it AMI drove away.
The watchInan 81 the depot and the conductor
Of the train saw lnau in the carriage. vii nm |
they described as 4 >ual man with !ight hair
aud .isht mou>tache He told the wa,ch,nan
be was 4 clerk il Washington. aud had been
seen waiting there with the carriage TOR no |
nights before The hand trunk man tod the
wa:chman that az tad been helping the Young
coupe ii From Alexandria al traces ot' the
tu.ltlye> We're lost until the ir>t DEPOT beyond
Wa>hin:ton vas reached. The agent al this
depot informed Mr.. Merchant thai q young
couple answering the description had taken the |
train there the day b.r're, aud the agent accu
ra.rly described by:n .; them. even describing
The dress worn * th@ lady. which was rec7-. /
nz"i by Mr. Merchant, Pur>u!, Wa made 70
Baltimore. c,,: wtnou; t::=cs. and .9r the ,ir>! |
tim, ark was SUSPECTED.
After Suspicion vas lirec:e 70 Clark. il vas /
learned that he had given on, that NJ had gone .