Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-10-23

ELOPEMENT STOPPED.-An affair which
than anything for several years. was the
attempted elopement, at one O'Clock on
Sunday morning, of the step-daughter of a
well-known Main street merchant with u
young gentleman who does a manufacture
ing business Oh Picadilly street there.
The Chimes" gives the following account
Of the stirring scenes:
The young lady is said to be under four
teen years of age, but is well grown, and
exceedingly handsome and accomplished
for her age. Tie gentleman, although
still quite young is a WidoWer. The ac-
quainJance commenced during the Catho-
lie Fair in September, but being distaste-
tul TO the lady's parents, a clandeStiue cor
respondence Was carried on. The letters,
however, fell into the hands Of the parents,
who tnuS became acquainted with the
plans of the parties, aud took means to
frusJrate their intentions. Accordingly,
as the bell at the Court House struck one
O'Clock on Sunday morning, the lady
emerged from her residence through q pri-
vate door, prepared for fight, and was
promptly met Dy her lover and a number
OF chosen friends Who were prepared to re-
OIot dHy stUtClIlLJU bO UCUtEl tiIStE. ~ U
sooner had they reached the street than
the friends of the opposite party suddenly
appeared in strong force from various hid
g-places in the neighbolhood, where
they mad been concealed in anticipation Of
the event. The clipping party was quickly
0yertaken, a brief conflict occurred, in
which several pistol shots were exchanged
the gentleman and two of his friends were
captured by the police and lodged in jail,
and the lady was conducted to her home.
On Monday morning the street in front
OF Justice CrebS' Office, who, with Alder
man Barr, heard the case, was filled with
a curious crowd, who were anxious to
lealn how the affair would terminate. The
parties being all well known, and having
large family connections, and the fact th. t
the gentl man obtained his first wife in a
similar ma iner, only few years ago, in
creased the interest felt. Various opin-
ions were expressed, youth and hot blood
generally taking the lovers side, while
cooler heads deprecated the affair.
The police and others concerned in exc
cutting the warrant for the arrest of the
parties We're themselves placed under az
rest on Monday, but were subsequently
dismissed without trial.
The Justices determined to bail the par
ties, and the case will now come before The
Grand Jury, when interesting develop
ments are promised, which We will then
feel at liberty to publish. Eminent coun-
sci have been engaged on both sides.
A letter to the Richmond s.Whig, -
written from Winchester OIL the 18th inst,
says:
The excitement created here last week
over the attempted abduction Of one of
| the fair daughters of our city was very
great while it lasted, but, after all, was
short-lived. 1t is said that the girl will
! not be fourteen years of age until next
| February. She, however, has the appear
ance of a fully lnatured woman, due, in all
probability, to the fact that she was born
| and raised in one of the far Southern
States, where maturity is reached at far
earlier age than with us. The young lady,
it seems, thinks her detention as great a
hardship as does the young gentleman
No preliminary examination of the parties
arrested was had, there being an indispo-
sition on all sides to bring the young lady
out as witness, which, by the way, was d
great disappointment to the curious crowd
who had assembled, with the hope OF get
ting a glimpse of all the parties to the
transaction. For these reasons the exam-
nation was waived b5 the accused, and the
Commonwealth s authorities agreed to bail
the prisoners for their appearance at the
January term Of the Hastings court. They
will then most probably be indicted under
that section of our law which makes it an
offence to ''seize and take child from the
person having lawful charge of it, The
bail was fixed at $500, although it was
suggested to the justice, who is himself q
sprightly WidOWer. that We're he in the
prisoners place the bail would most assur-
eddy be very inadequate, to which he re
piled that he thought it would; that $40, 600
would hardly stop him Ne he had set has
mind Oh ''any of them''